The book is part of a genre designed to place the human Jesus in a better perspective, taking him down off the pedestal that ...
923580
This is an "alternative" gospel, Jesus story, and historical novel which presents a fairly coherent narrative based on "what if Jesus really was king of the Jews?" Readers should keep in mind that the book was written in the atmosphere of the post WW II 1950s and the author had experiences on the battlefield in World War I that one could call spiritually transformative. The book is part of a genre designed to place the human Jesus in a better perspective, taking him down off the pedestal that frequently makes him unreachable for many. In addition, the author seeks to present Jesus as fully Jewish, an important theme for the time. Some readers may find this "Jesus" excessively human and disturbing.
4074808
W. Barnes Tatum is Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Greensboro College in North Carolina; this book is a 1999 revision and expansion of the book he originally published in 1982. He has also written books such as&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Jesus-A-Brief-History/dp/1405170190/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Jesus: A Brief History</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/John-the-Baptist-and-Jesus-A-Report-of-the-Jesus-Seminar/dp/0944344429/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">John the Baptist and Jesus: A Report of the Jesus Seminar</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Jesus-at-the-Movies-A-Guide-to-the-First-Hundred-Years/dp/0944344674/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Jesus at the Movies: A Guide to the First Hundred Years</a>, etc.

He wrote in the Preface to the Revised Edition, "Many books about Jesus focus their attention primarily on the Gospels that testify to his life. Other books about Jesus survey the different ways historians have reconstructed the events in his life. This volume embraces both approaches and considers, throughout, the interrelationship between literary study of the Gospels and historical research into the career of Jesus. This book is written for the general reader, although it communicates the diverse findings of professional scholarship. It is designed to be an introduction to a serious study of the Gospels and intensive research into the life of Jesus... this book is designed to function as a guide that will encourage in its readers the development and refinement of their own viewpoints, in academic and church settings or through solitary perusal." (Pg. 7-8)

He observes, "In addition to the uses of 'son of man' in ancient literature, the phrase was also used in first-century Galilean Aramaic---so it has been argued---as a substitute, or circumlocution, for the first person pronoun 'I.' This idiom was used by speakers in statements about themselves that were embarrassing or frightening in nature. The declaration 'I am going to die,' for example, could be expressed as, 'The son of man... is going to die.' It is against this complex historical and linguistic background that we must consider this name for Jesus in the Greek New Testament... The use and distribution of this name in the New Testament constitutes a remarkable literary phenomenon." (Pg. 163)

He points out, "The author of John uses the word 'sign' ... to designate those acts whereby Jesus cured the afflicted, resuscited the dead, and controlled nature... The word itself does not necessarily suggest an act contrary to natural law... The word suggests an event that points beyond itself. In John, the 'signs' of Jesus are those actions through which he is revealed to be the Christ, the Son of God... Within the synoptic Gospels, the word 'sign' has a very negative connotation. 'Signs' are what Jesus' opponents demand of him and what Jesus refuses to perform, namely, unequivocal demonstrations that is is of God." (Pg. 208)

This book functions well as an introductory text; while it doesn't profess to stake out any particularly original area, it is fine as an overview.
671334
Says Chopra, "This book isn't about the Jesus found in the New Testament, but the Jesus who was left out." This is a novel, about Jesus' own period of enlightenment before he began his ministry, and how he found God. Or, rather, how he found himself, the Son of God.

Jesus turns down the opportunity to join the Zealots, studies with the Essenes (whom he disappoints), and eventually begins a long and dangerous trek to find a mysterious guru, where he discovers his true soul. By the end of the book, Jesus is ready to take on the Devil, in that famed three-part temptation.

Chopra's Eastern/Buddhist background shines where it shouldn't. Interesting and well-written, but certainly not scriptural! And not really my thing.
4057966
I remember being in awe of The Pergamon Altar in the museum of the same name in Berlin, little realising then what this told us about empire.

Todays globalised world shares many of the characteristics of the Roman Empire. Jesus message has been sanitised, lost its saltiness, become tepid so the author helps us to see afresh Jesuss challenge.

The book has five chapters: a relatively short introduction and conclusion are separated by three long chapters; one on Jesus, one on Paul and one on Revelation. By paying particular attention to the socio-economic context that both the writers and readers of the Scriptures experiences, Smith draws out new insights from the text and develops a scintillating critique of the inequalities of our globalised world.

The author is a bit nave when it comes to New Testament scholarship, thinking at the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain are two different occasions. Matthews doubling the demoniacs is seen by him as universalising the plight of the homeless.

