Buy used: $17.75
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery April 29 - May 2 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery April 28 - May 1
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: This item shows wear including some highlighting or writing.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Jesus Before Christianity Paperback – September 1, 2001

4.4 out of 5 stars 326

There is a newer edition of this item:

Albert Nolan’s portrait introduces us to Jesus before he became the object of Christian faith, operating in history in a specific social context, addressing concrete hopes, and engaging in controversy and social conflict. Here is a man who was deeply involved with the real problems of his time―which turn out to be the real problems of our time, as well. As he writes, “God is speaking to us in a new way today. God is speaking to us in the events and problems of our time. Jesus can help us to understand the voice of Truth but, in the last analysis, it is we who must decide and act.”

The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book, with its telling title, is the most compelling book about Jesus that I have ever read.”―Sister Helen Prejean, author, Dead Man Walking

“The most accurate and balanced short reconstruction of the life of the historical Jesus.”―Harvey Cox, author, A New Heaven: Death, Human Destiny, and the Kingdom of God

“If you are going to read only one book on Jesus this year, this is the one.”―America

About the Author

Albert Nolan, OP, is a South African Dominican priest and theologian who played an important role in the church struggle against apartheid. His other Orbis books include Jesus Today: A Spirituality of Radical Freedom and Hope in an Age of Despair.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orbis Books; Anniversary,Subsequent edition (September 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 196 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1570754047
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1570754043
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 326

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Albert Nolan
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
326 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
Never understood Jesus’ life like this before. Very insightful and informative, especially in understanding Jesus in his own historical and cultural context.
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2024
Nolan presents Jesus as a man of his time and, because of his compassion for the people of his time, proves that he is God of our time. Very deep, but very readable. I’ll be reading it a second (and third?) time to mine all its wisdom.
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2024
Interesting read, no doubt. The digital book, however, was poorly edited. Words are left out of sentences and sometimes punctuation is confusing, rendering some parts as a puzzle to solve in order to understand what the author is saying.
From a theology standpoint, some statements seem to me to contradict the Catholic understanding of Jesus and his mission. However this has provided many points for further reflection and discussion.
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2023
I read this book to learn more about Jesus. I was surprised to learn from the author, a priest, that Jesus' family thought he'd lost his mind when he began to preach about the Kingdom of God being all around us. I was also struck by the historical research and authority with which this writer expounds. This is a compelling read, teaching many things about Jesus, most importantly, I believe, that Jesus expects us to give with love to the poor and in so doing to suffer with them if need be. I try hard to practice this example, after having read this book, even more so than I did before reading it. I highly recommend this book.
2 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2023
Lots of good historical information about the times in which Jesus lived. Highly readable.
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2017
Interesting book....In some ways, the historical background is great, giving a much better picture of just how radical Jesus was for His day and the kingdom of God's compassion that He was bringing to people. In other ways, the author makes assumptions that are not consistent with scripture or the divinity of Jesus, looking at things from a strictly logical, non-spiritual way, as if Jesus did not know that He was fulfilling prophecy and the He came to suffer and die on the cross. At times, I am reading the book and wondering if the author is a believer or if he is simply an agnostic historian, who understands the cultural in a historical way, in a way that is excellent, yet does not see Jesus as God in the flesh/God incarnated in humanity. So I was very blessed by the history of the culture, sharing Jesus' heart of compassion and what His kingdom was about, while at other times I wondered if the author understands the prophecies of Jesus coming to suffer, die, rise from the dead, sit at His Father's right hand to heal us, set us free, redeem us, and restore us.
23 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2023
Great service by tomes of wisdom. Very reasonable price
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2008
Fr. Nolan wrote this book over 25 years ago. It has recently been republished to celebrate its 25 anniversary by Orbis Press, a progressive Jesus centered Catholic press.

I have read books exploring the real Jesus by Marcus Borg, Geza Vermes, Brian McLaren, Dominic Crossan and other more recent authors, and frankly, I was not expecting any new insights from this book.

It is wonderful, and for its small size delivers a picture of Jesus from the more historical perspective that seems, to me, could have been written last year.

It strikes me how many of the insights of the above mentioned authors and Nolan are "in the same ball park".
They point out that Jesus taught the "kingdom of God" as a way of living and being that God wants to exist NOW on this earth. Jesus has little to say about heaven and how to get there. Jesus cares for the poor; opposes the domination systems; wants his followers to form a community of love, caring, and faith -- not in the future, but in this very present.

This book is very short, but very rewarding. Make time for it.
7 people found this helpful
Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Andreas Baer
5.0 out of 5 stars Jesus in der Frühzeit
Reviewed in Germany on April 3, 2018
Jesus feierte jüdische Feste und verstand sich ganz selbstverständlich als Jude, aber er verhielt sich nicht mehr so, er war ein Fundamentaloppositioneller zur sozialen Ordnung in Israel zu dieser Zeit. Er achtete Menschen, die verachtet wurden und das war schon die Mehrheit in der damaligen sozialen Ordnung. Das Buch ist daher sehr lesenswert, es ist auch sehr gut recherchiert, ein wissenschaftliches Buch in jedem Fall.
MARIA CLARA ISOLDI WHYTE
5.0 out of 5 stars Ótimo relato sobre a vida de Jesus como ser humano/ Excellent report about Jesus' life as a human being
Reviewed in Brazil on January 12, 2015
Adquiri este livro também por estar entre as leituras recomendadas para meu curso de Pós-Graduação em Teologia, e estou encantada com a maneira clara como o autor coloca o ser humano Jesus em relação a seu tempo e sua cultura.
I bought the book because it is one of the readings recommended for the graduate course in Theology that I am following, and am loving it, especially for the author's clear way of showing the "human being Jesus", in his time and culture.
Prairie Gal
5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking
Reviewed in Canada on January 24, 2014
This is one of the best books I have read on the subject. The author does a good job of giving the ssocio-political background of the times of Jesus. Given the new historical perspective, the rest of the book makes a lot of sense. Easier to read than many books on theology and philosophy.
2 people found this helpful
Report
Ricky
5.0 out of 5 stars Jesus Before Christianity
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2014
If you're a Christian who wants to rediscover the essential meaning of Christ's ministry on Earth, or someone who wants to find out why the early Christians gave up everything to follow Him, and how and why successive generations of Christians began to move away from the truth, you must get this book. Nolan is a superb, divinely inspired writer who will leave you in no doubt that Christ intended there can be no half measures in belief. You must either commit to God or leave God alone. It's up to you.
One person found this helpful
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars I would recommend this to anyone
Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2018
For anyone looking to read a book that is both well written and knowledgeable about Jesus' situation/cultural milieu this is it. I would recommend this to anyone.
2 people found this helpful
Report