Jesus and Spiral of Violence (Facets) [Paperback]

Richard A. Horsley (Author)

Book Description

Series: Facets | Publication Date: January 1, 1993

From this engrossing portrait of first-century Palestine, Jesus emerges as the catalyst of nonviolent social revolution that anticipates the renewal of Israel. This fascinating analysis opens up a new perspective of the Roman-dominated Jewish Palestine of Jesus' time, viewing it as an "imperial situation" in which individual acts of violence were responses to institutionalized repression and injustice. Richard A. Horsley reveals the fiercely nationalistic Zealots as largely the fabrication of historians and exposes the erroneous view of Jesus as the sober prophet of nonviolence. In claiming the presence of the kingdom of God, Jesus aimed at catalyzing the renewal of the people of Israel, calling them to loving cooperation amid difficult circumstances of debt and despair and to organized resistance to the violence of an imperial situation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers; 1st Fortress Press ed edition (January 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800627105
• ISBN-13: 978-0800627102
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #705,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent,interesting addition to the debate, March 28, 2001

By 

A. Hogan (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Jesus and Spiral of Violence (Facets) (Paperback)

Richard A. Horsley has added his voice to the question asked By Jesus{and thereafter history}:"Who do you say that I am?"He takes a slightly differt tack here,viewing Jesus in terms of the popular historical movements of his time,starting with the obvious fact of domination of a foriegn power,and the resulting lifestyles of an occupied people. After{quite interestingly}disecting the Romans and their slave perpetuated economy, he turns to Jewish non violent resistance, Messianic movements social community{including,a fascinating discussion on the half shekel temple tax},and eventually, a short concluding chapter on Jesus and Social revolution. This is a very well researched,well written study{though Im am not certain that all of the leaps are justified}Another inetesting book to the canon.As for the accusation that this is a Jesus for the secular left,I have found that whatever your political leanings are, one tends to attach them to Jesus. This ,though seems obvious to most, Jesus was poor, his friends and family were poor, most of his assocaites were poor,and almost everyone who initially heard His message were poor. That this sudy ,then would approach Jesus from the side of poor outcasts of that time living a under a brutal occupying force adminstered by viscious sycophants is not surprising.Not definitive, of course, simply another side to the story.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Serious Christology, May 13, 2003

By 

The Rev. Dr. Daniel J. G. G. Block - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jesus and the spiral of violence: Popular Jewish resistance in Roman Palestine (Paperback)

Professor Horsley delves behind the Christ of faith to look more closely at the historical Jesus, within his first century, Palestinian social, political and religious context. Horsley argues that far from being the innocent victim of illegitimate charges made against him by an unholy alliance of Jewish religious and Roman political authorities, Jesus was a very real threat to the ruling institutions.

At least from the perspective of the social, political and religious elite, Jesus was a dangerous figure worthy of condemnation in order to maintain the Pax Romana. His radical preaching and practice of the immediate presence of the Kingdom of God implied that no other kingdom and no other authorities could justifiably be obeyed. "A slave cannot serve two masters..."

For those interested in studying serious Christology, or the social and historical context of the earliest elements of the Jesus movement, this can be a valuable book.

For those who wish to maintain the uninformed innocence of a Sunday School faith, this book should be avoided. Horsley is much too honest to be safe.

13 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just another exersize in historical guesswork, May 21, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Jesus and Spiral of Violence (Facets) (Paperback)

Highly recomended for the Jew and Gentile alike. Horsely manages tosynthesis some complex and scattered historical themes intoa text that appears factual and complete. No wallowing in emotionalish here folks just straightforward historical reasoning. A must for the cleric the biblical scholar and anyone interested in ancient history.