I thought I’d get you up to date on the reaction to my book In Living Color: The Lord’s Prayer. It’s one of those you either like it or hate it reactions. I’m just glad there are twelve likes to three dislikes.
I’ve included the good with the bad so you see all sides. The negative reactions have mostly to do with the departure from Western theological terminology that translators from Aramaic are not locked into using. And contrary to the way some people think, “New Age” is not a four letter word that originated in California. It’s another word for contemporary. But that’s okay. Everyone’s comments reveal where they are in their journey.
FROM GOODREADS:
(as of Oct. 17 = five people rated it 5 stars ) with one written review:
Sammy Sam rated it 5-stars Recommends it for: Everyone
I received In Living Color: The Lord’s Prayer for free through Goodreads First Reads. I would recommend this read to everyone. This book will open your eyes to a much deeper level of understanding. Such wonderful examples explained throughout the entire passage. The author does more than give an intensely rich meaning of the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible.
Knowing there is deeper knowledge in the meaning of the words bring about a oneness with the Almighty. Each chapter takes one petition of the Lord’s Prayer and details the discussion of that petition in such profound discernment. Then the conclusion puts it all together. The questions at the end of the book are a great addition to help the understanding process even more. Such powerful knowledge within this book! Thank you Mr. Paul W. Meier!
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FROM AMAZON: Six 5-stars, one 4-stars, three 1-stars
5.0 out of 5 stars - Beautiful, ponder-worthy book June 6, 2012
When I downloaded this onto my Kindle I wasn’t completely sure what to expect, but once I began, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I was really going to love this book. I finished it today, and I wasn’t disappointed. I found myself highlighting so much that I gave up because what’s the use of highlighting an entire book? I especially loved the chapter on “God’s will”. Still pondering…
5.0 out of 5 stars - Waking up to the Lord’s Prayer May 30, 2012
By Peg Robarchek
Paul Meier’s wonderful book, “In Living Color,” re-introduces me to the Lord’s Prayer in a way that allows me to glimpse a deeper meaning in its well-known message. Yes, on one level this prayer is perfectly wonderful taken at face value. But when Meier walks us through the shades of meaning found in the prayer’s original language, I’m reminded all over again that my relationship with God is a living, growing relationship, with new layers available to me whenever I am ready to look beneath the surface of old, familiar words.
In concluding his exploration, Meier points out, “What better way to orchestrate harmony than through song? I’m certain that if a group of poets had translated Holy Scriptures instead of theologians, the kingdom of God would have come long ago.”
I have to agree and this compact volume proves the point beautifully. I am tempted to include Meier’s favorite translation of the prayer, because it is my favorite now, as well. But I encourage readers to find it for themselves. Instead of spoiling the unveiling of the final translation offered in the book, I’ll share this passage from “In Living Color”:
“When the world finally recognizes the goodness of the One who desires to unite us, we will dance together as one–in peace, love, hope, in harmony with all–and the inconceivable but long hoped for kingdom will come.”
From http://bit.ly/RNVXUT (desert fire’s blog review) also placed in Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars - 5 stars and counting! August 13, 2012
By Leah Chang
When I received this book from Pastor Meier, partly in gratitude for my splendid (yes!) review of his Praying the Gospel with Martin Luther, I trusted I’d learn something new and be reminded of facts I’d once known, but “Living Color” understates the highly chromatic historical, cultural, and practical insights in this book. When you learn about the transmission, compilation, and canonization of scripture in seminary or elsewhere, you discover a lot of biblical texts have antecedents and close parallels in other ancient near eastern writings, so precedents for the Our Father are no surprise. But this book goes far beyond that! Also, the practice of a rabbi or teacher providing a “pray like this” model prayer to his followers was widespread and is well-known; the “Lord’s Prayer” that Christians recite every week during worship and in their own devotions outside the gathered assembly was Jesus of Nazareth’s contribution to that tradition.