David takes up N. T. Wright's advice that we should read the New Testament 'with first-century eyes and with twenty-first century questions'. So he engages in what he calls 'deep listening' to the message of Jesus and the New Testament writers.

I don't like the way the author confuses sexual rapacity with bisexuality: Paul's hearers in Rome did not need to look very far to witness living examples of the vices and perversions he describes because at the very time at which his letter was composed the emperor Nero, a man known to be an aggressive bi-sexual, regularly stalked the streets of the city with his entourage, choosing people at random
to satisfy his lusts. However, the followers of Jesus in the Roman slums had much more personal and painful experience of the moral corruption described by Paul,

since this was deeply embedded within a social system within which huge numbers of persons were treated as sub-human, and therefore as usable and expendable on the part of others who possessed power and were accorded honour.
55409
There are many who fear any interpretation of the Scriptures that diverges from the strictly literal. However, allegory has long been employed in the Christian church to explain and reveal the hidden mysteries of God contained in the words of the Scriptural narratives.

In every part of the book, the modern literal expositor may be frustrated by the allegorical interpretations of Old Testament stories from Genesis used to define the marital relationship between Jesus Christ and His church, or the view that any reference to a house or dwelling can be seen as God's way of expressing His need for a home. But he does not choose his examples indiscriminately. He does not use every story of a husband and wife or of a building; only the ones that reveal themselves to be illustrative of what God later says He was actually up to the whole time.

It could even be said that, while the Old Testament (or Hebrew Scriptures) give us the story of God and His people, the New Testament gives us the meaning. We know that God was using the very lives of His people to display to the world what God's relationship with people is meant to look like.

Dante Alighieri, George MacDonald, John Bunyan, Jonathan Swift, and C.S. Lewis are many of the names we recognize for employing the allegorical method.

While John Bunyan sends us with Christian on a journey through the Christian life based on principles from the Scriptures, Viola dives in to reveal the allegorical truth contained in the Scriptural stories themselves.

Frank Viola emerges us in the eternal story of God to go on a journey with the Church through the ages - unfolding the ageless purpose of God by examining pictures of men and women who birthed and formed holy communities, set apart to be called God's bride, house, body and family.

One might expect a person to focus and write on any one of the metaphors which the Scriptures employ in describing the church, but Viola chooses three. He does so without forcing them together. The Bible keeps them separate and so does he. Others would be content to write on any one these metaphors. The danger in closely examining only one is that we can form an idea of the church that is very narrow, missing how complex the church really is.

How can something be a bride and a house at the same time?

The church is not a building, it's a group of people; and that group of people is like a building.

All of the individual people are like one human body, and that one body is a family.

How beautiful!

Therein lies the beauty of the paradoxical truth given to us by God about the nature and purpose of His Church.

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her..."

It is clear among the New Testament writers that the church can be seen as a temple, a body, a flock, a household, a people, and a bride to Christ. Where else then should we look to see the best possible pictures of marriages, besides the Bible itself? And we are given many examples throughout Scripture of what these imperfect relationships look like, always with the idea that they are mere shadows and reflections of the most perfect union.

I am appreciative to Frank for his well thought out and studied presentation of the church through God's eyes. I also appreciate his very personal testimony at the beginning of the book. It is rare to find someone so willing to share his own story of development, thanking the many others who have gone before and given insight. This is a humble and insightful work. I am better for reading it.

I was able to read it while traveling to and from visiting a network of churches in West Africa. Seeing that the church there is alive and well was a confirmation that God is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.

I hope that any who read "From Eternity to Here" will fall in love with God and His Church all over again, or even for the first time.
2429936
This is a fun piece of fiction with an interesting take on Jesus.  The book suggests that Christianity shares a common root with all religions.  The main focus of the plot occurs in modern times.  The pacing is similar to the DaVinci Code but the message is different.  I did not agree with everything, but it is a fun read and offers a unique perspective.
3130629
Taking a page from the creative work of W. Paul Young, author of "The Shack", C. D. Baker has ventured into the imaginative territory of what the humananity of Christ might have looked like. This side of Jesus, so often overlooked--because we are scared to look--shows us a Savior who may have loved figs, felt the longing for a wife, or even sometimes shared funny stories with the disciples.

"Becoming the Son" weaves profound spiritual symbolism between the lines and throughout the book making reading it a rich journey, not only into the the natural part of Jesus, but into the sacred and Divine.

