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Leonard Cohen and the Apostle Paul might be imagined as brothers with wildly different characters but a strong family resemblance. Paul, the elder sibling, was awkward, abrasive, and zealous. Leonard, the successful younger brother, was a smooth-talking romantic, prone to addiction and depression. Paul died a martyr, not knowing his words would have any effect on the world. Leonard could see his canonization within his lifetime. Yet each became a prophet in his own time, and a poet for the ages.
In Prophets of Love Matthew Anderson traces surprising connections between two Jewish thinkers separated by millennia. He explores Leonard's and Paul’s mysticism, their Judaism, their fascination with Jesus, their countercultural perspectives on sex, their ideas about love, and how they each embodied being men. Anderson considers their ambiguous relationships with women, on whom they depended and from whom they often profited, as well as how their legacies continue to evolve and be re-interpreted. This book emphasizes that Paul was first and foremost a Jew, and never rejected his Judaism. At the same time, it sheds new light on the biblical worldviews and language underlying and inspiring every line of Cohen’s poetry.
Prophets of Love alters our views of both Leonard Cohen and the Apostle Paul, re-introducing us to two poetic prophets of divine and human love.
“By providing a detailed comparison between two key figures that are not readily or often compared to each other, and by engaging biblical and New Testament studies with current culture, Prophets of Love will surprise and intrigue readers inside and outside of academia.” Bernard Wills, Grenfell Campus of Memorial University
“Prophets of Love puts Paul and Leonard Cohen into conversation and finds all manner of parallels and contrasts. It also considers the critical reception of each, including lively discussions about the meaning of lyrics and letters, debates about what constitutes their respective canons, and more besides. This unusual and engaging exercise allows readers to meet the apostle and the artist again … for the first time.” Michael J. Gilmour, Providence University College
“Apples and oranges? Lusty Leonard versus celibate Paul? The so-called Godfather of Gloom compared to the author of much of the New Testament? Anderson's compelling work makes it abundantly clear that the pair share far more similarities than differences. His in-depth but easily digested comparisons show us that Cohen and the apostle were two great poetic writers. Both were masters of persuasion, performing artists, and two Jews fascinated by Jesus, and Anderson shows most convincingly that both would agree that three things will last forever: faith, hope, and the greatest, love.” Bob Mersereau, author of The Top 100 Canadian Singles
“Engaging, scholastic and wise, Prophets of Love examines the surprising similarities, as well as differences, between two passionate men who lived 2,000 years apart.” The Vancouver Sun
“Prophets of Love is an engaging, easily readable exploration of love, divinity, and poetry for Bible scholars, Leonard Cohen enthusiasts, and anyone in between.” Atlantic Books
“Anderson uses the study of his two subjects not as an end in itself but rather as a means of introducing readers to useful concepts along the way. It is not novel to situate an artist or a biblical figure within their particular context, but Anderson does so in a way that is engaging and invitational, rather than imposing, to readers for whom the ideas are new.” Religion
"Anderson’s book does not hold back on the deep-dive approach to the literary sources. At times, Anderson draws from his own experience in engaging the works of these distinct writers as respective parts of an artistic culture and a theological culture in which he, as a scholar, participates. [Prophets of Love] illuminates the potency of exploring popular art for the sublime, waiting patiently to speak anew from within the works that enshrine it." Literature & Theology
“In Prophets of Love, Anderson offers more than just a study of two intriguing figures; he presents a model for comparative interdisciplinary scholarship. By placing Paul and Leonard into dialogue, he demonstrates how unlikely pairings can open new avenues of interpretation. The method is deceptively simple—reading two distinct voices against one another—but results in unique insights that might not be revealed in isolation. As such, this book enriches our understanding or Leonard and Paul’s works and illustrates potential for further comparative work in the study of music and religion.” CAML Review