Paul W Meier discovered Aramaic to English translations through The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies; subtleties and suggestiveness of Jesus’ muttersprach helped the writer and now assist the reader to draw out, expand upon, and intensify many aspects of the familiar prayer. As Pr Meier explains, Hebrew has a much less cut-and-dried, far more expressive–and colorful personality than Greek! (As a colloquial language, Aramaic is to Hebrew approximately what koine Greek it to classical Greek.)
You can read and reread these 76 pages quickly and explore a broader, more inclusive, worldview than that of first century Palestine, so I won’t go into details or provide quotes. Briefly, praying the Lord’s Prayer using different words and pondering Pastor Meier’s explanations can help lead to a universalizing faith more fully in accord with Jesus’ – and our! – mission to reconcile all creation to heaven.
In Living Color: The Lord’s Prayer concludes with group-oriented discussion questions related to scripture and to the participants’ life experience for each chapter. Only 5 stars? Amazon wouldn’t let me give it more!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
5.0 out of 5 stars – Inspirational, October 7, 2012
By Suzan -
This book has made me look at the Lord’s Prayer in new light. It has open my eyes and heart. Wonderfully put together.
5.0 out of 5 stars - Unpacks the meanings in The Lord’s Prayer, October 12, 2012
By High Desert Blue -
I thoroughly enjoyed reading In Living Color, The Lord’s Prayer. Paul Meier, the author utilizes ancient Aramaic translation, specifically Galilean Aramaic, a dialect likely spoken by Jesus. Meier goes through the familiar prayer line by line, filling each line with color and meaning. The book changed the lens through which I think about the prayer that I say at least once a day. Instead of me asking God for things, I can pray with the attitude that I want to see what God wants for me, and for this world that He created. Meier fills each line with a small chapter of meaning using historic information, and bringing The Lord’s Prayer to life. I recommend this book and will suggest it to some family members and friends.
5.0 out of 5 stars - wow!, October 12, 2012
By Pickles
I found so much power and beauty in this book. Sure, I had my own version and how I felt about what I was praying, but to have someone else beside myself truly understand made me take flight!
The most powerful prayer…….. brought back to it’s glory.
4.0 out of 5 stars - In living Color: the Lord’s Prayer, September 21, 2012
By ginny
Excellent, learned how to see the Lord’s Prayer in a whole new way. This book brings you deeper into the meaning of what exactly Jesus was teaching us with this wonderful, universal prayer.
1.0 out of 5 stars – The Lord’s Prayer, May 24, 2012
By Pastor Jay -
I was enthused to get a magnified version of the Lord’s Prayer.
I was NOT excited to see a re-definition of God the Father = “These descriptions remove the male-humanoid image of God and retain the expression of an undefinable Creator. In its broader and deeper sense, these words encourage you to expand your image of the Creator beyond the adolescent conception of a God that has form and substance, and possessing human traits. God is inconceivable, beyond form and description.”
The author chose to take Greek and translate it into Aramaic, and then back to English to get a genderless, cosmic birther. “Translators from Aramaic into English help us to envision a broader image of the originator of life: Abwûn Our Father-Mother, O cosmic Birther, from whom the breath of life comes, O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos,”
The rest was interesting, but I have trouble with this translation and the choice to go from Greek, to Aramaic, to English
1.0 out of 5 stars – Leave it alone, October 8, 2012
By beatlesfan48 -
To be fair, I must admit up front that I did not finish this book. I read about halfway through it and removed it. The title is interesting enough, but I downloaded this book because I thought the book was written from a Christian perspective. I am still trying to figure out what the author means when he states the universe is “humming.”
1.0 out of 5 stars – A Shock, September 14, 2012
By Mariah York (Philadelphia ‘Burbs)
After reading Meier’s *Praying the Gospels with Martin Luther*, this book was a shock. I expected an in-depth look at the meaning behind the Lord’s Prayer and instead found a dizzying, woo-woo New Age interpretation. Perhaps I’m wrong – I was so disturbed I couldn’t finish the book – and it all makes sense in the end, but I don’t feel the least bit inclined to continue reading or even keep this free Kindle.
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You can’t please all the people all the time, especially when talking “religion.”
