DOC Jesus Through the Centuries: His Place in the History of Culture by Jaroslav Pelikan in History

Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Absolutely SuperbBy Richard B. SchwartzThis is a lovely book; the predecessor to JP’s similar book on Mary. In each case his focus is historical and cultural; not theological (though he is; of course; the dean of church historians and knows the theology intimately). Put in another way; the books are descriptive; not hortatory or attempts at proselytization. In Jesus Through The Centuries; JP examines the multiple ways in which Jesus has been seen; conceptualized; viewed and worshipped--for example: as a Jewish rabbi; as the Light of the Gentiles; the King of Kings; Son of Man; the Prince of Peace and the Liberator.The final chapter—“The Man Who Belongs to the World”—is particularly interesting. Despite Renan; Strauss and the so-called ‘higher criticism’; despite the search for the ‘historical Jesus’; despite the weakened position of the institutional Church; despite the secularism; the skepticism; the agnosticism and the seeming indifference of modernism; Jesus remains; transcending institutions; transcending disputes over dogma. In Father Ted Hesburgh’s jacket blurb; “Jesus now belongs to the whole of humanity; far beyond the reach of the organized Church and ecclesial theology.” I find this encouraging.The scholarship is magisterial; as is JP’s facility with multiple languages; but he writes in a very accessible style and does not lard the book with footnotes and recondite references. This is a book for all readers interested in Jesus’ place in the history of culture. It is organized (roughly) chronologically; but the individual chapters are thematic; so JP is not rigidly constrained and is free to expand on his subject in any way that seems relevant. As in the book on Mary; he draws heavily on art and iconography and; to a lesser degree; music (on which he is quite expert).Bottom line: this is a beautiful read on a very important subject; done by the leading scholar of church history of the 20th century. To repeat something I said in my review of JP’s book on Mary; those who had the privilege of knowing Jary will attest to the fact that he often spoke in the street vernacular (not in any crude way; but in a down-to-earth one). Thus; he is sometimes given to popular references and popular expressions which also make the book attractive and accessible to general readers.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Pelikan at his BestBy Ronald C. PayneThis book is filled with chapters describing Jesus' place in the history of culture throughout the last twenty centuries. It is simply a classic in that one can see the origin of ideas about Jesus in various historical periods and how they've shaped how we view him today. He quotes just enough from primary sources to communicate the essential view of Jesus popular at various points in time. Personally; my favorite images are from the earliest centuries where Jesus was seen as the light to the Gentiles; the turning point of history and the cosmic Christ. Re-reading the passages I've highlighted not only informs me of the history of thinking about Jesus but helps open a skeptical hardened heart to the wonder of Christ throughout the ages. For if one has reason to believe that he was who he claimed to be than such a history is not merely academic but becomes inspirational. Pelikan answers a lot of questions about how Jesus has been thought of while at the same time creating a yearning to learn more about this man; who he was and what he was about. Christ's connection to Western culture from antiquity up until the modern day with Tolstoy; Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. is astonishing and fascinating. Pelikan; at least in this work; is succinct; clear and penetrating. This was a pure joy to read and I am getting goosebumps just looking over it yet again.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Toad HaulA very "matter of fact" version of the life of one of the most influential individuals in history.