In Communion of Love, author William Dewberry looks to simplify some of the complex stories of the Bible, summarize them, and in turn, streamline the narrative arc of the Old and New Testaments with easy-to-understand language in an effort to demonstrate how “Every thing [sic] God does in regards to people is motivated by love.”
Starting with an overview of why the Bible is important to a modern reader, Dewberry focuses his attention on a number of heroic figures in the Bible. Included here are the stories of Abraham, the patriarch of God’s kingdom on earth; Moses, who brings the Hebrews out of Egypt; Joshua, Moses’ successor; and David, the king of a united Judah and Israel. More than half the book is dedicated to the stories of Jesus, who creates a new paradigm for what it means to be a caring servant of God.
Dewberry adds historical information along the way to round out the scenes (for instance, on page 138, he illuminates the seven annual feasts of the Jewish people that aren’t easily recognized in the Bible). The author knows how to pace a story, condensing a couple thousand pages of Biblical text into a series of highlights in under 300 pages. His faith is apparent, and his breadth of knowledge is impressive.
Unfortunately, though, the book is replete with dropped letters, run-on sentences, and improper word choices. For example, at the start of the book we encounter this: “Love is a positive emotion that seeks to best for anyone…” and “He wants me t love Him.” Moreover, the author’s use of, or lack of use of quotations marks when excerpting the Bible makes it difficult to know when the quote ends and Dewberry’s summaries begin.
Despite its positive qualities, Communion of Love needs quite a bit of polishing in the form of better editing in order for the book to pack the loving power the author is intending.
Also available as an ebook.
