Thou Art That: Transforming Religious Metaphor

by Joseph Campbell Narrated by Tom Parks

Overview

Woven from Joseph Campbell's previously unpublished work, this volume explores Judeo-Christian symbols and metaphors-and their misinterpretations-with the famed mythologist's characteristic conversational warmth and accessible scholarship. Campbell's insights highlight centuries of confusion between literal and metaphorical interpretations of Western religious symbols that are, he argues, perennially relevant keys to spiritual understanding and mystical revelation.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

This collection of essays, lectures and discussions will delight both avid Campbell disciples eager for more of his thoughts and newcomers to his work on comparative mythology and religion. It is also a quick refresher course on some of Campbell's ideas about the Judeo-Christian tradition for those who have encountered him in his well-known Hero with a Thousand Faces or in his popular television series on the power of myth with Bill Moyers. This is not the polished writing of a scholar systematically presenting an argument. Rather, editor Kennedy urges the reader to approach this collection "as one would the classroom, or the study" in order to better enjoy the more energetic and spontaneous "master teacher" side of Campbell. The effect is to take the reader on a romp through the Judeo-Christian tradition a lightning-paced tour with an extremely knowledgeable and provocative guide to illuminate some intriguing, untrammeled paths. The most abiding theme of this collection is that Western religious traditions have suffered from taking their stories and symbols literally instead of metaphorically. Some chapters are dense with ideas and call for careful reading, while other sections are breathtakingly clear in describing mind-opening concepts. In either case, this is a book that will stretch readers to reconsider their interpretation of the stories and symbols of faith and the relationship between personal spirituality and institutional religion. (Oct. 15) Forecast: Although Campbell died in 1987, there is still tremendous interest in his work, which bodes well for this title, the first in New World Library's Collected Works of Joseph Campbell series. The book will have a 25,000-copy firstprinting and will be advertised in Utne Reader, New Age, Tricycle, Shambhala Sun and elsewhere. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Any book by Campbell must attract the attention of a broad public, given not only the continued success of his Hero with a Thousand Faces but also his series of televised interviews with Bill Moyers. This volume has been rather carefully assembled from his notes and concludes with a brief interview with Eugene Kennedy. While there are no revelations here, Campbell continues his forays into archetypal and Jungian readings of the motifs of world religions. For most collections. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

From the Publisher

“[A] romp through the Judeo-Christian tradition — a lightning-paced tour with an extremely knowledgeable and provocative guide to illuminate some intriguing, untrammeled paths.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“It is Campbell the armchair speaker who shines through, buoyant with life and with comments that are eerily relevant to current times.”
— Parabola

“The work confirms the commonality of the human experience. A much-needed prescription in today’s world.”
— San Francisco Chronicle

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169815948
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Publication date:	11/06/2018
Series:	The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,251,498

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