REMINDER: Super new book from Anthony Esolen: An Annotated Reading of the Prologue of John

Posted on 22 February 2022 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I’m reposting this because… wow.  What a book.

This book just keep rewarding and rewarding.

In the Beginning Was the Word: An Annotated Reading of the Prologue of John

US HERE – UK

When Anthony Esolen and Angelico Press team up… well… it just doesn’t get any better than that.

I was really excited at the notification that Anthony Esolen (whose translation of the Divine Comedy is terrific) had written an in depth reflection on the Prologue of the Gospel of John.   I’m working through it now.

As a priest who uses the Vetus Ordo, the Prologue is “daily bread”, for it is recited at the end of almost every Mass.

If you frequent Mass in the Vetus Ordo your active participation will be massively increased through reading and weighing Esolen’s work.   And – think about it – give a copy of this book to every priest you know who says the Vetus Ordo.

So, far, every single page has been enriching.

In the Beginning Was the Word: An Annotated Reading of the Prologue of John

US HERE – UK

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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10 Comments

  1. PostCatholic says:
    22 February 2022 at 4:10 PM

    I wonder what you think of the late Rev. Raymond Brown’s scholarship on John. I think he was one of the first to divide it into the “Book of Signs” and “Book of Glory.”

    [I think there are much better commentators.]

  2. bigtex says:
    22 February 2022 at 5:38 PM

    St John wrote his Gospel in an attempt to reconcile the understanding of Logos in Greek philosophy, with the Resurrection. – E. Michael Jones

    [I think there’s more to it than that.]

  3. Clare610 says:
    22 February 2022 at 8:42 PM

    Looking forward to getting this book. Love his work. I have been watching the series “The Chosen” which is wonderful. In Season 2 “Sons of Thunder” episode, it features the apostle John starting to write the book of John. Towards the end of the episode Jesus is reading the book of Genesis and then John starts writing the gospel. A beautiful scene!

  4. mo7 says:
    22 February 2022 at 11:00 PM

    Even to a simple gal in the pews like me there is nothing more glorious than v. 12.
    Last lent I tried to memorize the entire last gospel, I fell short of the goal. This year I’m going to finish it. I’ll be sure to get this book for lent reading.

  5. Ellen says:
    23 February 2022 at 2:24 AM

    I just ordered it. As an Oblate of St. Benedict, the Rule states I read a book every Lent. I had one picked out, but this looks like a better one. I am very fond of Anthony Esolen’s writing.

  6. Fredi D'Alessio says:
    23 February 2022 at 6:52 AM

    I agree Father. This is a beautiful book. I’ve been reading slowly and will read it over again, perhaps often as a meditation on a single phrase. I think I first saw it on your site. Thank you for recommending it to everyone. I’ve always found the Prologue of the Gospel of John to be beautiful. This book makes it much more so.

    God bless

  7. Iacobus Mil says:
    23 February 2022 at 9:15 AM

    Tony Esolen is also an amazing teacher (some of my children have been students of his).

  8. Thomas says:
    23 February 2022 at 2:46 PM

    Thank you for this, Father Z. Very dear to me, as a convert from the Episcopal Church. We were “high church” Episcopalians when I was growing up, and recited this all together at the end every service, in English of course. I have known the Prologue from memory almost all my life.

  9. PostCatholic says:
    23 February 2022 at 2:50 PM

    I’d be sincerely interested in a few names. I still use Anchor Bible/Yale often and Brown wrote the two volumes on John.

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