3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The Biblical Clock by Daniel Friedmann and Dania Sheldon delves into the disparities between how the Bible and science determine Earth’s age. Friedmann and Sheldon use many different religious texts to determine the age of Earth and compare it to what has been found in science. Once the age of Earth is established, The Biblical Clock moves on to describe the “End of Days” based on extensive research of numerous religious texts. During this journey of comparison, many religious lines of thought are explored and explained within the context of political climates throughout history.
I was worried this book would read like a text book due to the nature of its content, but Friedmann and Sheldon utilized storytelling to break up the dense information. Each chapter begins with a novel-style recount of whichever religious figure is being discussed. This was a clever way to ensure reader engagement as well as give background for people who may not be as well-versed in religious history. This stylistic choice allowed the authors to explore religious figures and beliefs from the year 135 CE up until the present without feeling like a historical text book.
In addition to great storytelling, the vocabulary in this book is wonderful. Friedmann and Sheldon carefully selected words to paint a vivid picture about events, and their thoughtfulness shines throughout the entire book. I found myself rereading sentences because they were written so beautifully. The care, thought, and research that has gone into writing this book is evident, and those elements add so much value to the content.
Some of the religious back story felt a bit like an over-detailed movie exposition. I’ve never experienced that feeling with a book before, and it was a bit surprising to notice it every few chapters. Some of these over-detailed historical recounts took away from the experience for me a bit, but it was likely necessary to get the reader up to speed on some of the historical religious events. Despite the mild distraction, the exposition portions were well-written and added value by explaining political and/or social climates of a specific time period.
I am giving The Biblical Clock by Daniel Friedmann and Dania Sheldon 3 out of 4 stars. I would not consider this book 4 stars because I would not read this book again. However, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever thought about the differences in Earth’s age from the perspectives of the Bible and science.
******
The Biblical Clock
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
