The Brother of Jesus and the Lost Teachings of Christianity - Softcover

Jeffrey J. Bütz

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1594770433 ISBN 13: 9781594770432

Publisher: Inner Traditions, 2005

Synopsis

Reveals the true role of James, the brother of Jesus, in early Christianity

· Uses evidence from the canonical Gospels, apocryphal texts, and the writings of the Church Fathers to reveal the teachings of Jesus as transmitted to his chosen successor: James

· Demonstrates how the core message in the teachings of Jesus is an expansion not a repudiation of the Jewish religion

· Shows how James can serve as a bridge between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

James has been a subject of controversy since the founding of the Church. Evidence that Jesus had siblings contradicts Church dogma on the virgin birth, and James is also a symbol of Christian teachings that have been obscured. While Peter is traditionally thought of as the leader of the apostles and the “rock” on which Jesus built his church, Jeffrey Bütz shows that it was James who led the disciples after the crucifixion. It was James, not Peter, who guided them through the Church's first major theological crisis--Paul's interpretation of the teachings of Jesus.

Using the canonical Gospels, writings of the Church Fathers, and apocryphal texts, Bütz argues that James is the most overlooked figure in the history of the Church. He shows how the core teachings of Jesus are firmly rooted in Hebraic tradition; reveals the bitter battles between James and Paul for ideological supremacy in the early Church; and explains how Paul's interpretations, which became the foundation of the Church, are in many ways its betrayal. Bütz reveals a picture of Christianity and the true meaning of Christ's message that are sometimes at odds with established Christian doctrine and concludes that James can serve as a desperately needed missing link between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam to heal the wounds of centuries of enmity.

About this title

From the Author

Jeffrey J. Bütz is an ordained Lutheran minister and adjunct professor of world religions at Penn State University's Berks-Lehigh Valley campus. He lives in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania.

From the Back Cover

RELIGION / CHRISTIAN STUDIES

James, the younger brother of Jesus, has been the subject of controversy since the founding of Christianity. This book reveals his true role as Jesus’ chosen successor and demonstrates that the core message in the teachings of Jesus is an expansion, not a repudiation, of the Jewish religion.

James recently made international headlines due to the discovery of an ancient Jewish ossuary that bore the inscription: “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” Evidence that Jesus had siblings contradicts Roman Catholic dogma on the virgin birth, and James is also a symbol of suppressed Christian teachings. While Peter is traditionally thought of as the leader of the apostles and the “rock” on which Jesus built his church, Jeffrey Bütz shows that it was James who led the disciples after the crucifixion. It was James, not Peter, who guided them through the Church’s first major theological crisis--Paul’s interpretation of the teachings of Jesus.

Using the canonical Gospels, writings of the Church Fathers, and apocryphal texts, Bütz argues that James is the most overlooked figure in the history of the Church. He shows how the core teachings of Jesus are firmly rooted in Hebrew tradition and reveals the bitter battles between James and Paul for ideological supremacy in the early Church, explaining that Paul’s interpretations, which became the foundation of the Church, are in many ways a betrayal of Jesus’ teachings. Bütz reveals a picture of Christianity and the true meaning of Christ’s message that are sometimes quite at odds with established Christian doctrine and concludes that James can serve as a desperately needed link between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam that could heal the wounds of centuries of enmity.

JEFFREY J. BÜTZ is an ordained Lutheran minister and an adjunct professor of world religions at Penn State University’s Berks-Lehigh Valley campus. He lives in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania.

About this edition

• Publisher: Inner Traditions
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1594770433
• ISBN 13: 9781594770432
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240