The Gospel of Jesus: According to the Jesus Seminar

by Robert W. Funk

Book Overview

The voice of Jesus has for centuries been obscured and his vision skewed even by well-intended gospel writers, who transmitted his words to serve their own concerns. The Gospel of Jesus frees Jesus'... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0944344747
• ISBN13: 9780944344743
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Polebridge Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 2.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Excellent

I believe that THE GOSPEL OF JESUS is best used as an adjunct to the New Testament Gospels. It also helps if the reader is familiar with some of the early Christian scriptures which are not included in the New Testament canon. Reading this book was a thoroughly positive experience for me, resulting in the emergence of a more credible Jesus. The explanatory material contained in the introduction and appendices was especially useful. I recommend THE GOSPEL OF JESUS without reservation to anyone who wishes to add spice and understanding to their bible reading.

a short but useful synopsis of the work of the Jesus Seminar

If you have time for only one book by the Jesus Seminar, this is the book you should consider as it contains a short but useful synopsis of much of their work. Features: 1- The book reads like a New Testament gospel, so you can read it straight through if you just want the straight scoop. But if/when you want additional information, there are notes on the left side of each page showing the source(s) of each grouping of verses, including chapter and verse, to enable comparisons. There are also more extensive notes on each chapter at the end of the book, including comments about why such and such an event or parable was included and what the consensus of the JS was on the various events. 2- An index in the back of the book gives a short description of each of the ancient gospels from which Funk and his colleagues drew the facts and inspiration for their own gospel. Unfortunately, they have neglected a couple of the gospels mentioned in the book, among them Pseudo Mark which, as far as I can tell, refers to a short section of Mark Chapter 16. (see the notes for the Epilogue on page 105) 3- Another short appendix gives a description of the Jesus Seminar: who they are and some details about their Biblical research. This section is very informative and would be useful to those who know little or nothing about the group. I want to give the book to my father as a gift as I think the contains a wealth of information about both the Jesus Seminar and their scholarship in suitable form for those who know little or nothing about them. 4- Yet another appendix gives detailed notes for each chapter of the gospel. These sometimes include quotes from sources like The Gospel of Thomas which can't readily be located by someone who only has a conventional New Testament. Suggestions: 1- I hope a future edition will contain a small glossary to explain terms like Purity Party which are unfamiliar to folks like me who are not formally educated in Biblical studies. (I'm guessing this might refer to the Pharisees in the way that the Saducees are often referred to as scribes.) Perhaps such a glossary could cover minor gospels like Pseudo Mark (see above) that aren't deemed comprehensive enough to be discussed in the Ancient Gospels appendix. 2- I would like a better explanation of how the color-based voting works. They describe it as a weighted system, but I would be interested in knowing exactly what this means. If I were doing it, I might assign red beads two points, pink one, grey negative one and black negative two. But I don't know if this would be the best way or, more importantly, how it is, in fact, being done by the JS. Some comments about specific parts of the text appear below: The book contains a prologue, twenty-one chapters and an epilogue. The prologue discusses the circumstances surrounding Jesus's birth and childhood. Oddly, the narration here jumps from his birth to various people's comments and opinions about him as a prophet with no warning, a

mana in the wilderness

A lot of people have attacked the Jesus Seminar and its credibility. For those who have doubts read "The Jesus Seminar and its Critics." Though I don't agree with everything they believe (i.e. their view on miracles) they have done some respectable things that can only help in our search for the truth, such as this book. This book should not replace the canonized gospels but shouldn't be discarded either.

Faith and Thinking

This book, like all of the books by those involved with the Westar Institute, gives the reader a chance to make intelligent decisions about one's faith on one's own. Unlike many so-called theological books on the market, this book does not attempt to proselytize and force a particular viewpoint onto the reader.Read, enjoy, and expand your theological and faith horizons.