Jesus Now and Then

Book excerpt: "Jesus Now and Then" engagingly traces the changing images of Jesus in scholarship and popular culture from the time of the early church to the present day. Who did Jesus think he was? Did the early church take a man and make him into God? Was Christianity actually invented by Paul? How has Jesus been treated in the centuries since? What contemporary views are compatible with a traditional understanding of Scripture? Richard Burridge and Graham Gould leave no stone unturned in detailing Jesusb life and legacy. They start with the evidence about Jesus found in the New Testament and then go on to explore the early-church debates as a way of tackling contemporary issues. They also discuss how the figure of Jesus has been portrayed through history, how his teachings have been understood, and how he has come to be worshiped by Christians around the world. This essential historical information sets current questions and controversies about Jesus into context and helps to explain the many different views and interpretations of him now on offer.