The three volumes of BROKEN TREE OF KNOWLEDGE convey a narrative-nonfiction saga with true-life incidents offering insight into how the people of Faith in the early first century found motivation to either fight and die for their beliefs or embrace the New Life teachings from their prophet-healers. Their decisions rely upon factors whose themes play out in the writings, especially those of terrorism and indoctrination-the same issues we are dealing with today, 2,000 years later!
By the 20s and 30s CE, Romans, Greeks, and other pagans had entrenched themselves in Palestine to rule, influence, steal coins through over-taxation, and bully the inhabitants, making lives miserable, fearful, and bloody. Problems also came from Jewish leaders, especially the Jerusalem Temple hierarchy, the Sanhedrin, rabbis, and the sefarim rabbim who enforced obedience to the Torah's 613 laws. Wealthy Jewish brought generational land, displacing farming families, while Jewish tax collectors victimized their citizens.Tradesmen, farmers, and the 'am ha-aretẓ (the ordinary people) were powerless to fight back as overwhelming Roman and Temple taxes kept citizens struggling to survive. Entering their tumultuous environment are the Zealot Freedom Fighters, whose fight for freedom and a return to their Mosaic religion appeals to the populace, especially since the fighters bring food and coins and offer protection. Prophets John the Baptist and Jesus offer a different type of freedom, a promise of a New Life that entails lasting peace, love, security, compassion, and healing.The following historical leaders present themselves in actual situations: Herod the Great, his son Archelaus; Judas ben Simon of Kerioth, terrorist; Judas of Gamala, Publius Sulpicius Quirinius and Quintilius Varus, Rabbi Shammai, Zadok the Pharisee; and Simon, the Pretender Messiah, ex-servant-slave of Herod the Great. Later volumes have other historical figures, adding to the drama.A mixture of history and fiction guides the story through riots, villages, and crop burning that left the people homeless and starving. At the same time, crosses of the dying lined the roadways. Readers follow the family members: father and Zealot leader, Simon; eldest son Haman, an assassin; oldest sister Maai, a Qumran-trained healer; and second son Judas Iscariot, a trained accountant who joins the Zealots and later becomes an Apostle of Jesus.KEY STORY ELEMENTS: - An understated theme of how indoctrination can lead to terrorism.- The rise of Judas of Gamala as a revolutionary figure whose charisma and devotion ignite the early Zealot movement.- The people's struggle against over-taxation and oppression created psychological and economic conditions for rebellion.- The community's turn toward covert resistance illustrates the earliest forms of collective trauma and political extremism.
Bc Crothers, Mts: - Being an author is neither outstanding nor unusual. We are all authors holding onto, or writing about, our personal stories. My story began when listening intently to what people shared. Their oft-told problems led me to take a three-year course sponsored by the School of Theology, University of the South. Bible-based, I learned how to unite Faith, knowledge, empathy, and struggle with my life problems to understand what those in pain, loss of direction, anger, unforgiveness, crippling secrets, and Seekers needed to hear or discuss, and to help them come to a decision or create a plan. It was through Grace that people received the support they required.In time, I taught in church school, from 5th graders to adults, eventually writing workbooks for adults to study and discuss. I love teaching, for Seekers are filled with questions and wonderment. Through their participation, I became a better teacher and writer.Two rewarding activities involved teaching Transactional Analysis, "I'm OK, You're OK," in prison workshops and working in a congressman's office in Washington, DC. Neither were long-term, but the learnings were long-lasting. In the background of every activity was the church, from teaching to becoming a Lay Eucharist Minister and Chalice bearer, a vestry member, and a volunteer on far too many committees. Eventually, Bishop John Lipscomb of our diocese encouraged me toward higher education. As a result, I graduated from the Virginia Theological Seminary with a Master in Theological Studies.Less than a decade later, life took a twisted turn with two significant events. First, church doors began closing. The second event was my heart weakening, causing all activities to stop. Here I was given the opportunity to pick up the pen during the years of rest and healing inwardly and outwardly.To sit by the condo window, looking out onto the bay, watching wildlife and the ever-changing Florida sky, I rediscovered my spiritual life. At first, I replaced liturgical prayers with talking to our Higher Powers, and I found relief. The lessening of fear and the improvement in writing skills occurred through the development of a stronger Faith. Soul searching is never easy, and the self-truths discovered during this time led to a more open way of expressing thoughts.I deeply love and respect the power of words. Used properly, they offer steppingstones into new ways of looking at the world and how we choose to live in this world. I always pray that Believers find productive ways to show how being a person of Faith enriches lives. My efforts bear fruit if any statements or stories I offer help bring this about.
