The Jefferson Bible


Book Description

Jefferson regarded Jesus as a moral guide rather than a divinity. In his unique interpretation of the Bible, he highlights Christ's ethical teachings, discarding the scriptures' supernatural elements, to reflect the deist view of religion.




The Bible For Dummies


Book Description

The Bible For Dummies (9781119293507) was previously published as The Bible For Dummies (9780764552960). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product. Discover the world’s all-time bestseller in an entirely new light Ninety percent of Americans own a copy of the Bible, and while it's the most widely read book, it's also the least understood. Regardless of your religion, understanding the Bible brings much of Western art, literature, and public discourse into greater focus—from Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" painting to the Wachowski brothers' The Matrix movies. People have historically turned to religion to deal with tragedy and change, and with the right insight, the Bible can be an accessible, helpful guide to life's big questions. The Bible For Dummies appeals to people of all faiths, as well as those who don't practice any particular religion, by providing interfaith coverage of the entire Bible and the often fascinating background information that makes the Bible come alive. You'll find answers to such questions as: Where did the Bible come from? Who wrote the Bible? How is the Bible put together? Follow the history of the Bible from its beginning thousands of years ago as tattered scrolls to its status as the bestseller of all time. The Bible For Dummies covers these topics and more: Ten people in the Bible you should know The Hebrew Bible The Apocrypha's hidden treasures What's new about the New Testament Israel's wisdom, literature, and love poetry The Bible's enduring influence The prophets: more than fortunetellers Whether you're interested in broadening your spiritual horizons, uncovering the symbolism of Western culture, or gaining a deeper understanding of the book you grew up reading, The Bible For Dummies has all the information you need to navigate this ancient and fascinating book.




All about Jesus


Book Description

A collection of Bible verses that chronicle the life of Jesus.




The Light of the World


Book Description

A unique and fresh work that seeks to present Jesus of Nazareth by his own words as HE intended people to view him and hear him. There are many people who know some facts about "Jesus Christ", but there are very few people who have a good and solid understanding of his person and teachings. For example, did you know that Jesus did not teach that he was a sacrifice for people's sins? As bible religion spreads across the earth like a cancer, fewer and fewer people understand the one who calls himself the Light of the world and the Son of Man. What is Jesus' core message? What claims does he make about himself, and can those claims be trusted? Does Jesus give humanity answers to its problems? You will never be able to know the answer to that question unless you read his words yourself. This work contains his words in the four gospels alone with helpful notes to counter the many contemporary religious beliefs which seek to nullify his simple teachings. If you are a skeptic, be a good skeptic and read his words to make a good judgment - don't rely on others. If it is possible his words and story could have been recorded accurately and preserved - and it is possible - what have you got to lose by listening to him? If you are a physicalist - one who believes the human experience can be satisfactorily explained by molecules and proteins - are you 100% certain that belief best explains your personal human experience? To use a computer as an analogy, the hardware cannot account for, nor did it create, the software. In the same manner, the physical human body cannot account for our sentience, abstract reasoning, nor the moral compass that we posses. If call yourself a christian or believe you are somehow "his", this book might provide some critical information that will significantly change your perspective on his person and teachings. As the 'church' experience get's more and more like regular western entertainment, perhaps you can see the negative trend there and search for answers as to how to escape. Tired of the fast food culture of the western world? Can you see the shallowness and emptiness of the 'please myself as my top principle of life' philosophy? Tired of the un-reasoning culture of much of the eastern world? Hopefully, perhaps even tired of the world? Out of all the 'great works of literature', are not the words, teachings and story of the person who is arguably one of the most influential and controversial figures in history, worth reading and considering? There is a single great adventure that waits for those with eyes to see. Just know, it is not an easy adventure, but rather a very difficult one, but the journey and results are more meaningful and satisfying than the greatest adventures the earth can provide. It all starts with giving Jesus of Nazareth your sincere and undivided attention. May this work - which contains his words, story and teachings - be the beginning of that journey. Enjoy!




