Timothy Freke has been a student of comparative religion for over twenty years, traveling extensively and receiving instruction from masters in many traditions.

He has produced a contemporary rendering of the classic Taoist text Lao Tzu’sTao Te Ching, and published The Complete Book of World Mysticism, as well as The Zen Koan Card Pack. He is well qualified to present this sumptuous survey of sacred texts.

This book is a dazzling catalogue of scriptures ancient and modern. The illustrations cover sculpture, paintings, stained glass, tapestries, illuminated manuscripts, frescoes, and photographs of actual written Scriptures and artefacts.

The paintings themselves include Tibetan mandalas, Japanese scrolls, eastern European icons, Moghul art, the old masters of the Italian Renaissance, and the more modern William Blake and the nineteenth century Romantics.

One beautiful reproduction is a landscape of the Temple of Apollo Epikourios by Edward Lear. Better known for his delightful nonsense rhymes, he was also an accomplished landscape artist.

This book takes in the mainstream faiths as well as indigenous religions less well known because they are in the oral tradition and not easily accessible to Westerners.

A notable inclusion is a text from the relatively new Baha’i faith, which encourages universal love and brotherhood.

Timothy Freke is keen to show the reader that the tenets of all religions contain more common elements than differences. He has divided the book into chapters that reflect the main concerns of all religions.

These are: The Supreme Being; the Self; The Spiritual Path; Knowledge and Wisdom; the Good Life; Love and Service; Devotion and Worship; Fate and Free Will; Death; The Sage.

The astute reader will note there is no specific chapter on life after death, but this is implicit in the other chapters. Within the chapters the author gives a short summary followed by quotes from various faiths with supporting illustrations.

Some of the quotes are expected, such as:

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” Gospel of John 1: 1-4 (Christianity).

Comparing it with a Pygmy hymn from Zaire:

“In the beginning was God. Today is God. Tomorrow will be God. Who can make an image of God? He has no body. He is as a word which comes out of your mouth. That word! It is no more. It is past and still it lives! So is God.”

I am sure that I will not be the only Western person to find this remarkable. I thank author Freke for his apt placement of the universally important concept of Logos, or the bringing the world into being with the Word or sound. This parallel placement of Scriptures is repeated many times throughout the book in all chapters.

I feel assured that the reader will find, as I did, that this very hopeful and positive work will be a balm to believers. It may very likely be a lifeline to those who are alienated by world events and the superficial conflict between religions of the world.

It is made clear by the author we are all human and have much in common in our religious beliefs. He has encapsulated the essential elements of spiritual belief into a work for any level of reader, visually reinforcing words with breathtaking art reproductions.

For a rewarding multi-media experience dear reader, put your favourite meditation/spiritual music on while you are reading. Maybe put a little frankincense in the oil vapouriser. For a time, however briefly, you will be transported to a sublime place. I confess that my choice of music is anything by J.S. Bach.

This is a work recommended on many levels. For students of comparative religion it is a visual and textual resource. For seekers it is a focus for the spiritual and mystical quest. For the art lover it is a wonderful visual feast from all cultures and times.

Above all it is an illustration that many different paths lead to the same place. Perhaps, then, we are all more alike than in our beliefs than we are aware.

– Reviewed by Jennifer Hoskins in New Dawn No. 87