Details: Paperback, 224 pages
ISBN: 1571780904
Publisher: Council Oak Distribution
Pub. Date: April 2000
Dimensions (in inches): 0.65 x 7.00 x 5.07

Table of Contents:

Editorial Review:

June Singer, author of Knowledge of the Heart: Gnostic Secrets of Inner Wisdom and Boundaries of the Soul
"In a time when material possessions-or lack of them-leave people anxious and hungry for something more, a different path is shown to us in the two-thousand-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls. Kenneth Hanson's brilliant translation and lucid commentary bring to light the beliefs and practices of an elite consecrated community of desert people who turned away from wealth and power and gained in return simplicity, tranquility, peace, order and camaraderie. This book is a lovingly prepared feast for the spirit!"

From the Inside Flap
Spirituality

More than two thousand years ago a dedicated group of religious ascetics and visionaries fled the opulence of Jerusalem and sequestered themselves in a desert stronghold at Qumran in a utopian attempt to forge a purer, more spiritual existence. By the end of the first century of the Common Era this ancient Judean sect had disappeared, but the library of scrolls they secreted away in limestone caves would lie hidden until their sensational discovery in 1947. The Essenes, or Sons of Light, as they called themselves, copied out thirty-eight books of the Hebrew Biblethe oldest known copies todayas well as apocryphal material, and original rule books for community living, psalms, and books of prophecy. In Words of Light, Hebrew scholar Kenneth Hanson uses information contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls, accounts from the ancient historian Josephus, and contemporary archaeological discoveries to create a handbook of spiritual living for contemporary readers. Culling from his own translations of the most evocative passages from the massive and impenetrable scroll texts, Dr. Hanson shows how we may share in the timeless vision of the Sons of Light, with its emphasis on community, simplicity, learning and perseverance, to achieve spiritual wealth and personal abundance.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!
I really enjoyed this book! Fascinating book about the Essens! I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject. - Jon H. from Tulsa, OK USA

Ancient words have a message for today
Ken Hanson's original translations of portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls bring to life the quiet, peaceful, and utterly spiritual life of the ancient Essenes. Those on a modern spiritual journey can find within the pages of this book a sense of the holy, and are reminded that, through the simplification of one's life, inner peace can be found even in today's busy, materialistic society. - Carol Cohn from Lake Mary, FL

Informative contribution to Dead Sea Scroll studies
Using Ken Hanson's own original translations of passages from the Dead Sea Scrolls, Words Of Light vividly recreates the daily life and spiritual practices of the "Sons of Light", Essenes who lived simple lives deeply dedicated to a spiritual existence in their desert community. Words Of Light reveals how these men were able to incorporate spirituality so completely into the fabric of their daily lives; and how we can learn to achieve spiritual and personal fulfillment in today's world through their example of simplicity, community, and vision. Words Of Light is highly recommended reading for seekers of spirituality, as well as students of Essenic thought and the Dead Sea Scrolls. - Midwest Book Review from Oregon, WI USA

Ten Ways Towards a Simpler Life
This was a fascinating insight into the ancient Essens, writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and how they sought a simpler more peaceful life.  The book is a beautiful instruction guide to achieve a life of freedom and happiness. - A reader from San Francisco, CA

More than two thousand years ago a dedicated group of religious ascetics and visionaries fled the opulence of Jerusalem and sequestered themselves in a desert stronghold at Qumran in a utopian attempt to forge a purer, more spiritual existence. By the end of the first century of the Common Era this ancient Judean sect had disappeared, but the library of scrolls they secreted away in limestone caves would remain hidden until their sensational discovery in 1947. The Essenes, or Sons of Light, as they called themselves, copied thirty-eight books of the Hebrew Bible – the oldest known copies in the world – as well as apocryphal material, original rule books for community living, psalms, and books of prophecy. In Words of Light, Hebrew scholar Kenneth Hanson uses information contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls, accounts from the ancient historian Josephus, and contemporary archaeological discoveries to create a handbook of spiritual living for contemporary readers. Culling from his own translations of the most evocative passages from the massive and impenetrable scroll texts, Dr. Hanson shows how we may share in the timeless vision of the Sons of Light, with its emphasis on community, simplicity, learning and perseverance, to achieve spiritual wealth and personal abundance.

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