Unlocking the Fountains – Book Review
Unlocking the Fountains: Inspiration and Challenge from Biblical Rivers and Springs by Andrew D Mayes, 2025, Resource Publications (CA), ISBN: 9798385262229, 192 pages, £18.00
Andrew Mayes’ book is an intriguing exploration of five rivers and five springs/wells in the Holy Land – such as the Tigris and the Euphrates that flowed from the Garden of Eden, and Jabbok where Jacob wrestled with God, Abraham’s Well at Beersheva, and the spring of Gihon that feeds the pool of Siloam.
Each chapter describes in very visual terms the socio-geographical character of the body of water and how, sadly, each has fallen victim to human carelessness and/or greed. Biblical links are highlighted, and their spiritual significances explained and then explored presenting the reader with many new depths and insights. The spiritual theme of each is further developed with texts from classical writers as varied as the Desert Fathers and Charles Wesley.
Each chapter concludes with a series of questions to enabling further reflection. With ten chapters, this makes it an ideal resource for the five weeks before and the five weeks after Easter – although it has all year round relevance.
One of the book’s aims is to make the reader alert to some of the ecological and political realities that affect these bodies of water. This is where I would have liked more input helping us to better understand the issues and to direct us to practical actions that we could take to address them. Injustice, oppression and wilful damage of God’s creation are not things we should just hear of and simply pass over.
Nevertheless the book did opened up for me new avenues of thought and reflection which I greatly appreciated.
Judith Russenberger is a member of Green Christian and writes a blog greentau.org
Comments on "Unlocking the Fountains – Book Review"
Dilys Howard:
Justice, reconciliation, peace and environmental problems are very much to the fore now, and water is often central to the issues which need to be addressed both spiritually and physically.This book does that, using specific places in the Holy Land, aiming at fulfilling spiritual needs for further discovery, relating ecology and spirituality and providing resources for further reading in classic spiritual writers. Andrew Mayes is well qualified to do this from his personal experience of the places, also well researched, as a spiritual guide, and his knowledge of the literature and his concerns with environmental and humanitarian issues, all of which are firmly based on the Bible.The book is structured in such a way that it is easy to use, both for individuals and for preachers, teachers and leaders of adult groups. Part One deals with specific rivers mentioned in the Bible and Part Two with wells and springs. The main headings are in bold type, with subheadings just in slightly larger print, which is helpful.Each chapter begins with the geography of the river and its meaning, the challenges and suffering facing the present inhabitants, and continues with the main story from the Bible and the characters involved. The themes are then illustrated with reference to classic writers. At the end are 5 questions for reflection relating to these themes, leading to further engagement and action. I thoroughly recommend this book to all who thirst for the living water. I found it inspiring.
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