A concise, enlightened examination of various perspectives on Christ.
Johnson (Whitey, 2011, etc.) investigates competing religious views of Jesus Christ.
According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus asked his followers: “Who do people say that I am?” As simple a question as it seems, the answers are even more numerous now than they were in biblical times. Who or what do people and the faiths they follow say Jesus was? Was he human? Was he the son of God? Was he something else entirely? Prying deeper into this question, the author seeks answers from doctrines and thinkers of various religious groups. Who, for instance, is Jesus according to the Quran? How did ancient Gnostics view him? Incorporating the works of many famous and not-so famous minds (from Blaise Pascal to yogi Ramakrishna Paramahamsa), the main question, along with examinations of religions and the sects within religions, are investigated in a sober manner. Although many Hindus may believe Jesus was a man of peace and importance, he is “not the sole Great Man.” The same can be said of the Dalai Lama, who “accepts a Jesus that folds into that Buddhist story while declining to accept traditional Christian doctrine about Jesus.” It may be obvious that Jesus serves as a focus for most of Christianity and not for other religions (otherwise they, too, would be Christians), but what is of greater interest is why. This is where the book shines. Johnson articulates what he considers to be key differences between faiths; for example: “Christianity and Judaism disagree on the nature of the problem—the human condition—they also disagree on the answer to the problem.” Though the book is brief, it’s dense with information. While Christ’s place in all religions is not covered exhaustively (Jesus as portrayed in the Baha’i faith might have been of interest, likewise indigenous responses to Christianity in places like the Americas), the material provided offers a lot to consider.
A concise, enlightened examination of various perspectives on Christ.Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7618-6836-1
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Hamilton Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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