Seeds of Turmoil by Bryant White

Bryant Wright's book gives a historical biblical perspective on the roots of the crisis in the Middle East. He begins at the beginning with the story of Abraham and Sarah and gives his readers a quick but thorough tour of the high points of the history that lead to situation that exists today. In addition to giving a detailed description of the history, Wright attempts to provide the reader with the perspectives of the three world religions that can be traced back to Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

I learned a lot from this book. Frankly, my history is weak in some areas and there was a lot in this book that pulls together bits and pieces of history that the Lord’s been teaching me in the past few years. The history of the conflict is quite fascinating. The religious and spiritual components make it urgent.

For non-Christians this book will be offensive for the religious tone but could still be instructive because the history is straightforward and the writing is clear. For Christians it will make apparent how important it is for us to understand what is going on in the Middle East, to recognize the roots of the conflict, and to know the history that has only deepened the hatred and resentment between the groups involved.

While I learned a lot from reading this book and I found it compelling and eye-opening. I didn’t love it. Wright’s tone and attitude in certain areas seemed arrogant to me and I found it off-putting. However, I would still recommend the book as being a worthwhile read for anyone who is interested in understanding the issues in the Middle East.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."