Thomas Jefferson believed that the pure-principled teachings of Jesus should have been separated from the dogma and abuse of organized religion of ...
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Nov 12, 2008
David
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This book is Thomas Jefferson's attempt to distill from the gospels the ethical teachings of Jesus. It presents Jesus
purely as a teacher; no chorus of angels marks his birth, he performs no miracles, and the book ends with his burial. The result is a short, 92 page volume that's easy to read in spite of being written in the same archaic style of English as the King James Bible.
The obvious audience for this book is atheists and agnostics who want a view of Jesus's teachings t More...
purely as a teacher; no chorus of angels marks his birth, he performs no miracles, and the book ends with his burial. The result is a short, 92 page volume that's easy to read in spite of being written in the same archaic style of English as the King James Bible.
The obvious audience for this book is atheists and agnostics who want a view of Jesus's teachings t More...
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Oct 19, 2011
Kenny
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Though often claimed by anti-religionists as a Deist, Jefferson states flatly, referring to this cut-and-paste version of the New Testament: "It is a document in proof that I am a REAL CHRISTIAN, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus" (his emphasis).
But note the distinction: Jefferson calls himself a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus, not a disciple of Jesus himself. This is a serious difference, as his discomfort with and his disbelief in the supernatural a More...
But note the distinction: Jefferson calls himself a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus, not a disciple of Jesus himself. This is a serious difference, as his discomfort with and his disbelief in the supernatural a More...
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May 19, 2011
Lee
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"We must reduce our volume to the simple evangelists, select, even from them, the very words only of Jesus. There will be remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man."
With this goal, Jefferson set about with razor in hand to extract the true words and actions of Jesus from the enveloping hype and miracle stories of the Gospels. Rejecting the virgin birth, the annunciation, and even the resurrection, Jefferson wanted to dig dow More...
With this goal, Jefferson set about with razor in hand to extract the true words and actions of Jesus from the enveloping hype and miracle stories of the Gospels. Rejecting the virgin birth, the annunciation, and even the resurrection, Jefferson wanted to dig dow More...
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Sep 01, 2010
Angela
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To thoroughly grasp the hubris, imagine it in modern day: a US president whose religious beliefs are widely regarded as insufficient and blasphemous towards Christian doctrine, deciding that he doesn't really care for the Bible as it's written--too many miracles, and that Paul character, he's gotta go--so he'll just take some scissors, snip out the good parts, and rearrange them into a better order. Clearly, Thomas Jefferson predated cable news networks. Apparently, the Jefferson Bible is now di
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Mar 03, 2010
Todd
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This is the way the Bible is supposed to be. Thomas Jefferson, founding father and President of the USA has cut away all the supernatural BS behind Jesus Christ and his life time. Dug hard into various Bibles of the times and manages to find the wisdom of a progressive Jewish rebel. This Jesus was killed for believing in treating people equally and finding the best of human nature.
The supernatural birth and other mystical events of Jesus' life have been removed and instead readers wil More...
The supernatural birth and other mystical events of Jesus' life have been removed and instead readers wil More...
Jul 28, 2011
"In 1820, at seventy-seven years of age, Thomas Jefferson removed the six testaments from his shelf, where they had been sitting for a decade and a half, and carved out a Gospel for himself, one whose witness he could respect and whose message he could understand" (pg 30).
Yes, Jefferson literally cut and pasted the Bible, nixing the "supernatural" parts and leaving only Jesus' teachings in a new arrangement.
The history behind it and the book itself are interesting, but the c More...
Yes, Jefferson literally cut and pasted the Bible, nixing the "supernatural" parts and leaving only Jesus' teachings in a new arrangement.
The history behind it and the book itself are interesting, but the c More...
Jan 02, 2009
Adam
rated it:
Thomas Jefferson is among the greatest minds from the Founding Generation of Americans. Despite his contributions to the American framework, Jefferson believed that religious beliefs were and should remain an immensely personal topic, and as such he spends very little time discussing this issue even among his most trusted contemporaries, including Benjamin Rush, who may have inspired Jefferson to complete this work following Rush's death.
The Jeffersonian Bible is an intimate look into the More...
The Jeffersonian Bible is an intimate look into the More...
