1999 09 00 Christianity and Literature - Vol 48 No 4 - Parks

Magazine Overview This document contains two book reviews from a publication titled "BOOK REVIEWS," spanning pages 542-544. The reviews cover "Children of Ezekiel: Aliens, UFOs, the Crisis of Race, and the Advent of End Time" by Michael Lieb and an unnamed book by Grewal analyzing the work of Toni Morrison.

Review of Grewal's Book on Toni Morrison The first review, by Darlene E. Erickson of Ohio Dominican College, discusses Grewal's book which analyzes Toni Morrison's literary works. Erickson notes that while Harold Bloom sees Morrison's imagination transcending ideology to reach authentic aesthetic dignity, Grewal assumes a contrary position, focusing on Morrison's politics and isolating a political agenda. Erickson finds Grewal's book strongest when it closely follows Morrison's texts or echoes her words. However, Erickson suggests Grewal sometimes misses the "dazzling beauty" and "healing joy" in Morrison's language, focusing instead on "circles of sorrow" and "lines of struggle." For instance, in discussing the novel "Jazz," Grewal quotes a passage describing "sorrow" and "the seep of rage," but Erickson feels Grewal doesn't fully appreciate the "originality, beauty, and intricacies of jazz" as a musical form.

Erickson also questions Grewal's characterization of Morrison's work as "minor literature," especially since Morrison herself connects her work to major mythologies and scriptures. Erickson argues that Morrison's work has become universal, inviting connections to the human dilemma. She critiques Grewal's position for potentially trivializing Morrison's work by suggesting its content is no more social or political than that of Dickens, Conrad, or even Jesus. Erickson agrees with Morrison's assertion in "Playing in the Dark" that Africanism is inextricable from Americanness and posits that characters like Pecola Breedlove, Sula, Milkman Dead, Sethe, Paul D, and Baby Suggs Holy have become literary counterparts in the human story and the kingdom of God. Despite some perceived limits in vision, Erickson concludes that Grewal's attempt to synthesize critical analyses of Morrison's novels is a valuable contribution to literary scholarship.

Review of Michael Lieb's "Children of Ezekiel" The second review, by John G. Parks of Miami University, covers Michael Lieb's "Children of Ezekiel: Aliens, UFOs, the Crisis of Race, and the Advent of End Time." Lieb's book analyzes how Ezekiel's vision of God has been appropriated by various figures in American culture, including prophets, gurus, and political leaders. The book traces this appropriation from John Milton to Louis Farrakhan, focusing on the "fiery chariot" as a "defining moment" for those seeking to fashion technology from the ineffable and claim power.

The book is divided into two parts. The first, "Cultural Transactions and the Poetics of Aggression," explores how Milton used the chariot as a divine weapon against Satan, and how Puritan reformers legitimized their actions through divine anger. Lieb also discusses an 18th-century inventor, Melchoir Baur, who sought to build a flying machine based on Ezekiel's vision, and how the Industrial Revolution's inventions were given biblical authority. More recently, Ezekiel's vision has been linked to UFO phenomena, with some scientists interpreting it as an ancient astronaut encounter. Lieb examines how popular culture, like Steven Spielberg films, reflects this interest in alien contact. He also connects this to the "scientistic age" where the mystical is explained by scientific methodology, and how the vision appears in computer technology and "New Age" religion.

The third chapter, "Prophecy Belief and the Politics of End Time," focuses on how biblical prophecy is literalized and technologized by groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses and those predicting Armageddon. Hal Lindsey's "The Late Great Planet Earth" is highlighted as an influential work that interprets current events as fulfillments of biblical prophecy. The fourth chapter, "Arming the Heavens," discusses the political implications of apocalyptic thought, influencing foreign policy and defense planning, citing Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" plan.

The second part of the book, "Ideology, Eschatology, and Racial Difference," examines the rise of the Black Muslims, tracing their belief system back to visions similar to Ezekiel's, where the fiery chariot becomes a flying machine or "mother plane." Parks notes that Lieb's research access to the Nation of Islam may explain his "rather uncritical treatment" of their beliefs.

Parks finds Lieb's book to be information-packed but potentially overwhelming due to detailed descriptions and redundant analyses. He praises Lieb's scholarly attempt to analyze pop culture phenomena but feels the approach remains too distant, withholding judgments. Parks questions whether the book sufficiently distinguishes the ludicrous from the serious and suggests that while the book traces the "technologizing and materializing of Ezekiel's vision," it shows little interest in exploring *why* this vision is so pervasive and compelling, or whether it poses a danger to the social order. Parks concludes that a more speculative and provocative book might have explored these deeper interpretive questions.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance The reviews collectively highlight themes of literary criticism, the intersection of religion and technology, the interpretation of prophecy, and the cultural appropriation of religious visions. The editorial stance appears to be one of scholarly engagement, presenting critical analyses of academic works in these fields. The reviews themselves offer critical perspectives, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the books under examination, and suggesting areas for further exploration.