Synopses & Reviews
A uniquely attractive, compact edition of Thomas Jefferson's classic abridgment of the Bible, in which Jefferson sculpted the words and ideas of Christ into a resounding moral philosophy.
"To the corruptions of Christianity I am indeed opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself." -Thomas Jefferson, 1803
With these words, written to a personal friend, Thomas Jefferson began one of the most audacious religious experiments in American history. On and off for the next seventeen years (including his term in the White House), Jefferson cut and pasted the philosophy of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Scripture, into one compact statement. He purposefully omitted any references to the virgin birth, miraculous healings, demonic possession, or supernatural events of any kind. His aim was to distinguish the moral philosophy of Christ from the religion that was later created around Christ.
This hardcover replica of The Jefferson Bible restores to print a handsome, immensely accessible version of Jefferson's manifesto as it was published for general readers in 1940 by Grosset & Dunlap. This volume includes the original 1940 foreword by editor Douglas E. Lurton, which provides an engaging introduction to the history behind Jefferson's effort. Jefferson's selections are beautifully recomposed in a dignifi ed yet pleasing style for a gem of compactness and clarity.
Synopsis
2011 Reprint of 1902 Edition. The Jefferson Bible, or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, as it is formally titled, was Thomas Jefferson's effort to extract the doctrine of Jesus by removing sections of the New Testament containing supernatural aspects as well as perceived misinterpretations he believed had been added by the Four Evangelists. Using a razor, Jefferson cut and arranged selected verses from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in chronological order, mingling excerpts from one text to those of another in order to create a single narrative. Thus he begins with Luke 2 and Luke 3, then follows with Mark 1 and Matthew 3. He provides a record of which verses he selected and of the order in which he arranged them in his Table of the Texts from the Evangelists employed in this Narrative and of the order of their arrangement.
About the Author
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was the third president of the United States (1801-1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the most beloved and revered Founding Fathers of the United States of America.