Father Neal Pfister

“On at least two levels, this Herculean work by Rita Kleve will be a great asset not only for Scripture “scholars,” but also for anyone who reads the Old and New Testaments with care and determination.

On simply a practical level, this work will be a significant resource for keeping the relationships and lineage of our biblical characters clear and quickly available.

Perhaps on a more important level, this work can be a foundational assistance for spiritual growth. For those who call ourselves Christian, we see Jesus, the Christ, as the focal point to which and from which all human life and activity flow. It is precisely in the midst of this Cast of Characters that the Divine has chosen to dwell. Surely, it cannot be accidental that the ancestors of Jesus included not only the holy and the saintly, but also the unwashed, the unworthy, the broken and divided as well – all of which to the Divine is completely lovable and redeemable. With the all-too-frequent practice of the human person to see imperfection and darkness in ourselves and others, it is profoundly reassuring to know that none of that can keep our compassionate God away from those who are passionately loved. This Cast of Characters demonstrates this firmly and clearly.”

Reverend Neal Pfister
Church of the Good Shepherd
Denver, CO