Dec 01, 2010
Prooost
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Jefferson's attempt to present Jesus's story, as collected from the four Gospels, in chronological order, omitting all of its supernatural aspects, gives the story a shape that one doesn't necessarily perceive in selecting verses for study out of context. The reader can see an inevitable trajectory towards crucifixion as Jesus gains a following while challenging the authority of some important people.
Jefferson did not believe in the virgin birth, the miracles, the resurrection, etc. More...
Jefferson did not believe in the virgin birth, the miracles, the resurrection, etc. More...
Jun 25, 2008
Wesley
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As Thomas Jefferson is arguably the most important figure in American History. I had to pick this one up. While nothing but a re-telling of the New Testement, and even though it is written with a strange mixture of Old Enlish and Contemperary American. It allows for a fresh look at the New Testement with out all of the religious stuff thrown in.
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Apr 06, 2010
Richard
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This is an odd one to review. It could be titled The best of Jesus Christ as told by the disciples chosen by Thomas Jefferson. It is somewhat refreshing because there is little story in there, just some morals and parables. Regardless of how you view Christianity, I don't really want to associate with people who don't find the morals in this book to be virtuous at the least.
It isn't the easiest thing to read, but it is the Bible what did I expect? Lots of old english confusing More...
It isn't the easiest thing to read, but it is the Bible what did I expect? Lots of old english confusing More...
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May 24, 2009
Dean
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Brilliant editing...when considered with his design for the University of Virginia grounds sheds light on TJ's careful consideration, no, critical inquiry into the spectrum of 18th c norms. Everything is in play with reason the blade that carves the irrelevant and nonsense from core truths. UVA is an architectural analog. Though it can be debated that it is less successful as a unified work because it is new, untested function from an old form (a core campus from a Roman temple and forum), it
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Oct 16, 2007
Jake
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Definitely a puzzling project for Jefferson to undertake. I really didn't like how he jumps from chapter to chapter. It's not like the Bible is exactly easy to read in the first place, but Jefferson's approach to the translation of the New Testament is even more beguiling.
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May 09, 2011
Stephanie
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I can appreciate Jefferson's struggle with the theology and content of the gospels as presented in the bible. I think he had good intentions -- he was struggling to understand his own beliefs and faith in God. So in an attempt to explain things that he couldn't logically explain, such as the divinity of Jesus, he reconstructed the gospels into one new gospel that excluded any verses/passages that talked of healing miracles and being the son of God.
While I can understand this struggl More...
While I can understand this struggl More...
Mar 05, 2009
Rob
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I found this to be very readable. It is an abridged version of the new testament that removes all the virgin birth, resurrection and miracles that the apostles tribute to Jesus of Nazareth. You're left with the man and his philosphy. I have a much clearer idea of what exactly he was trying to teach his followers. A lot of critics get bogged down by Jesus widely attributed miracles, this is a more secular approach to the man. at 140 very short and small pages anyone can blow through this in 2-3 d
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Feb 13, 2011
Kevin
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Finally, I have finished The Jefferson Bible, only took me two years to read a 169 page book. It's not for the lack on content or boring subject, I just kept losing my place over and over and over again... It's hard to find any organization that the original text had since Jefferson literally did a cut and paste job to produce this book, so I kept getting lost trying to follow the chapter verse layout.
Thomas Jefferson worked for a couple restless nights in Washington carefully extracti More...
Thomas Jefferson worked for a couple restless nights in Washington carefully extracti More...
Sep 23, 2008
Josh
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As a deist, Thomas Jefferson believed in God as the ultimate creator and believed Jesus to be the greatest moral teacher. This collection of writings confirms his staunch belief in reason over faith. Jefferson believed that the Bible was imperfect insofar as it contained the works of corrupt individuals who sought to use Christianity as a means to control people.
What amazes me the most is how little a role religion played in the election of Thomas Jefferson in both 1800 and 1804. Pe More...
What amazes me the most is how little a role religion played in the election of Thomas Jefferson in both 1800 and 1804. Pe More...
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Jan 09, 2008
Wendy
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This is an illuminating and important book historically. Not only does it represent Thomas Jefferson's fearless edit of the Gospels of Matthew,Mark, Luke and John from the New Testament the Bible extracting what he thought was of value from "a groundwork of vulgar ignorance, of things impossible, of superstitions, fanaticisms and fabrications"but sheds a light on the inquiring minds of the intellectual elite of his day. He basically cut and pasted and shared his work with John Adams an
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Dec 02, 2011
Andrea
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It's an abridged version of The Bible, so don't expect to enjoy reading it anymore than you would the unabridged Bible. Still, it cracks me up whenever I think of Jefferson sitting there with a razor, doing something that would have had him killed in another time and place. This book is a testament to the importance of religious freedom and enlightenment philosophy to the Founding Fathers of America, though some people try to downplay that importance today.
