Customer Reviews

Jesus: A New Vision: Spirit, Culture, and the Life of Discipleship

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Great, readable, accessible book. Highly recommended for anyone with any curiosity about what is know historically about the life of Jesus. Borg writes about Jesus AND about Christ, carefully pointing out that actually believing or not believing in (for example) the bodily resurrection need not define one's Christianity. Reading Borg's interpretation of Jesus' teachings (which I find highly credible), it becomes quite clear why there is such a rift between "liberal" and "conservative" Christians (call them what you will).

What if Jesus didn't declare himself THE Son of God, but more A Son of God, meaning that through "imitating" Christ we too can becomes Sons of God? Borg discusses the context in which the gospels were written, gives possible explanations for their inconsistencies, and even discusses other texts (e.g. the Gospel of Thomas), which were as legitamate as M, M, L, or J, but didn't make it into the New Testament because their message didn't fit perfectly the Word the early Christian Church was attemtping to put forth.

A heck of a lot of information packed into 200 pages. Will likely make you thirst for further reading on the subject. Almost a "Jesus Primer" if you will.

Borg's Jesus is not one who is no longer relevant today, but instead one who is ESPECIALLY relevant today, if we decide to wade through the dogma and find out for ourselves how he lived, what he taught, and why he is still alive in so many to this day.

To put these comments in perspective, "Jesus, A New Vision" (published originally in 1987), is the third book by Dr. Borg that I have read; thus, I'm clearly a fan.

The first Borg book I read was "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time," originally published in 1994 -- a book that covers almost the identical terrain as "Jesus, A New Vision."

It's important to realize, if you haven't read Borg before, that his books are based on mainstream biblical scholarship that is taught in seminaries of mainstream churches. He is not a radical, far-out religious liberal trying to undermine contemporary and/or traditional Christian theology.

To provide some idea of Borg's scholarship. This book's "Introduction - Clearing the Ground: Two Images of Jesus" extends a little over sixteen pages, the "Introduction's" Annotated End Notes (Footnotes) covers five pages, and should be carefully studied by those who may be particularly upset by some of the author's ideas.

The book is divided into two parts. Part One, Chapters 2-4, discuss Jesus and the Spirit, or Jesus and God. Part Two, Chapters 5-10, discussing Jesus and Culture; with the focus on the culture of the first century. Chapter 10, the author's conclusion is entitled, "The New Vision of Jesus: His Significance for Our Time." Borg's observations and conclusions are thoroughly documented. It seems difficult to imagine anyone quarreling with his conclusions.

I'm somewhat shocked that until learning about Borg in a newspaper article (last fall) announcing a local speaking engagement by Dr. Borg, which I attended, I had never heard of him. Again please note; this book was published in 1987, fourteen years ago. His writings and views have not been featured in either the mainstream press I've been reading and/or by clergy in the Protestant churches I've attended.

Also, I'm equally mystified as to why the electronic media have not done features on Borg and his views. With so much "air-time" to fill, why haven't they covered Borg? Fear? Fear of what?

This and other Borg titles are extremely easy to read, even for readers with a minimum of background in either the Hebrew Old Testament, or the Christian New Testament.

Borg's views are the most plausible, rationale approach to the historical Jesus of fact, faith and experience I've ever encountered. I consider this book to be a blessing and I urge every thinking Christian to read it and other writings by Dr. Borg.

One of the more interesting chapters in this book attempts to describe the social world of Jesus. Borg theorizes that Jesus was deeply involved with the sociopolitical life of His own people as the founder of a revitalization movement. The Jesus movement is depicted as seeking to transform Jewish society by creating an alternative community based on inclusiveness, acceptance, love and peace. The Jewish social world in contrast is dominated by the politics of holiness which emphasizes separation as typified by clean and unclean, purity and defilement, sacred and profane, Jew and Gentile, righteous and sinner. Further complicating the situation is the Roman annexation of Palestine in 63 B.C. which creates an onerous system of double taxation with disastrous consequences for the agrarian society into which Jesus is born. The Jesus movement has competition from other Jewish renewal movements in Palestine such as the Essenes, Pharisees and Zealots. Borg manages to explain this complicated web using a very readable style. Overall I recommend the book highly as long as you do not insist on the inerrancy of the Bible. Otherwise you will definitely find it unsettling.

This delightful little book is both stimulating and nourishing. Jesus may not have been the "Good Little Jewish Boy" we have heard of. His ministry was revolutionary both in his day and in the present. The book is easy reading and quite compact. It however is filled with many new healthy insights into the Jesus we revere. This makes Jesus even more relevant to us today. A good book for a Bible study group.

