Any insight on Chilton's Rabbi Jesus?

[Brian_C]

I read this recently and was wondering what the Church thinks of it. It of course makes some serious departures from Scripture (though it does recognize some of Jesus miricles). What made me wonder was an endorsement from “Catholic Reporter?” Or someone like that.

Sorry if this is already a well discussed topic.

 

[Tom]

Brian_C:

I read this recently and was wondering what the Church thinks of it. It of course makes some serious departures from Scripture (though it does recognize some of Jesus miricles). What made me wonder was an endorsement from “Catholic Reporter?” Or someone like that.

Sorry if this is already a well discussed topic.

Brian, I realize this is only your forth post, when you ask a question about something you need to give us access, as in a web link to the original. There is no way of us commenting on an article which we haven’t read.

 

[Brian_C]

My omission wasn’t accidental. I moderate a couple of forums. Rabbi Jesus An Intimate Biography is a book by Bruce Chilton. I can give a link to Amazon if that helps: amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385497938/qid=1105924490/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-4730768-5717750?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Anyway, it’s an iteresting book where Chilton (an Anglican Priest) and New Testiment scholar gives his understanding of what the scriptures misunderstood regarding Jesus life and it’s meaning.

The book makes sense but I’m not giving it an endorsement or anything as (being an archaeologist) I realize how much of scholarship is interpretation where things get sketchy.

he endorsement on the back cover from a Catholic news source caught me by surprise as it would seem Chilton’s conclusions are against Church doctrine.

 

[Tom]

Brian_C:

My omission wasn’t accidental. I moderate a couple of forums. Rabbi Jesus An Intimate Biography is a book by Bruce Chilton. I can give a link to Amazon if that helps: amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385497938/qid=1105924490/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-4730768-5717750?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Anyway, it’s an iteresting book where Chilton (an Anglican Priest) and New Testiment scholar gives his understanding of what the scriptures misunderstood regarding Jesus life and it’s meaning.

The book makes sense but I’m not giving it an endorsement or anything as (being an archaeologist) I realize how much of scholarship is interpretation where things get sketchy.

he endorsement on the back cover from a Catholic news source caught me by surprise as it would seem Chilton’s conclusions are against Church doctrine.

Hmmm, it may well be interesting, but, there are oh so many Catholic writings I want to read, sorry, I’ll get to it in its turn.

 

[puzzleannie]

If the endorsement is from a reviewer from the National Catohlic Reporter that is a notoriously dissenting periodical that advocates all kinds of heterodox positions, including advocating women priests, arguments that homosexuality is not only not condemned in scripture but actually approved, and is a mouthpiece for Call to Action. Unfortunately despite their appropriation of the word “Catholic” in their masthead they are anything but.

 

[Lisa_N]

We used this book in our Sunday school book group last year and starte Rabbi Paul (same author) when I left that church (Methodist).

The book is well written however to say the author takes liberties is an understatement. He purports to follow Jesus through his childhood and adulthood. It’s like “the scene in the Temple and YOU ARE THERE” putting words into Jesus’ mouth and making very grand leaps of faith shall I say as to what Jesus thought, felt and even what he said. Mr Chilton is also apparently obsessed with Ezekiel’s Wheel and constantly refers to that scene from the Hebrew Bible. Our group had a hard time figuring out why this was such an important theme.

IOW I don’t think it’s a terrible book but I read it rather as a fictionalized account of Jesus’ life. There are probably better ways to spend your time.

Lisa N