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Publication Date for Four Testaments

November 20, 2015
Three Testaments is more than an academic exercise in the quest for mutual respect and understanding in the current world situation. In a similar manner, Four Testaments may prove to be of value in getting ahead of the curve in potential issues involving East - West politics, immigration, economic and military power. With regard to religion in China, nuclear threats from North Korea, Buddhist extremism in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and Hindu nationalism in India, to name a few areas of concern, one place to begin to foster understanding may be an appreciation of the basic religious resources available.

The primary texts are the “testaments” of Eastern religion: the Tao Te Ching, the Analects, the Dammapada and the Bhagavad Gita. Growing appreciation of the Zoroastrian Avesta provides the Eastern and Vedic link among these four monistic and mixed texts, and between them and the Western monotheistic texts in the accompanying volume of the set.

Three Testaments continues to expand its circulation and use around the world. Meanwhile, as Four Testaments has been percolating, months of editing, re-writes, negotiation, vetting of extensive copyrights, contribution contracts and permissions, including an appendix of ancient ms. pages from the British Library (some never before published), took precedence over blog entries for the last while. I do apologize, but the contract has been signed and the publishing date for Four Testaments: Tao te Ching, Analects, Dhammapada, Bhagavad Gita is July 15, 2016.

I promise six monthly blog entries in early 2016 to respond to the questions of those who have been anticipating this work. For now let me conclude with the blurb offered by Professor Jonathan Kearney of St. Patrick’s College of Dublin City University. “If Three Testaments is your text for an Introduction to the Scriptures of Western Monotheism in the autumn semester, Four Testaments should be your text for an Introduction to the Scriptures of Eastern Monism in the spring.”
Posted by: Brian Arthur Brown