Mar 17, 2010
Tobi
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Now this is how I feel about religion and Jesus. He was a man that lived and gave wonderful advice for living a good life. Like many other people, Buddha, etc, etc. I do not believe that he was divine but if you truely follow his teachings you can't really go wrong. Makes me love Thomas Jefferson even more, a wise but all to human man. Everyone should read this, it's the teachings of Jesus plain and simple without all the "magic" unbelieveable parts.
May 11, 2009
David
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This is one of history's truly great books. Thomas Jefferson, a Unitarian, believed in Jesus of Nazareth's teachings and the moral compass of his life example. He did not believe in Jesus' miracles, magic and hocus pocus. The story begins with his birth and ends with his death. Jefferson cut out all the magic tricks, and the silly pagan nonsense that Christians like to claim is essential to their faith.
Jun 02, 2009
Joshua
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The Jefferson Bible is basically a distilling of the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, removing (most of) the miraculous acts and focusing instead on the words and teachings of Jesus. In this it succeeds quite well, though the language is old and in some places a little hard to follow. The one thing I felt really hampered the book was the amount of repetition; when reading the New Testament, you don't really get a feel for how often Jesus says the same things over and over again, but nearly
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Jul 13, 2010
Chris
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Decided to read this a few summers ago. Was very intrigued to see what the differences were between this and the new testament itself. The basic moral teachings alone of Jesus are included entirely. Just as Jefferson wanted. A good read for anyone who wants to read about Jesus' life and way of thought without all the other stuff.
Jul 22, 2008
Corbin
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Jefferson sat down with the four canonical gospels, scissors, and paste. He redacted all the miracles, improbable events, and inconsistencies--from virgin birth to resurrection--and cobbled the remainder into a linear order.
Think River Tam, only without the effortless brilliance or government-induced schizophrenia.
Unlike River Tam, Jefferson does not come away with meaningless paper. The bulk of the document is "red-letter" material, predominantly moral philosop More...
Think River Tam, only without the effortless brilliance or government-induced schizophrenia.
Unlike River Tam, Jefferson does not come away with meaningless paper. The bulk of the document is "red-letter" material, predominantly moral philosop More...
Jun 26, 2010
Ross
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This book Thomas Jefferson's revision of the Bible, removing all references to miracles and the supernatural. So I think its a great experiment, but man does it miss the point. And quite frankly, if I'm choosing fiction, I'd have to go with the Bible, it was much more entertaining at least. :)
May 17, 2009
John
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Very impressive re-reading of the Gospels according to Thomas Jefferson - a deist's look at the life & sayings of a great teacher, clearly something that would have been deeply offensive to some voters in his day - and to this day, too. Brilliant work, good intro and affrterwords also.
May 02, 2009
Heather
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Interesting. Thomas Jefferson combined the stories and sayings of Jesus from the four gospels, removing the material relating to miracles and God and leaving a story of Jesus as a wise and good man who taught revolutionary ideas and was executed for it.
Oct 16, 2010
Barry
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A brilliant mind went through the bible in multiple languages and extracted those enlightened ideas which he felt it made sense to attribute to a great person godlike or not. There is no virgin birth or ascension after death.
Sep 25, 2011
Vanessa
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I like the idea of paring down the Bible and leaving only what Jesus taught. And that is exactly what Jefferson did with this work. And I think that people who consider themselves Christians owe it to themselves to, at the very least, read this work. And not for anything else other than to actually know just exactly what it means to follow Christ's teachings.
Feb 13, 2010
gfguildjr
rated it:
Cut & Paste Bible. Mr. Jefferson's gospel takes away the divinity of Jesus Christ and reduces him to a mere human teacher. Good read in that you see only a HUMAN JESUS, but not the true SON OF GOD.
Jan 26, 2012
"Jefferson rejected the theological dogma of the dual nature of Jesus--that he was both God and man--he omitted from his narrative all accounts of miraculous or supernatural events recorded by the evangelists and limited it to those sayings attributed to Jesus which he believed were...historically reliable"(24).
