Introducing Jesus [Paperback]

Anthony O'Hear (Author), Judy Groves (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 16, 1990 | Series: Introducing

Christianity depends on the belief that the Jesus of history is identical with the Christ of faith and that God in the person of Jesus intervened finally and decisively in human history. But is the historical Jesus the same as the Christian Saviour? And how did an obscure provincial religion based on the paradox of a crucified saviour conquer the Roman Empire and outlive it? This book confronts the enigmas. It sets Jesus in the perspective of his time - within Judaism and its expectations of the Messiah, and in the atmosphere of Greek philosophy and the Roman deification of emperors. It traces the development of Christianity from St Paul and the Romanization of the Church to modern liberation theology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 175 pages
• Publisher: Totem Books (March 16, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1874166102
• ISBN-13: 978-1874166108
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,988,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An introduction to Jesus and the Jesus movement, October 17, 2000

By 

C Ormesher (Chorley, Lancashire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introducing Jesus (Paperback)

If you are looking for a fast, simple introduction to Jesus and Christianity, this is a superb starting place. There is more comic-strip illustration than text, and it does try to cover all the basics in a very short space, from issues such as who Jesus thought he was or was not, as the case may be, who his followers thought he was, through to the early Church and on to phenomena such as liberation theology.

It could be used as a resource for groups wanting stimulating discussion.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars WHO IS JESUS?, March 1, 2001

By 

Bonita L. Davis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introducing Jesus (Paperback)

The above question has stimulated debates and arguments throughout the centuries and still hasn't been resolved. Jesus For Beginners attempts to answer the question through exploring the Jesus of history, the Jesus of faith and the Jesus as seen through the eyes of the institution called the church.

Readers are given a clear and broad historical view of Jesus, the times he lived in and the context in which he preached his message. From there we are led into the theological developments of Jesus as interpreted by the Apostle Paul and finally we are given a sweeping view of how Christianity in the form of an institution (the church) dealt with defining the person of Jesus in order to stifle doctrinal dissent.

The material in the book is good as well as its presentation. O'Hear attempts to be objective but ends up in a quagmire of doubt in finally pinpointing who Jesus was. In many cases the author shows his ignorance about theological views that focus on Jesus by not giving them a closer examination. If anything, O'Hear keeps the debate going. Those who have theological training will appreciate O'Hear's attempts to introduce Jesus and his place in history. I picture this book as one for stimulating discussions about Jesus for those who are professional religionists (clergy, seminairians, laity in full time ministry) as well as someone who wants to know about the historical character called Jesus.

0 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not a very good book, April 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Introducing Jesus (Paperback)

I didn't like this book too much. A little bit too simplistic...