A History of the Bible


Book Description

A literary history of our most influential book of all time, by an Oxford scholar and Anglican priest In our culture, the Bible is monolithic: It is a collection of books that has been unchanged and unchallenged since the earliest days of the Christian church. The idea of the Bible as "Holy Scripture," a non-negotiable authority straight from God, has prevailed in Western society for some time. And while it provides a firm foundation for centuries of Christian teaching, it denies the depth, variety, and richness of this fascinating text. In A History of the Bible, John Barton argues that the Bible is not a prescription to a complete, fixed religious system, but rather a product of a long and intriguing process, which has inspired Judaism and Christianity, but still does not describe the whole of either religion. Barton shows how the Bible is indeed an important source of religious insight for Jews and Christians alike, yet argues that it must be read in its historical context--from its beginnings in myth and folklore to its many interpretations throughout the centuries. It is a book full of narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, poems, and letters, each with their own character and origin stories. Barton explains how and by whom these disparate pieces were written, how they were canonized (and which ones weren't), and how they were assembled, disseminated, and interpreted around the world--and, importantly, to what effect. Ultimately, A History of the Bible argues that a thorough understanding of the history and context of its writing encourages religious communities to move away from the Bible's literal wording--which is impossible to determine--and focus instead on the broader meanings of scripture.




Jesus of Nazareth


Book Description




Jesus


Book Description

Borg reveals a new way of seeing Jesus and Christianity--a new perspective that can overcome the differences between the literalists and progressives, a path that emphasizes following "the way" of Jesus.




Life and Teachings of Christ


Book Description

A gift boxed set of four titles, with extracts from the King James Bible accompanied by fine art from the Renaissance onward. The Glory of the Nativity; The Wonder of the Miracles; The Wisdom of the Parables; The Passion of the Christ




The Authentic Gospel of Jesus


Book Description

There can be no doubt that Jesus, 'a religious genius' as Geza Vermes describes him, lived and taught in Palestine some 2000 years ago. The influence he has had is incalculable. How though can we distinguish between the doctrines shaped to the needs of the burgeoning Christian church and the original views laid out by Jesus himself? How can we dig back through the additions, misinterpretations and confusions of later writers and two millennia of tradition to get back to the authentic gospel of Jesus? In his new book, Vermes subjects all the sayings of Jesus to brilliantly informed scrutiny. The result is a book of unique value and novelty--scraping aside the accretions of centuries to come as close as we can hope to be to the true Jesus.




Zealot


Book Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A lucid, intelligent page-turner” (Los Angeles Times) that challenges long-held assumptions about Jesus, from the host of Believer Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the “Kingdom of God.” The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was executed as a state criminal. Within decades after his death, his followers would call him God. Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history’s most enigmatic figures by examining Jesus through the lens of the tumultuous era in which he lived. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against the historical sources, Aslan describes a man full of conviction and passion, yet rife with contradiction. He explores the reasons the early Christian church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary. And he grapples with the riddle of how Jesus understood himself, the mystery that is at the heart of all subsequent claims about his divinity. Zealot yields a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told even as it affirms the radical and transformative nature of Jesus’ life and mission. Praise for Zealot “Riveting . . . Aslan synthesizes Scripture and scholarship to create an original account.”—The New Yorker “Fascinatingly and convincingly drawn . . . Aslan may come as close as one can to respecting those who revere Jesus as the peace-loving, turn-the-other-cheek, true son of God depicted in modern Christianity, even as he knocks down that image.”—The Seattle Times “[Aslan’s] literary talent is as essential to the effect of Zealot as are his scholarly and journalistic chops. . . . A vivid, persuasive portrait.”—Salon “This tough-minded, deeply political book does full justice to the real Jesus, and honors him in the process.”—San Francisco Chronicle “A special and revealing work, one that believer and skeptic alike will find surprising, engaging, and original.”—Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power “Compulsively readable . . . This superb work is highly recommended.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)