Authors
F. Nigel Hepper, Botanical Adventurer, Author, and Assistant Keeper of the Herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew
F. Nigel Hepper, a world authority on plants of Bible lands, has made numerous visits to Israel and the surrounding countries, advising local botanists, lecturing and photographing. He helped establish the biblical garden at St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem and was the Principal Scientific Officer and c. Among the other books on botany are, Bible Plants at Kew, the Baker Encyclopedia of Bible Plants and Pharaoh’s Flowers.
* Jo Ann Gardner is a writer, gardener and cook living in the Adirondacks of New York. Her latest book, Seeds of Transcendence: UNDERSTANDING THE HEBREW BIBLE THROUGH PLANTS
Why was this day different from all others according to the Bible? In the Book of Genesis we are told that every plant on earth, including the trees, was created on that day. In this seminal study, Jo Ann Gardner teaches the Bible from the ground up, literally. She shows how the ancient Israelites, the compilers of the Hebrew Bible, not only made practical use of native plants but studied them to reveal meanings that enabled them to better understand the biblical text. From the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve ate, to the mandrakes Rachel pleaded with her sister to share with her, to the reeds used to protect Moses when he was set adrift as an infant, deeper insights are provided regarding their significance. Seeds of Transcendence has been designed to enable readers to develop a more profound appreciation of the most influential book ever written.
To order this book or see other books by Jo Ann Gardener, go to http://www.joanngardnerbooks.com/
Sources for seed and materials.
Gardener’s Supply
128 Intervale Rd.
Burlington, VT 05401
1 800 427 3363
www.gardeners.com
Lytton John Musselman, Mary Payne Hogan Professor of Botany
For more than two decades, parasitic angiosperms have been my major research interest. Current work involves projects in Africa to understand the breeding systems of witch weeds, a group of root parasites that are major constraints in food production in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, I have been working on the systematics and evolution of the genus Cuscuta on a world wide basis. Hydnoraceae, a bizarre family of subterranean root parasites, is also one of my research interests. The ethnobotany of Middle East plants, especially Bible plants, has resulted in two volumes published in Dutch. Lastly, my students and I, along with Dr. Rebecca Bray, have been investigating systematics and evolution of the genus Isoetes, a poorly known aquatic fern ally. Extensive collections throughout the Southeast during the past year have resulted in our having the largest collection of quillworts possibly anywhere in the country. We have just started a study of the molecular systematics of these plants.
James A. “Jim” Duke, Ph.D.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1929, James A. “Jim” Duke graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1961 as a Phi Beta Kappa with a Ph.D. in Botany. From 1963 to 1965, Dr. Duke worked as an ecologist with the USDA in Beltsville, Maryland. At the end of that period he joined Battelle Columbus Laboratories (1965-71) for ecological and ethnobotanical studies in Panama and Colombia. Dr. Duke gained considerably experience in tropical ecology during his residency in Panama that lasted from 1966 to 1968. Dr. Duke continues to devote a considerable amount of his time to the print media remaining a contributor or editorial adviser to popular scientific and health-oriented journals and periodicals. They include: Alternative Medicine Digest, American Health and Business of Herbs.
Vincenzina Krymow, M.S.W.
Vincenzina writes for local and regional publications and journals and her work appears on the Mary’s Gardens home page and the Marian Library Mary’s page. Her love of Mary and roses was nurtured by her mother and her love of gardening and by her father. She lives in Centerville, Ohio.
Books by Vincenzina include: Healing Plants of the Bible: History, Lore and Meditations, Hardcover. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2002; Mary’s Flowers: Gardens, Legends and Meditations, Second Edition, Softcover. Tau Publishing, 2010.
Dr. Edward Bez, founder Botanical Biblical Garden Society – USA
President of Focus on the Bible Ministries, Inc., Dr. Ed Bez is a recognized Scholar, oft-quoted authority on Biblical and Christian Literacy in America, holding two advanced degrees in Systematics and Church History. He is an international speaker whose wit and humor are hallmarks of his insightful treatment of biblical texts. Substance is never sacrificed for style. His ministry challenges believers to read, think, reflect and to articulate intelligently the truth. Edâs statement: I have three life passions, biblical literacy, biblical archaeology and the geo-physical world of the lands of the Bible. I believe them to be important issues for not only myself but also for the entire world of Christendom. I am committed to studying and understanding the contextual backgrounds (economic, natural, religious, agricultural, political, social and the natural world) of the biblical narratives. It has been archaeology and geo-physical sciences which has helped to open my understanding about so many previously obscure or difficult passages from the Bible