Joseph GirzoneCritiques

Girzone recounts the long, complicated, and often painful process he went though as he sought to find peace with his beliefs.

"Efter 2000 år får mänskligheten en ny chans...
Det lilla samhället surrar av rykten. Vem är främlingen som slagit sig ner i den sömniga småstaden? Någon menar sig ha sett honom bära en väldigt stock på sina skuldror - utan svårigheter. Andra talar om en liten flicka i fattigkvarteret som var allvarligt sjuk. Sedan hon besökt främlingen blev hon genast frisk.
Vad vill han egentligen? Lugnt och kärleksfullt vädjar han till människorna att riva de barriärer som skiljer dem och se på varandra med förståelse och respekt. Reaktionerna är blandade. En del dras till honom. Andra blir rädda. Till slut bestämmer sig några kyrkoledare för att konfrontera honom..."

In this bestselling sequel to his classic Joshua, Joseph F. Girzone presents a magical. powerful tale of affirmation and hope, Set in a community torn apart by the kind of sectarian violence plaguing Belfast and Beirut. it's the story of a mysterious Christ-like individual. Joshua
by name. whose message of compassion and understanding is first taken to heart by the community's children. Using a combination of miracles, humour, honesty and selfless coring, Joshua gradually becomes a catalyst for peaceful change, But this peace is unwanted by those for whom hatred has become a way of life. Joshua is a threat they decide, and he must be eliminated by any means necessary.

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My sister handed Joshua to me while she was cleaning out her book collection. It seemed to be an easy read so I took it home with me. Getting to know Joshua was nice and I enjoyed the simple reading and easy life that Joshua chose. But it became pretty clear early that this book would have some similarities to a story we read about in the Gospels. I couldn’t help but get a little anxious anticipating a disappointing ending. There were some difficult messages in the book, some I couldn’t agree with, some I was saddened to agree with. I tried to keep an open mind and realized that my emotional reactions paralleled some of the characters in the book and I realized that is a great gift for a writer.

I believe that Joseph was called to write this book after experiencing and seeing the dark side of religion. The side that many of us have experienced in various ways. I felt a little hopeless while reading this but realized the heart of the message is for each of us to choose how we treat one another. It is a reminder of a beautiful life and a model for us all. I remember traveling to Greece and one one of the little Islands we were taken to the storage place for the history of the Greek Orthodox churches on the island. This tiny building was jam packed with picture, statues, confessionals, candles, more pictures, more statues, more artistic history. I sat on the floor to rest while the island guide told us about the history of all these icons. A friend took a picture of me and shared it with me later. She said I looked exhausted with a far away look in my eyes. The truth is that I was sad and what I was thinking was this is not what Jesus had in mind. I think Joseph has had some similar feelings through his life as a Catholic Priest.

Take the time to read Joshua and consider it an opportunity to strengthen your friendships with those in the bible. Be careful to remember the heart of the message when Joseph aptly describes some of the religious leaders we know today but gives us a reminder of the how we may choose to live our lives in a more loving way, what he believes Jesus intended for us.

When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are at first mystified, then confused by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears to seek nothing for himself. He supports himself solely by carpentry and woodworking, and he charges very little for his services. Yet his work is exquisite. Even more exquisite, and even more mysterious, is the extraordinary effect he has on everyone he meets. All who come in contact with him can't help but be transformed by his incredible warmth. The acceptance and love in his eyes and in each actions amazes the townspeople. Who is Joshua and just what is he up to? The answer to that question amazes them almost as much discovery of that same transforming power in each of their own hearts.

The newest installment in this inspirational series of novels about the return of Jesus to the present day shows readers a Joshua they've never seen before, overcoming such endemic urban problems as poverty, racism, and AIDS--even confronting the terrifying realities of mental illness and satanism.

