AmosL
07-31-2008, 06:13 PM
Goldman, Ari. ”The Search for God at Harvard”, Ballantine Books, 1991, 2008.
Finding Answers
Amos Lassen
I don’t know why I have never read this book as it is exactly the kind of book that I love. I am always on a quest for knowledge about religion and I have heard about this book for quite a long time. Now that I have read Ari Goldman’s “The Search for God at Harvard” I still do not have the answers to many of my questions but I have a new way of looking at them.
Ari Goldman is the religion reporter for “The New York Times” and in 1985 he took a year leave from his job and enrolled in the Harvard Divinity School, generally considered to be the finest school of divinity that we have. Goldman’s idea was to deepen his knowledge of the sacred beliefs of the world but it turned into a journey of “spiritual illumination”. Goldman examined his own faith as an Orthodox Jew and opened his mind to the great religions of the world. He says “You can’t fully understand your own faith without understanding the other. But once you face the other, a whole new set of questions arise.”
When Goldman arrived at Harvard in the mid-1980’s,,, he was surprised to find an eclectic mix of students from all religions debating about the major issues of the day and he the impression he had of Harvard being not much more than a bunch of “uppity straight-laced ministers” was challenged with every student he met..
Goldman brings his own religious life into this memoir. He is a yeshiva educated Orthodox Jew and he struggled with his religious training. He had issues with observing the Sabbath when a big story breaks and observing the dietary laws while traveling. He managed to stand by his religious convictions while still being active in society. Goldman tells the story of Orthodox Judaism, journalism, academia and personal exploration and it took real courage to do so. It is extremely interesting to look at other religions through Orthodox Jewish eyes.
It is especially interesting to learn that Harvard which has long been regarded as the place where Christian piety is reinforced is, in reality, “a forum for passionate debate on the relationships between religion and politics, social mores and sexuality”.
I absolutely love this book because it really gave me new things to think about and it does so with humor and amazing clarity. I was deeply touched several times and I was totally involved inn every major thought that Goldman offered me.
Finding Answers
Amos Lassen
I don’t know why I have never read this book as it is exactly the kind of book that I love. I am always on a quest for knowledge about religion and I have heard about this book for quite a long time. Now that I have read Ari Goldman’s “The Search for God at Harvard” I still do not have the answers to many of my questions but I have a new way of looking at them.
Ari Goldman is the religion reporter for “The New York Times” and in 1985 he took a year leave from his job and enrolled in the Harvard Divinity School, generally considered to be the finest school of divinity that we have. Goldman’s idea was to deepen his knowledge of the sacred beliefs of the world but it turned into a journey of “spiritual illumination”. Goldman examined his own faith as an Orthodox Jew and opened his mind to the great religions of the world. He says “You can’t fully understand your own faith without understanding the other. But once you face the other, a whole new set of questions arise.”
When Goldman arrived at Harvard in the mid-1980’s,,, he was surprised to find an eclectic mix of students from all religions debating about the major issues of the day and he the impression he had of Harvard being not much more than a bunch of “uppity straight-laced ministers” was challenged with every student he met..
Goldman brings his own religious life into this memoir. He is a yeshiva educated Orthodox Jew and he struggled with his religious training. He had issues with observing the Sabbath when a big story breaks and observing the dietary laws while traveling. He managed to stand by his religious convictions while still being active in society. Goldman tells the story of Orthodox Judaism, journalism, academia and personal exploration and it took real courage to do so. It is extremely interesting to look at other religions through Orthodox Jewish eyes.
It is especially interesting to learn that Harvard which has long been regarded as the place where Christian piety is reinforced is, in reality, “a forum for passionate debate on the relationships between religion and politics, social mores and sexuality”.
I absolutely love this book because it really gave me new things to think about and it does so with humor and amazing clarity. I was deeply touched several times and I was totally involved inn every major thought that Goldman offered me.