Living Jesus - Hardcover

Johnson, Luke Timothy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060642823 ISBN 13: 9780060642822

Publisher: HarperOne, 1998

Synopsis

In The Real Jesus, Luke Timothy Johnson persuasively debunked the aims of the historical Jesus movement-and gave us what Christian Century called "one of the most exhilarating religious books published in this decade." Now, in his new book, this brilliant standard-bearer for traditional Christian faith moves beyond his critique of the Jesus Seminar--and guides us step-by-step to the living Jesus of authentic Christian life and faith.

For Johnson, the real Jesus is not simply a historical figure--a dead man whose authentic words and deeds can be approached through historical research and textual analysis. Rather, the real Jesus is the resurrected Lord of Christian faith--a living savior who can be encountered in the world today. Being a Christian means learning this living Jesus by "putting on the mind of Christ" and being transformed in his image.

Johnson begins by elucidating the mystery of Jesus' resurrection, which is the key to understanding why Jesus still lives. He demonstrates how Jesus is present in the community of the Christian Church--and how the Church is instrumental in helping us learn Jesus. For Johnson, the Christian traditions that the Church embodies--canon, creed, worship, prayer, veneration of saints, charity toward the powerless--are not dilutions of Jesus' message, but essential components of an authentic Christian spirituality.

But Jesus also lives in Scripture, and to learn Jesus we must also learn the New Testament. Johnson leads us book by book through the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation, revealing how each text highlights particular facets of Jesus as the living one. He explains why all of the Gospels provide true witness to Christ's ministry--none takes precedence over the others--and how each can help us better understand Jesus. Fortified with this understanding, we can model our lives and faith on Jesus' own and work toward becoming authentic Christians. Cutting through the confusing claims made about the Jesus of history who died long ago, this remarkable book shows how to experience the Jesus of faith who still lives today. By guiding us through the complex, lifelong endeavor of learning Jesus, Johnson offers us a true gift, a book that will illuminate, inspire--and ultimately bring our lives closer to Jesus.

About this title

Review:

The Real Jesus made Luke Timothy Johnson famous as the leading debunker of the historical-Jesus movement. In Living Jesus: Learning the Heart of the Gospel, Johnson makes a more constructive presentation--a meditative and scriptural explanation of his understanding of the real Jesus. "The most important question concerning Jesus," according to Johnson, is "Do we think he is dead or alive?" The book begins offering its own answer to that question with an enthusiastic essay on the resurrection, which culminates with another question: "How does Jesus now find continuing embodiment as life-giving Spirit? As all-powerful Lord, in any fashion he chooses!" Johnson describes a Jesus who is living all around us, in the canon, creed, sacraments, lives of the saints, and elsewhere. Johnson then provides readings of each gospel, Acts, Paul's epistles, and Revelation to give his arguments scriptural mooring. The Real Jesus rambles a bit--at times, it reads suspiciously like class lecture notes--but it's got a good heart. The book's goal is to wake readers up so they can live in the truth, "so that we might become living texts speaking Jesus in the world--saints from whom others also might learn Jesus." --Michael Joseph Gross

From the Back Cover:

Christian Century hailed The Real Jesus as "one of the most exhilarating religious books published in this decade." In this compelling follow-up, Johnson deepens his exploration of Jesus' true legacy, showing that the real Gospel message is that Jesus is living (not a dead historical figure) and that the true purpose of the New Testament is to show Christians how to model their lives on Jesus'.

Writing for the millions of mainstream Christians for whom Jesus lives, Johnson provides an insightful guide to reading the New Testament as the spiritual writing it truly is. Johnson presents a deep, appealing spirituality that he argues gives the only true access to the Jesus of authentic Christian faith.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperOne
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0060642823
• ISBN 13: 9780060642822
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 209