Rating: 
Summary: A Revolutionary Scholar...
Review: Crossan's "Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography" is a stripped down, compact version of the more complex (and equally engaging) "Historical Jesus". Dr. Crossan employs a triple perspective of Cross-Cultural Anthropology, A Macro Historical Analysis of First Century Judea, and a micro textual analysis of both biblical and extra-biblical texts to get at what we can really know about Jesus as an historical individual. Methodologically, Crossan looks at the likelihood of the sayings and events in Jesus' life through their support in various independent sources. The conclusions that Crossan reaches, via this perspective and methodology, are essentially that Jesus was a radical egalitarian who was crucified for insurrection against Rome as a social threat to the Empire's tyranny in Judea. There was no virgin birth, no three wisemen, and no burial. Jesus' most likely fate was that he was left out on the cross (like so many other Jews in that place and time) to be eaten by stray animals. The myths that later surrounded Jesus were the result of decades of story telling as the new cult moved west into other parts of the Roman Empire. While Crossan's historical conclusions- though shocking to some- are probably true, there are two main gaps in his study. First, he tends to negate the fact that Jesus was probably a Torah observant Jew whose "egalitarianism" would have clashed with his religious beliefs in some areas. While I do think that Jesus was a radical revolutionary, we cannot assume that he would have been completely without some of the biases that were an integral part of his- and any other- social background. Secondly, Crossan skips a lot in his assumption that there actually was a historical Jesus. Scholars, like G.A Wells for instance, have demonstrated the strong possibility that Jesus may not have even existed. Crossan would benefit if he addressed some of these issues and defended his case. In the end, however, Crossan emerges as probably the foremost New Testament scholar of today, or any other time. This bold and masterful study is a true example of Crossan's world class scholarship. While he has encountered much attack from conservative theologians, he has helped many (including myself) redefine their Christian faith. However, if you have a tendency to think of the historical and theological Jesus as one in the same, this book will unsettle you. However, even in this instance, I cannot recommend it too highly. After all, reading a book on the historical Jesus would be a waste of time if it merely doggedly confirms everything in scripture. Challenge yourself and your faith and read this book. Other scholars, incidentally, that I highly recommend you check out are Helmut Koester, Amy-Jill Levine, G.A Wells, Marcus Borg, L. Michael White, Paul Meier, and Richard Horsely. These are some of many greats, but they'll get you started...
Rating:
Summary: A Revolutionary Scholar...
Review: Crossan's "Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography" is a stripped down, compact version of the more complex (and equally engaging) "Historical Jesus". Dr. Crossan employs a triple perspective of Cross-Cultural Anthropology, A Macro Historical Analysis of First Century Judea, and a micro textual analysis of both biblical and extra-biblical texts to get at what we can really know about Jesus as an historical individual. Methodologically, Crossan looks at the likelihood of the sayings and events in Jesus' life through their support in various independent sources. The conclusions that Crossan reaches, via this perspective and methodology, are essentially that Jesus was a radical egalitarian who was crucified for insurrection against Rome as a social threat to the Empire's tyranny in Judea. There was no virgin birth, no three wisemen, and no burial. Jesus' most likely fate was that he was left out on the cross (like so many other Jews in that place and time) to be eaten by stray animals. The myths that later surrounded Jesus were the result of decades of story telling as the new cult moved west into other parts of the Roman Empire. While Crossan's historical conclusions- though shocking to some- are probably true, there are two main gaps in his study. First, he tends to negate the fact that Jesus was probably a Torah observant Jew whose "egalitarianism" would have clashed with his religious beliefs in some areas. While I do think that Jesus was a radical revolutionary, we cannot assume that he would have been completely without some of the biases that were an integral part of his- and any other- social background. Secondly, Crossan skips a lot in his assumption that there actually was a historical Jesus. Scholars, like G.A Wells for instance, have demonstrated the strong possibility that Jesus may not have even existed. Crossan would benefit if he addressed some of these issues and defended his case. In the end, however, Crossan emerges as probably the foremost New Testament scholar of today, or any other time. This bold and masterful study is a true example of Crossan's world class scholarship. While he has encountered much attack from conservative theologians, he has helped many (including myself) redefine their Christian faith. However, if you have a tendency to think of the historical and theological Jesus as one in the same, this book will unsettle you. However, even in this instance, I cannot recommend it too highly. After all, reading a book on the historical Jesus would be a waste of time if it merely doggedly confirms everything in scripture. Challenge yourself and your faith and read this book. Other scholars, incidentally, that I highly recommend you check out are Helmut Koester, Amy-Jill Levine, G.A Wells, Marcus Borg, L. Michael White, Paul Meier, and Richard Horsely. These are some of many greats, but they'll get you started...
