Article
- Author:
- Edmonds, Peter, SJ
- Publisher:
- Kevin Mayhew Ltd (2007)
- ISBN:
- 9781844178445
- Purchase:
- Buy this book from Amazon.co.uk (commission earned)
I suppose it's slightly unfair to criticise a book for what it is not but my reason for doing so is that the title is grossly misleading. This isn't actually a book about land and people at all. It is a fairly run-of-the mill commentary on Luke but not so systematic as, say Wansbrough and not so colourful or off the beaten track as many fine and brave essays on Luke.
This is a pity because the introduction introduces us to a band of pilgrims assembled in Jerusalem on the Feast of Pentecost to begin their Holy Land pilgrimage. Now and again in the Lucan exegesis we catch a glimpse of them and what they did and, at the end, we hear how Luke’s Gospel has affected them during their pilgrimage; but we are not given their itinerary and we don't get to hear of how they were affected by their surroundings.
Perhaps they were a studious and somewhat constrained band of pilgrims who left Edmonds with no colourful material but I doubt it; I found the experience of a Holy Land pilgrimage overwhelming both spiritually and emotionally. It changed my life forever, not least in the way I now read the Gospels.
Overall, the commentary is safe enough and it is particularly good on the first two Chapters of Luke by setting out the seven scenes and four Canticles. But, overall, this is a lost opportunity.