This is a good book about Joseph, Mary's husband. The picture Francine Rivers paints of Mary the mother of Jesus is nothing short of bitter and dishonest-- not Scriptural at all (one of the greatest scenes of the Bible with Mary-- her visit to Elizabeth where Mary sings, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..." is LEFT out!). A gross oversight that gives away Ms. Rivers' struggles with the person of Mary... it seems like she tries to make her Mary "less Catholic" by making her into a terrible person. I understand that Ms. Rivers wants to make Mary 'more human' to her readers... but Ms. Rivers forgets that sin makes us LESS human, not moreso. Adam and Eve were more themselves in the Garden of Eden than after they were cast out.
Even though this is a work of fiction, I still think that, at best, it's a dishonest account of the mother of Jesus--an attempt to erase the picture the Catholic Church has painted instead of an honest openness about Mary's life as revealed in segments of Scripture and early Christian writings.
I was highly disappointed.
Even though this is a work of fiction, I still think that, at best, it's a dishonest account of the mother of Jesus--an attempt to erase the picture the Catholic Church has painted instead of an honest openness about Mary's life as revealed in segments of Scripture and early Christian writings.
I was highly disappointed.
