'Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography' by John Dominic Crossan is a challenging and thought-provoking examination of the historical Jesus. Crossan presents Jesus as a social revolutionary and politically dangerous figure, focusing on his teachings and actions that were seen as radical and subversive for the times. The book delves into the identity of Jesus, his teachings about the Kingdom of God, and his impact on Early Christianity, offering an insightful study of the New Testament and relevant historical material.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is engaging and designed for a popular audience while still incorporating rigorous scholarly analysis, making it both accessible and provocative.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative presents a reimagined view of Jesus, emphasizing his radical revolutionary ideologies that challenge entrenched social and political structures.

Setting:

The setting is 1st-century Palestine under Roman rule, providing a backdrop for the social and political context of Jesus's life and teachings.

Pacing:

The pacing is moderate, requiring attentive reading due to the density of ideas presented in sections that encourage contemplation.

THE NEAR EAST AND MEDITERRANEAN types of apocalypticism are certainly the most literarily elaborated….However, if we widen our scope, we will find striking phenomenological parallels in the cultures o...

Genres:

biography

historical

religious studies

Topics:

historical jesus

egalitarianism

social justice

criticism of religious authority

non canonical sources

miracles and their significance

radical social change

critique of organized religion

Notes:

John Dominic Crossan is a prominent scholar in the historical Jesus movement.

He has written over twenty-five books on Jesus' life and teachings.

Crossan portrays Jesus as an illiterate peasant advocating for radical social change.

He discusses Jesus' execution, suggesting he was killed for causing a disturbance in the Temple.

Crossan highlights the significance of Jesus' teachings on equality and communal meals.

He argues that Jesus wanted to create a society without hierarchies or divisions.

Crossan believes that the Kingdom of God can be realized now through open sharing and healing.

He interprets the woman who anointed Jesus' feet as recognizing his impending death.

Crossan uses various ancient texts, both canonical and non-canonical, to reconstruct the historical Jesus.

He criticizes traditional views, suggesting that accounts of the virgin birth and resurrection are not historically valid.

Crossan views Jesus as a revolutionary who challenged the social and political norms of his time.

He emphasizes the idea of 'commensality', contrasting closed commensality with Jesus' open table sharing.

Crossan concludes that Jesus' radical ideas were lost in the organized church that followed him.

He is skeptical about the Gospel accounts of Jesus' resurrection and burial, suggesting historical inaccuracies.

Crossan's views may challenge both conservative Christians and militant atheists.

The book serves as a layperson's introduction to his more scholarly work, 'The Historical Jesus'.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include discussions of violence associated with crucifixion, critiques of institutions, and potentially challenging historical interpretations.

From The Publisher:

The controversial, bestselling account of what we can know about the life of Jesus.

What can you read after
Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography?

About the Author:

John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian, God and Empire, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Greatest Prayer, The Last Week, and The Power of Parable. He lives in Minneola, Florida.

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