LORD OF LEGENDS

A reconsideration of the heroism of Jesus’ life and the ways his story has shaped other accounts of heroism both ancient and modern.

According to Eichinger, Jesus is the ultimate protagonist; against formidable odds, he is called to save the entire world from destruction. His enemies are great—he’s not only opposed by the “triple threat of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees,” but also by Satan’s trials of temptation. And his superpower is unbeatable because he “possesses the exclusive ability to conquer death eternally.” And like many other superheroes, Jesus, who is both human and divine, boasts something of an alter ego, or “altar ego,” a corny joke charmingly delivered by Eichinger, who is primarily targeting a young audience bored by church and religion generally. The author thoroughly recasts Jesus as “the most courageous protagonist the world ever knew” and furnishes a vivid retelling of the biblical story of Jesus’ dramatic ministry, comparing it to stories of heroic triumph in ancient literature like Homer’s Iliad and contemporary tales in popular culture that feature Spiderman, Batman, and Luke Skywalker. “The seeds of Christ’s true narrative are evident in so much of our celebrated heroic literature, from ages past to modern triumphs. The underlying difference is that the story of Jesus actually happened.” The author is a Christian pastor and writes with the focused zeal of one. The result is a powerful representation of the story of Jesus’ life, though one that has the didactic tenor of a sermon. Also, in Eichinger’s enthusiasm, he sometimes makes a case that reaches beyond the evidence he adduces. It’s hardly obvious, and certainly not on the basis of the argument he furnishes, that the tale of Jesus is completely independent of the Greco-Roman mythology that precedes his life. However, this is still a buoyantly cheerful argument that Jesus is the original superhero.

An appealing and inventive educational resource for young Christians.