The Historical Jesus And The Christ Of Faith [Hardcover]

The Historical Jesus and the Christ of Faith examines the conflicting views of Marcus Borg and N. T. Wright on the long-standing question of the relationship between the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth and the Christ of faith as depicted in the New Testament. Demetrion has created a study designed to supplement and expand on the discussion laid out in Borg's and Wright's widely read, The Meaning of Jesus: Two Views. While the author is more empathetic to Wright's emphasis on the continuities between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith, as illuminated throughout the New Testament, he is critical of Wright's overemphasis on history. In placing his interpretive emphasis on the revelatory dynamic of the canonical Scripture and the Great Tradition of Christian orthodoxy, Demetrion calls for a fourth quest for the historical Jesus that starts from a position firmly rooted in biblical faith and works backwards in search of historical roots. In this, he draws on the Pauline vision of God . . . reconciling the world to himself in Christ (2 Cor 5:19) as his underlying hermeneutics. In exploring the broad range of issues that underpins the continuity/discontinuity question, Demetrion has provided a resource designed to span a wide audience, from Christian adult study groups interested in tackling books like The Meaning of Jesus to graduate level seminary students and professors. By means of his insightful comparison of the views of Borg and Wright on the historical Jesus, George Demetrion addresses the central questions surrounding the interplay of history and faith in our knowledge of Jesus. Demetrion's reading of both authors is empathic and generous, as he attempts to build bridges between postliberalism and evangelicalism. This is a stimulating book. . . . Highly recommended! --Donald A. Hagner, George Eldon Ladd Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary Demetrion provides an insightful analysis and critique of two very differelƒe