In a brilliantly written Passover scene that places the reader in the middle of the noises and smells at the temple, Baker shows the intersection as Jesus as man, and Jesus as God as He looks into the little Passover lamb's eyes and sees His own future.

Baker, a theologian and expert researcher, makes each one of us an eye witness to the life and death of Jesus in a way we never could have imagined. "Becoming the Son" is a life changing read.
4313015
The author demonstrates with clarity a keen understanding of people expectation as it pertains to attendance with others who pursue Jesus Christ.  From the first few pages I identified with the author and followed his point of view and grew attracted to his ministry paradigm.  An excellent read for the person looking to see Christianity in a greater, relevant form than come to this church building.
2968241
The Bible is about Jesus Christ. This is the historical, orthodox view.  As Luke 24:27 tells us, it was also the view of Jesus, "Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."  The Bible then, is to be read and understood through that lens - it is centrally about the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.  This however is not the view of Black Liberation Theology.

According to Black Liberation Theology, the central interpretive lens through which the Bible is read and understood is... well, maybe you should just read the book and find out!

Because most readers will be unfamiliar with Black Liberation Theology, I would rate this book as an "Intermediate" level read.

Strengths:
A helpful introduction to Black Liberation Theology.  Bradley's primary focus is on the work of James Cone and Cornel West.  Bradley works hard at fairly, respectfully, and accurately representing their views.  He is also sympathetic to the historical context that influenced their work, particularly that of Cone, even though in the end Bradley disagrees with the approach of Cone and West to God and Scripture.  5 stars in terms of a very helpful, respectful introduction, and critique of Black Liberation Theology from the perspective of an orthodox Christian scholar.

Weaknesses:
The book needed a better editor. Since many readers will be unfamiliar with Black Liberation Theology each page feels like you are taking in new information (which certainly makes for an enjoyable reading experience).  However, it requires some effort and an editor with a better understanding of the potential audience could have served this work better.  Minus 1 star for this reason.

I recommend the book.

And it doesn't hurt to read it in the current historical context of having a sitting President of the United States who for 20 years attended a church strongly influenced and centered around Black Liberation Theology.  The reader can draw his or her own conclusions about that.
2405728
McBride takes the view that human society is not fundamentally different politically or socially between the ages. I think that is true.and the impressions work well. The treatment of Judas Iscariot, of  Caiphas and of  Pontius Pilate were particularly good and useful. The portrait of Jesus, the man/God, throughout the "Impressions" is impressive. It is a very good book.
180174
I do not like the title of this book but overall I like the book.  I do not believe most non-Christians like Jesus.  They like their perceptions of him, but their thoughts of him are not well-rounded.  Most people I have talked to see him as a great teacher and example, a person of love and a person who sacrificed greatly for others.  These things are true but are only part of the story.  The people Kimball references are no different than any other people, they like Jesus as long as he doesn't offend them.  But in time Jesus will offend a person, because he breaks down our pride and self-reliance through his actions and words.  In John chapter 6 this very dynamic plays out.  Jesus is very popular with the people in the beginning of the chapter but by the end many people turn away from following him.  So many people in our culture may think they like Jesus, but when they hear a fuller presentation of who he is, they turn away.  This may be the case with some of the people Kimball is referencing.  Since they don't want to come right out and say they don't like Jesus, they blame the church when confronted with the cost of discipleship.  There's no doubt the church can be abusive, narrow, and stuck in tradition.  But people outside the church are not just a bunch of well-meaning people who have been confused by the church.  They are rebels against God, whether they know it or acknowledge it.  All Christians were once in the same place, rebels to the core.

Kimball does a good job of highlighting the way Christians are often misperceived by the culture as well as the way Christians often stand in judgment over the culture.  His approach of relationships and love is good and should be an important focus of the efforts of believers to live their faith and share it with others.
3758025
The format for this book is an inviting and intriguing narrative -- and it is executed well. The essence of this book and that of the Arbinger Institute (the voice/pen of its "anonymous" members/contributors) appears to be an effort to present the tenets of the Gospel -- absent God, the Cross of Jesus, and everything else that makes the Gospel the Gospel. In the end, what remains is a secular/humanistic philosophical framework that can be effectual in many ways because it relies on some of the most essential principles that God placed within us when He created us in His image. However, without the Gospel, that image within us remains corrupt, broken, and separated from the only One Who can truly redeem, transform, and restore us to a right relationship with Himself and all of His creation.
2625970
The title of this book does not convey its thrust very well.  I think that "Christianity for the Twenty-first Century" would have been a better choice.  (Note: if you are a bible literalist, this book and this review are not for you.)  In this book Bishop Spong continues his exploration of the meaning of Jesus for modern people.  His message is that you can believe in science and rationalism without having to abandon Christianity.  For example, on p. xii he says, "God and truth cannot be incompatible," and on p. 215, "So theism can die without God dying."

