Jesus Christ: The Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith - Hardcover

Porter, Professor Of Theology J R

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195214293 ISBN 13: 9780195214291

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, 1999

Synopsis

Illuminating the life of Jesus--his historical context, his religious teachings, and the changing perceptions of him over the centuries--this lavishly illustrated volume offers one of the most comprehensive and authoritative accounts available of this great and charismatic man.
Featuring some 180 illustrations (including 20 full-color maps) and numerous boxed and sidebar features that shed light on interesting facets of the story, Jesus Christ paints a vivid portrait of Christ's life from the Nativity to the Ascension. Drawing on the Gospels and other evidence, J. R. Porter disentangles many of the mysteries and confusions surrounding the life of the historical Jesus--such as the role of women in his career and the political issues surrounding his trial--and paints a detailed background portrait of all aspects of society in first-century Palestine, from the fishing communities of Lake Galilee to life under Roman rule. Porter also explores the teachings of Christ, looking at his use of parable, his view of Hebrew Scriptures and his attitude toward the law, and his thinking about the Kingdom of God. And the book assesses the many interpretations of Christ down through the ages, from his immediate impact on the early Church, to the changing image of Jesus in art and illustration, to his perceived role as apocalyptic preacher, revolutionary, mystic, and prophet.
A marvelous gift at Easter time or for a child's confirmation, this attractive, informative volume gives us an inspiring portrait of one of the most complex figures in world history.

About this title

Review:

At first sight this book might easily be dismissed as no more than a coffee-table book: A4 in size, with hundreds of beautiful colour photographs and most subjects taking up a single spread. But it is much more than that. JR Porter is Professor Emeritus of Theology at Exeter University and his text is both authoritative and very readable, written for the general reader rather than the specialist. The subtitle of the book indicates that this is not a simple pastoral work for believing Christians: "The Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith". Throughout the book Porter makes it clear that the two are not the same. First, he is careful to place the historical Jesus firmly in his setting, describing the geographical, political, religious and socio-economic background of first-century Palestine. Only then does he go through the life and teachings of Jesus as described in the Gospels, showing through basic scholarly analysis that a simplistic acceptance of their accuracy and supposedly inspired nature cannot really be countenanced. And yet his approach, while not reverential, is certainly sympathetic to the Christian faith. This book should not offend any but the most fundamentalist evangelicals and should be of great value to Christians of all persuasions. --David V Barrett

About the Author:

J.R. Porter is Professor Emeritus of Theology at the University of Exeter and a former Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. A renowned scholar, he has served for twenty years as a member of the General Synod of the Church of England and has held many other prominent posts throughout his distinguished career. He lives in the United Kingdom.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0195214293
• ISBN 13: 9780195214291
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240