Synopses & Reviews
Was Jesus of Nazareth a real person? Did all of the events described in the gospels really happen? How was the world Jesus lived in different from our own? In
The Historical Jesus For Dummies, you'll discover the answers to these questions and hundreds more.
This accessible, plain-English guide to the life and times of Jesus paints a vibrant picture of his world, examining records in the New Testament and Roman history as well as recent archeological finds that shed new light on his life. You'll find informative explanations of Jesus's birth, infancy, and childhood; meet his followers and enemies; learn about his teachings and miracles, and discover how modern scholars and historians have arrived at these conclusions. This fascinating primer to the real-life Jesus explores:
- The different stories of Jesus in the gospels
- The three quests for the historical Jesus
- The miracles of Jesus
- Jewish society and the influence of Rome in Jesus's time
- The Roman practice of crucifixion
- The politics of Roman-occupied Judea
- What people though of Jesus when he was alive
- The Gnostic gospels and other non-biblical texts of the time
- The top controversies surrounding Jesus
- Portrayals of Jesus in art and film
Complete with a concise account of the spread of Christianity throughout the world, The Historical Jesus For Dummies puts you in touch with the human Jesus who walked the earth and whose teachings changed the world.
Synopsis
The Historical Jesus, explores both the religious and secular aspects of Jesus' life. It examines records both in the Bible, and in Roman history. And it provides the reader with a comprehensive account of the life of one of the most popular individuals in human history.
Synopsis
An accessible overview of the latest research into the life and times of JesusThe life of Jesus is, at once, both a point of faith and a historical debate for millions of people in the U.S. The Historical Jesus For Dummiespaints a vibrant picture of the politics, religion, and culture of the Jewish world he encountered, examining both biblical and non-biblical historical texts and exploring recent archaeological finds that shed additional light on the life of Jesus.
Synopsis
Demystifies top controversies surrounding JesusYour accessible guide to the life and times of Jesus
Want to know more about Jesus? This plain-English, practical guide paints a vibrant picture of his world, examining records in the Bible and Roman history and exploring recent archaeological finds that shed new light on his life. You get informative explanations of Jesus's infancy, followers, teachings, and miracles, as well as the crucifixion and resurrection.
Discover:
- The different stories of Jesus in the gospels
- The three quests for the historical Jesus
- Jewish society and the influence of Rome in Jesus's time
- The spread of Christianity around the world
- Jesus in art and film
About the Author
Dr. Catherine Murphy is Associate Professor of New Testament at Santa Clara University, where she teaches courses on the Bible, the historical Jesus, gender in early Christianity, and apocalyptic literature. She earned her doctorate in New Testament and early Christianity from the University of Notre Dame, where she worked on the Dead Sea Scrolls publication team. She has traveled frequently to Israel, Greece, Turkey, and Europe and has written two books, Wealth in the Dead Sea Scrolls and in the Qumran Community (2002) and John the Baptist: Prophet of Purity for a New Age (2003). She also gives frequent talks on the Bible, the historical Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Jesus in film.
Table of Contents
Introduction.Part I: Piecing Together the Jesus Story.
Chapter 1: Meeting the Manfrom Nazareth.
Chapter 2: Comparing the Gospels: A Biblical Biography of Jesus.
Chapter 3: Pursuing the Historical Jesus in the Gospels.
Chapter 4: Sharing in the Quests: Appreciating Modern Scholars’ Efforts.
Chapter 5: Checking the Sources for Evidence of Jesus.
Part II: Reconstructing the World of Jesus.
Chapter 6: Introducing the Great and Powerful Rome.
Chapter 7: Taking a Snapshot of Jewish Society in Jesus’s Time.
Chapter 8: Feeling Rome’s Influence.
Part III: Exploring the Life of Jesus the Jew.
Chapter 9: Examining Jesus’s Family and Early Life.
Chapter 10: Starting a New Movement.
Chapter 11: Teaching Wisdom and Telling Tales.
Chapter 12: Working Miracles and Confounding Crowds.
Part IV: Witnessing Jesus’s Execution and Resurrection.
Chapter 13: Scouting the Competition: Jesus’s Opponents.
Chapter 14: Examining Jesus’s Crucifixion.
Chapter 15: The Resurrection: From the Messiah to the Son of God.
Part V: Experiencing Christ in Culture.
Chapter 16: A Western Savior Goes Global.
Chapter 17: From Graffiti to the Guggenheim: Jesus in Art.
Chapter 18: The Reel Jesus.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 19: Top Ten Historical Controversies about Jesus.
Chapter 20: Top Ten Pilgrimage Sites Associated with Jesus.
Index.