Institute of
Advanced
Theology
at Bard College
together religious leaders, believers,
and those who are simply curious,
in a shared enterprise of enlightened learning.
A Discussion of Questions Raised by a Reading of Rabbi Jesus |
2 March 2008
An appreciative letter from a reader of Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography (New York: Doubleday, 2000) concludes with some searching questions. I thought it would be helpful for me to answer them here, so we in the Institute can all benefit from them. With the author’s permission, I reproduce the letter, and then gather his questions, summarizing them for my reply. There are too many to respond to in a single session, but I have put them together by topic, and hope over the next few weeks to work my way through them. If these exchanges spur any questions in your minds, or cause you to wish to respond, please be in touch. Bruce Chilton |
Valentine's Day 9th Day of Lent 14 February 2008 Professor Bruce Chilton Bard College and Free Church of St. John the Evangelist Cc Jacob Neusner Dear Professor Chilton, I have been reading your amazing book, Rabbi Jesus. It is really an incredible work of historical detection and speculation. I would agree with Jacob Neusner's assessment (that appears on the back cover of the book) that you present a most compelling Judaic portrait of Jesus. I found it much more compelling than similar books by Amy Jill Levine and Julie Galambush. I thank you for sharing with us the results of your many years of burdened investigation into the true background of Jesus. While I don’t agree with all your ideas, they are extremely challenging and have helped me to resolve a number of my own dilemmas, as a person who comes from a Jewish background, in trying to understand Jesus Christ. My overall impression is that Christians are so persuaded by the Gospel accounts of Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross and his resurrection, that they don’t feel a strong need to make some of the more difficult Gospel claims about him fit into the Jewish cultural perspective that he held. Your book courageously ventures into these difficult areas and comes up with some amazing ideas and insights. I don’t know how many of them are your own original concepts as opposed to your well articulated synthesis of others' ideas, but your work is truly masterful. I should like to list a number of questions and comments below. I pray you will have time to address at least some of them. Sincerely in Christ, the Hope of Israel (Tikvat Yisrael) A couple from Israel |
| Link to Part One of Questions and Answers or downloadable pdf file. |
| Link to Part Two of Questions and Answers or downloadable pdf file. |
| Link to Part Three of Questions and Answers or downloadable pdf file. |
| Link to Part Four of Questions and Answers or downloadable pdf file. |
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