For some today, the parables of the New Testament are quaint, old-fashioned stories, with little relevance to everyday life in the twenty-first century. As Girzone writes in his Introduction, "I have heard the most callous people comment with such great piety on the parables that I could not help but wonder if we haven't made parables pleasant-sounding fables about human situations long past, but with no present-day meaning." In order to recapture their original vitality Girzone revives the timeless messages behind the original parables by "dressing them in modern clothes," presenting them through Joshua in a conversational style that will resonate with a modern audience.

When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are at first mystified, then confused by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears to seek nothing for himself. He supports himself solely by carpentry and woodworking, and he charges very little for his services. Yet his work is exquisite. Even more exquisite, and even more mysterious, is the extraordinary effect he has on everyone he meets. All who come in contact with him can't help but be transformed by his incredible warmth. The acceptance and love in his eyes and in each actions amazes the townspeople. Who is Joshua and just what is he up to? The answer to that question amazes them almost as much discovery of that same transforming power in each of their own hearts.

Joshua has come home. But home is no more peaceful than it was during the "time long ago" remembered by Joshua. Violent, seemingly intractable disputes poison the very air. It falls to Joshua, retracing the path taken two millennia ago, to lead his followers to peace in this world as well as in the next. Joshua in the Holy Land will carry every reader back to where it all began. Back to Nazareth and Bethlehem. Back to Capernaum and Bethany. Back to Jerusalem. Full of resonances with the Gospels, Joshua in the Holy Land is a profoundly satisfying addition to the Joshua phenomenon.

Within twenty-four hours of his first encounter with Joshua, David Campbell will propose the most far-reaching reforms in a millennium, reforms to destroy sectarian barriers, reforms to change the direction of the church, reforms to return Christianity to its founders with a simple message. With Joshua as his mentor, David Campbell—the Shepherd—preaches to Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Jews of the universal truth of God’s love. It is a message that changes everyone it touches. And no one who reads Joshua and the Shepherd will ever forget it.

In the year 2000 Joshua travels across the US, calming people's misgivings about the end of the world. When he reaches San Francisco, he works to warn them of an impending disaster. In this book Girzone's character reveals his true nature to those he visits, unlike in some of the other books in the series.

Joshua is written by a priest who is obviously unhappy with the direction of the Catholic Church, as well as many other authoritarian churches. His character represents what would be Jesus coming back to modern times and decrying how "the church" and "religion" are not what was originally preached in the Gospels. His simple lifestyle brings peace and joy to many, along with a few miracles, but he is forced to answer to the Pope.

When Joshua visits the Holy Land he works his message of peace with Arabs, Jews and Christians and creates a movement that eventually unites Israel and the Arab countries.

Joshua inspires people to work together to make a new community out of a ruined neighborhood. Shows the influence of Jesus on the lives of troubled people from multiple cultures.

When Joshua moves to a small cabin on the edge of town, the local people are at first mystified, then confused by his presence. A quiet and simple man, Joshua appears to seek nothing for himself. He supports himself solely by carpentry and woodworking, and he charges very little for his services. Yet his work is exquisite. Even more exquisite, and even more mysterious, is the extraordinary effect he has on everyone he meets. All who come in contact with him can't help but be transformed by his incredible warmth. The acceptance and love in his eyes and in each actions amazes the townspeople. Who is Joshua and just what is he up to? The answer to that question amazes them almost as much discovery of that same transforming power in each of their own hearts.

A stronger Joshua arrives in a deceptively ordinary village only to witness the doings of unscrupulous leaders and violent people. The children are the first to recognize that something is quite different about this stranger who has come seemingly from nowhere. It is through the villagers' children that Joshua is able to restore a sense of peacefulness and honesty. "A new day had dawned, a new spirit spread throughout the land, and it all seemed to have happened because of the simple, unassuming goodness of one gentle stranger who knew only how to love."

Girzone embellishes Biblical accounts with plausible fiction, and I found the book instantly immersive. There are three events in particular that really stuck out to me and I discuss them on my podcast: https://soundcloud.com/jesusinbooks/jesus-in-books-new-understanding

I love his Joshua series. My cousin recommended it and I'm glad she did.

I love his books!

I love this series.

love it!

love it!

loved it!

great!