On Jesus (Wadsworth Philosophers) [Paperback]

Douglas Groothuis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0534583946 | ISBN-13: 978-0534583941 | Publication Date: June 6, 2002 | Edition: 1

ON JESUS, like other titles in the Wadsworth Philosopher's Series, offers a concise, yet comprehensive, introduction to this philosopher's most important ideas. Presenting the most important insights of well over a hundred seminal philosophers in both the Eastern and Western traditions, the Wadsworth Philosophers Series contains volumes written by scholars noted for their excellence in teaching and for their well-versed comprehension of each featured philosopher's major works and contributions. These titles have proven valuable in a number of ways. Serving as standalone texts when tackling a philosophers' original sources or as helpful resources for focusing philosophy students' engagements with these philosopher's often conceptually daunting works, these titles have also gained extraordinary popularity with a lay readership and quite often serve as "refreshers" for philosophy instructors.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 1 edition (June 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534583946
• ISBN-13: 978-0534583941
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #470,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a philosopher who serves as Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary and as an Affiliate Faculty at Metropolitan State College of Denver. I have authored two dozen academic papers published in journals such as Religious Studies, Inquiry, Sophia, Philosophia Christi, Think, and Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. I have also published dozens of articles in magazines such as Christianity Today, Books and Culture, The Christian Research Journal, and many others.

I am the author of eleven books:

1. Unmasking the New Age (InterVarsity Press, 1986)
2. Confronting the New Age (InterVarsity Press, 1988)
3. Revealing the New Age Jesus (InterVarsity Press, 1990)
4. Christianity That Counts (Baker Books, 1994)
5. Deceived by the Light (Harvest House, 1995)
6. Jesus in an Age of Controversy (Harvest House, 1996)
7. The Soul in Cyberspace (Baker Books, 1997)
8. Truth Decay (InterVarsity Press, 2000)
9. On Jesus (Wadsworth, 2003)
10. On Pascal (Wadsworth, 2003)
11. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (InterVarsity Press, 2011)

I also co-edited the volume, In Defense of Natural Theology: A Post-Humean Assessment (InterVarsity Press, 2005) with James Sennett.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great introduction to Jesus the Philosopher, September 15, 2002

By 

John M. Switzer (Columbia, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Jesus (Wadsworth Philosophers) (Paperback)

This is the first work I have come across that has seriously looked at Jesus as a philosopher. Groothuis begins this short introductory work, which is the format for each of the books in this series, by clearly defining what constitutes calling someone a philosopher and then just as clearly demonstrates that the historically verifiable Jesus is just as much a philosopher as the others in this series. He then discusses Jesus' use of argument, His metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and view of women. Any discussion of Jesus on any level must take into account the historicity of Jesus, an evaluation of His claims of deity as well as the historicity of the crucifixion and resurrection. Groothuis does an admirable job, in a short format, to give a good reason to at least consider each of these as worthy of further study.

While most people know of, or know Jesus, to varying degrees, as the central figure in the Christian faith, this book will be of great benefit to anyone interested in studying Him as a philosopher as well as evaluate His teaching and claims as philosophical arguments.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh and Challenging Approach to the Man from Galilee, August 2, 2002

By 

Michael Thompson (Elkhart, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Jesus (Wadsworth Philosophers) (Paperback)

Groothuis does a wonderful job in his presentation of Jesus by viewing him through philosophical eyes. He begins this journey by strongly establishing that Jesus was indeed a philosopher by category. Chapter One accurately and definitely places him within this category. Following this, a look at Jesus' place in history demonstrates his world and how his life reflected it. Then comes the heart of the philosophical approach. Evaluating Jesus' use of argument, his epistemology and metaphysics, his ethics, and his view of women, Groothuis proves why this man belongs on the list of the most influential and thought-provoking thinkers of all time. There is also ample illustration of why Jesus is the most controversial man of all time -- making claims of divinity and sovereignty over all creation. Jesus' radical social and ethical agenda were powerful and divisive as much in his own day as in ours. Most importantly, Groothuis shows that no man or woman can ever live without making a decision of how to regard this man from Galilee. To ignore him is to make your choice. In order to evaluate his message, you must evaluate him and his claims to be God. We must never forget that - Jesus' whole message hinges on that. Much gratitude to Douglas Groothuis for this work -- Surely, this will a very influential book in the study of Jesus.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Look, July 15, 2006

By 

Aaron Long "Young Academic" (Iowa City, IA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Jesus (Wadsworth Philosophers) (Paperback)

It is easy to fall into a rut in how we view Jesus of Nazareth, especially in an age of pop-culture takes on who he was. From Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code" to Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" to Joan Osborne's "What if God Was One of Us" we've become very used to looking at Jesus as just another guy.

But if this is true, then why have people been fascinated or repulsed by the man and his teachings for centuries? Why did Red Communism ban the Bible? Why has modern scholarship been so divided over who he really was? Though he has inspired some of the greatest cultural reforms in the history of our country (abolition of slavery, Civil Rights, etc.), why is it that his name brings more "offense" today than that of any other religious icon (e.g., the buddha, Mohammed, or even Joseph Smith)?

Perhaps Groothuis has something here. A good look at what the man taught and how he went about it makes a decision on who he really was unavoidable. The read is short, but Groothuis has a knack for packing large amounts of information into small amounts of text. The concepts are simple though the writing is academic, the vocabulary is well defined and the points are compelling and comprehensively documented. It's like rediscovering the goodness of fresh produce. And with that option available, why settle for fast-food pop-culture drivel?

ALong