The book is wonderful for many reasons. First, its structure is quite exceptional for a book on religion, in that it uses the human anatomy from feet to head as the structure around which to describe the physical body of the biblical god. Second, it expands throughout ancient myths and legends what each anatomical element means and has meant, going back to Sumer, Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and Greece, tracing back why some - often obscure - parts and verses of the bible say what they say. It helps to interpret sometimes post-dated metaphorical interpretations back to their physical origins. Third, Stavrakopoulou writes with passion, fluently, accessibly, narrating her story of the bible in such a way that the readers remains captivated by the often minute details that substantiate her claims. Fourth, because she is herself not a religious person, she has nothing to defend, just to explore, unhindred by religious canons and interpretations. Fifth, it is fun to read, with even funny moments.
Here is just one example of her passionate writing.
You could argue that using God's anatomy to describe him, is a very artificial way to describe Yahweh the god of judaism and christianity, and in a way it is, of course, with some aspects coming back in the various chapters, because god is much more than just an assembly of organs and limbs, but still, because the physical nature of the god - in contrast to the more modern abstract interpretations of his being - was absolutely essential to the original writers of the bible.
The book is grand in its scope, erudite in its knowledge, brilliant in its delivery, and entertaining to read. What more do you need?
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