Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth in Topeka & Shawnee Co. Public Library

Jul 28, 2013 Corey rated it liked it

A fairly readable, accessible book that I read only because, like many others, I saw the awful Fox News interview with the author. I also like to read and respond to controversial books. The buzz around this book really highlights the large chasm that exists between the theologically educated and the average Christian. As someone who has been through seminary and is familiar with New Testament scholarship, this book was unremarkable and largely felt like a review. But any average church-goer who A fairly readable, accessible book that I read only because, like many others, I saw the awful Fox News interview with the author. I also like to read and respond to controversial books. The buzz around this book really highlights the large chasm that exists between the theologically educated and the average Christian. As someone who has been through seminary and is familiar with New Testament scholarship, this book was unremarkable and largely felt like a review. But any average church-goer who picks up this book will get the wind knocked out of them. This is a highly basic book, a sort of "Historical Jesus 101" type of work that was probably written for a general audience. But I'm not sure why that's needed. The book is written almost as if something like it has never been written for the public before, but that's far from the truth. It was only after reading the book that I discovered that the author is not technically a New Testament scholar. His Ph.D is in Sociology with a focus on the history of religion.

Most readers of this book probably don't have the tools, knowledge, or attention span to notice the points at which the author's conclusions are questionably argued. For example, there is a lack of consistency in which passages the author deems historical. He claims, like most scholars, that the Gospel of John is the least historical of the four, but there are several instances where he unquestioningly assumes that some quote or event from John happened without giving a reason. As another example, he grants historical credibility to the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 but not to the story of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, but uses the same historical evidence about Jewish capital punishment authority to argue both.

Nevertheless, for the kind of book it is and what it aims to do, it's a well-written and highly accessible book, but I give it three stars because of the issues noted above and because the author really doesn't say anything new that hasn't been published by historical Jesus scholars in the last few decades. ...more

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Aug 30, 2013 Dave rated it really liked it

I found this book very interesting as it sought to explain and introduce the reader to the Jesus of history not necesscarily the Jesus of the Bible. The Jesus of History has produced many volumes not to mention a heated debate that has and will go on the rest of time. The author presented and the early Church in the historical context of the day. The book is well researched he drew on excellent biblical and historical sources and commentaries. I reccomend that you look at the notes following eac ...more

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