Jesus The Sorcerer [Paperback]

Robert Conner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 2006

The most complete summation to date of the New Testament evidence for magical practice by Jesus and the early Christians. The very notion of Jesus being a sorcerer runs so against the grain of the Western cultural myth that even non-Christians are likely to find it far-fetched or even vaguely disturbing. Nevertheless, scholars steadily accumulated evidence for magical practices in the New Testament throughout much of the 20th century. It is that ever expanding body of knowledge that has made this book possible. This book examines the following: The nature of the earliest Christian documents, the defects of their trans-mission, and the evidence for the suppression of descriptions of magical acts. The closely related problem of the New Testament accounts as historical sources. The radically apocalyptic nature of Jesus' message and the expectations of the early church. The failure of the apocalypse to occur and the theological reaction to that failure. The role of magic and mystery religion in early Christianity. A revisiting of the story of the "beloved disciple" and what it may tell us about Jesus and suppression of evidence about his life. Contents: Documentary Evidence / Infancy Narratives / Confrontation / Resurrection as Ghost Story /Apocalyptic Prophet / Apocalypse Postponed, / Magic and Mystery, / Jesus the Magician / Spirit Versus Spirit, / Ecstatic Inner Circle, / Christian Mysteries, / Secret Gospel of Mark, / Beloved Disciple, / On the Use of Boys in Magic, / Apocalypse, Magic, and Christianity, / "Son of David." / Mary Magdalene

Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Mandrake (June 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1869928954
• ISBN-13: 978-1869928957
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,578,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!, June 30, 2010

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This review is from: Jesus The Sorcerer (Paperback)

This book consists mainly of comparisons between known magical practices of the time and, using sources both biblical and pagan, draws striking similarities to suggest that Jesus was a practitioner of sorcery. Well, you could probably tell that from the title, right? Anyway, the author gives the subject a highly academic treatment, often delving into the etymology of the words which described Jesus and the cultural context they appeared in while making use of new sources that have been swept under the rug by the church. There is also a fascinating discussion of homoerotic elements to early Christianity and Jesus's relationship with Lazarus. The author makes it clear that he is not writing to Christians and takes many things for granted about his audience... which is perhaps just as well since most Christians would hate what this book says about their messiah. It mostly draws from an earlier text "Jesus the Magician" by Mortan Smith, but due to the obscurity and limited availability of this work, this new study may make a valuable substitution. Otherwise, this book is well researched, brutally honest, and says what needs to be said!