Marcus Borg explores the spirit, culture and the life of the early Christian community. He writes that Jesus came to proclaim the kingdom of compassion as contrasted to the kingdom of holiness. His aphorisms, parables and actions as seen in the New Testament underscore this proclamation.

Borg's treatment of culture is one of the main features of this book. He explains cultures in transition, in conflict with each other. He sees Jesus as a prophet, sage and miracle worker, but most importantly as a leader of a reform movement with Judaism. Borg's Jesus reflects on the culture of holiness and sees how it creates unconscionable burdens for people. The son of God proclaims that his father does not demand holiness, but compassion. And in an important way compassion is more difficult than holiness, as holiness tends to be juridical. Compassion challenges people and their societies more fundamentally.

Part 1 of the book concerns the life of the Spirit as seen in the life of Jesus. Part 2 deals with Jesus and his culture. In this section Bork treats of the various ways Jesus is seen: as sage, prophet, reform movement leader. As he writes Borg tens to be quantitative. He breaks things down into compartments in order for the reader to understand a concept by its parts. It is easy to underline statements in this book.

While Bork does not seem to present new material, he utilizes research and explains it in ways that do not have the constant citing that other scholars apply. There are notes from each chapter, with annotations that explain more fully. Borg's style makes an easier read.

Borg is one of the few 20th-21st century scholars whose breadth in scholarship and depth in insight is a source of illimination in a nation where biblical literary has become bibliolatry. Using modern methods of research he has opened up posibilites for understanding the "Jesus" behind the canonical gospels and has included in his construction materials from non-canonical sources like the Gospel of Thomas. All of Borg's books are worth serious consideration for the contemporary quester whether Christian or not.

Borg paints a picture of Jesus which is different in many important respects from the image presented in the gospels and in particular in the Gospel of John. In Borg's view Jesus has at the center of His life a relationship to the Spirit of God and He is concerned with creating a community grounded in the Spirit. Jesus is a charismatic, a sage, a renewal movement founder and a prophet. Although Borg doubts the authenticity of the exalted identity and purpose of Jesus described in John, he still sees Jesus as a model for the Christian life as well as for one's own personal discipleship.

Borg presents to us the "historical" Jesus. He definitely does show many of the aspects of Jesus that are neglected in the whole of Christianity. Many have the idea that all you have to do is believe in Jesus and you are saved. Borg lets us know that to believe means to follow the footsteps of Jesus in compassion and love. It is a great book to read and find how are lives are meant to follow the path of Jesus in a concrete manner that is more than often under-emphasized. This book should not be the end though, Borg does not follow through completely with his historical research. He neglects many aspects of Jesus' ministry and historical proof available when we take up the mentality of a first century Jew. In order to see where else the evidence can leads us, I recommend N.T. Wright's "The New Testament and the People of God", and also "Jesus and the Victory of God." Borg gives us a good start, but not as good of a finish if the life of Jesus has any salvific meaning for you. Nevertheless, we all need a foundation.

This 200 page book -- read the footnotes -- taught me more about the birth of Christianity the the twelve years being taught/indoctrinated about Christianity by nuns and Jesuit priests. My only problem with Dr. Borg and others is their defintion of Christianity, i.e. was Jesus just an enlightened figure whose perspectives, teachings, and actions are a model to follow or was/is Jesus the revelation of God. In other words,was Jesus another Buddha? Do Christians call themselves Christians as

Marxists call themselves Marxists not because Jesus transcended death but only because we believe in his views and actions? Dr. John Crossan is the most confusing when it comes to this issue. Dr. Borg believes, I think, in the transcendence of consciousness after the death of the body whereas Dr. Crossan believes in God BUT NOT an afterlife; the New Testament is mostly metaphor; and heaven is here and now -- tell that to someome totally incapacitated.

This isn't the book I'd recommend for a new Christian or one who isn't anchored in the Word of God. I found Borg's book to be highly speculative and very critical of the historical Christ, and unless one is spritually saturated by the Word of God then he/she may end up shipped wrecked. This book does not seek to edify but provokes doubt and speculation of who Christ really was while placing a distrust on the dating of the John's Gospel. However, it is highly insightful and useful in understanding the kind of Jesus many people attach themselves to in our time. It is my opinion that the historical Christ presented in scripture is totally accurate in it's presentation of Christ and a New Vision of Christ is not relevant but irrelevant. But if you like good reading and brain stimulation check the book out! It Delivers.