Jesus

 

An online introduction to historical Jesus scholarship based on the popular PBS documentary.

Excellent online resource that weaves together comments on each saying from the books of several Thomas scholars.

Nice thumbnail sketch of some leading theorists with links for purchasing their books.

"The Jesus Archive provides a venue where those who are passionate about the study of the historical Jesus can gather in a community of interest. We strive to maintain a collegial environment, inviting all points of view, Christian or Jewish, clerical or secular. No matter how diverse their outlook, however, participants should share one core conviction: Only by subjecting their beliefs to rigorous cross-examination is it possible to approach the truth."

 

A library of Christian literature containing links to translations of all extant gospels written before the end of the second century.

 

This Atlantic article is a brief history of the quests for the historical Jesus.  Pay particular attention to the section called "A Life and a Death."  This article was written in 1986 and claimed that consensus had been reached on a number of issues about the historical Jesus.  Today, however, some of the best known Jesus scholars would reject several of these once consensus views.  With reference to scholars, perhaps the question, "Who do people say that I am?" should always be followed by the questions, "Which?" and "When?"

 

 

An article by one of the most respected Q scholars.

Jesus Seminar

The official website of the Jesus Seminar.

A conservative evangelical critique of the Jesus Seminar.

A fundamentalist critique of the Jesus Seminar.

  • A Portrait of Jesus Website

    As the website says, "You are invited to join in this exploration of Marcus Borg's portrait of Jesus and what it can mean for Christian life and faith."  Borg is perhaps the most faith-friendly of the best known Jesus seminar members.

Jesus of Film

Basic Resources

Jesus Christ Superstar

Jesus of Montreal

The Passion of the Christ

The best--actually the only--right way to judge the faithfulness of the movie to the gospels is to read the parallel accounts found in the gospels carefully.  Of course this entails a risk.  One might conclude that it is impossible to know precisely what "is as it was."

Follow this link to The Four Gospels Parallels.  Scroll down to Mark 14:32 and click on the little book icons color coded to each of the other gospels.