Abstract
The author is a former Jesuit and currently noted journalist with a penchant for events in the Middle East, past and present. Although his book has received some acclaim, it has come more through the novelty of his perspective than through substantive content. Rather than drawing on more traditional historical and theological sources and interpretations, Miles relies almost exclusively on the forms and methods of literary criticism. For him, God becomes the protagonist in a cosmic play. He explains in the Prelude that the God of Scripture should be treated much the same as a Shakespearean character. Just as Shakespeare's characters take on a reality of personality development beyond mere words on paper or actors in dialogue when the play is actually performed, so God experiences progressive character development through interaction with his imaged creation as portrayed in Scripture. (Shakespeare is much better at this.)