The heading for the first part is "Separating the Human Jesus from the Myth," where "myth" is to be taken in its best definition as a meaningful story that is the basis for a belief system.  He then goes through many chapters separating the human teacher from the christology, rather successfully, I believe.  If there is a weakness to his book, it is that his statement of what is left for a modern belief system could have been made stronger.  I would have liked to have seen more on the idea of acting on the message of Jesus: help for the poor, the sick, and the down-troddened.
2523956
A detective-style methodology to help readers see the reasonableness of putting their faith in a Savior named Jesus.
555550
It seems like around this time every year some magazine, publication, or television program sets out to consider the person of Jesus Christ. Their intention is not to look at Jesus in a general sense but to put into question whether the Jesus revealed in the Bible is indeed the Jesus who really walked this earth. Many of these stories leading up to Easter want to discredit the biblical record of Jesus. Their problem is the Bible. Through their arguments, they hope to show why the Bible cannot be trusted. As a result, some Christians don't know how to respond to claims made and arguments given. For Christians who fall into that category, let me introduce you to Erwin Lutzers 7 Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible.
As pastor emeritus of the historic Moody Church, Erwin Lutzer writes a pastoral heart and theological precision. In seven chapters, Dr. Lutzer walks the reader through the logical, historical, prophetic, Christological, scientific, providential, and personal reason for why a person can believe the Bible is the trustworthy Word of God. Lutzers intention in listing the seven reasons is not solely for believers, that they would receive validation of what they know to be true; these seven reasons also are meant to challenge fair-minded skeptics (see Lutzer 20). Speaking to both audiences, Dr. Lutzer raises possible objections and seeks to answer them as he makes his way through the arguments. He devotes the last pages of his book to addressing doubters of the Bible in an engaging and thoughtful manner.
7 Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible provides a solid case why the Bible is the true Word of God. Pastor Lutzers multi-faceted answer to the question, Can we trust the Bible? bolsters and strengthens the case for the trustworthiness of the Bible as the true Word of God. Yet, some arguments prove stronger than others. At a few points throughout the book, the author makes a sweeping claim without much explanation. For instance, he runs quickly past his critique on the Book of Mormon and Quran (see Lutzer 46). Elaboration on the untrustworthiness of those two books compared to the trustworthiness of the Bible could have further helped the reader. The lack of explanation in some sections of the book does not take away from what is in the book, however. This book will help you see why you can trust The Book. Simply put, 7 Reasons Why You Can Trust the Bible by Erwin Lutzer equips believers to show why they trust the Bible is true and encourages the honest skeptic to examine the trustworthiness of the Bible for themselves.

I received this book from Moody Press in an exchange for an honest review.
1994374
Big Jesus is a distillation of the author's spiritual journey from high Christology to a relatable human Jesus, with a ton of snarky comments along the way. This is a back pew book for those in, as John Shelby Spong calls it, "the church alumni association." Picture the author sitting in the back row on Sunday morning and rolling his eyes at today's children's sermons for adults and throwing some sarcastic critiques in for good measure.
For me, personally, the book brought together a lot of the sentiments I was already feeling about religion, Biblical interpretation, and world view.  It gave these sentiments a scholarly name and became a springboard for further personal study. I was able to learn what he learned as I followed him on this journey. I liked the tone of the book, in that it did not take itself (or its subject) too seriously. Irreverent and even profane, Watson shows us the Big Jesus.
4974461
I was studying the words of Jesus in the Gospels, and I learned about this book and its author. (He wrote many books.) The public library had a copy, so I checked it out. I think I've checked it out twice, and I read various portions of it each time. The author, Frank Laubach, bases his text on a more modern translation (I forget which one at the moment), instead of the King James Version. He combines all four Gospels into one narrative, and simply changes all the references about Jesus from third person to first person. Therefore, instead of one of the Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) telling about Jesus in the third person ("He, Him, His"), it is Jesus telling about Himself ("I, Me, Mine"). The text follows the Scriptural account very closely. It is not fictionalized. It helps the reader imagine how Jesus thought, felt, and viewed His experience on Earth. Instead of looking 'at' Jesus, we are sort of looking through His eyes. It is enlightening in that respect.