Rating: 
Summary: Speculation, Hypotheis, and Assumptions!
Review: Crossan, co-founder of the Jesus Seminar, proves in this volume that speculation is fact, Hypothesis is most reliable, and Assumptions should be believed. I have heard Crossan speak on television and read his books, and he clearly communicates a disdain for the reality of a resurrected Jesus that is beyond a metaphorical notion. He stresses faith over reason and I can see why because to believe the nonsense this man kranks out I would have to have a greater faith than I do believing the conservative facts about Christianity. This book is worth reading only to get a better grasp of the "new" twentieth century reconstructionism of the Historical Jesus, other than that it's worthless heresy.
Rating:
Summary: Renew Your Faith!
Review: Dr. Crossan's hugely popular book has come to represent the much larger war of words between "conservative" and "liberal" Christians and the scholars who argue their respective viewpoints. As a lapsed Catholic and former altar boy struggling for twenty years with my beliefs, I have only one thing to say about this allegedly "non-Christian" book: It completely renewed my faith. It took away all the miracles, all the divine interventions and all the dogma of worshipping someone just because our traditions say we should. Yet what remained was the portrait of a humble man whose brilliance and humanity was two thousand years ahead of his time. Armed with nothing more than intelligence, love and the radical but essential truth that we're all in it together, this completely human Jesus changed the world solely through his divine message alone. I take it on faith that THAT Jesus is someone whose message is worth living and dying for. Thank you Dr. Crossan for restoring my faith as never before and for elevating Jesus of Nazareth to a height far higher and far more noble than my tradition ever dared to.
Rating:
Summary: Renew Your Faith!
Review: Dr. Crossan's hugely popular book has come to represent the much larger war of words between "conservative" and "liberal" Christians and the scholars who argue their respective viewpoints. As a lapsed Catholic and former altar boy struggling for twenty years with my beliefs, I have only one thing to say about this allegedly "non-Christian" book: It completely renewed my faith. It took away all the miracles, all the divine interventions and all the dogma of worshipping someone just because our traditions say we should. Yet what remained was the portrait of a humble man whose brilliance and humanity was two thousand years ahead of his time. Armed with nothing more than intelligence, love and the radical but essential truth that we're all in it together, this completely human Jesus changed the world solely through his divine message alone. I take it on faith that THAT Jesus is someone whose message is worth living and dying for. Thank you Dr. Crossan for restoring my faith as never before and for elevating Jesus of Nazareth to a height far higher and far more noble than my tradition ever dared to.
Rating:
Summary: CROSSAN IS IT!
Review: FOR ANY STUDENT OF RELIGION (ESPECIALLY WESTERN RELIGION) JOHN DOMINC CROSSAN IS THE AUTHORITY ON THE HISTORICAL JESUS. WITH THIS BOOK HE GIVES A TASTE OF THE WONDER AND INSIGHTS THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE REAL STORY OF JESUS. I RECCOMEND THIS BOOK TO DEVOUT CHRISTIANS AND AGNOSTICS ALIKE! HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED....AS ARE ALL OF CROSSAN'S BOOKS!
Rating: 
Summary: Oh, good Lord.
Review: I get very tired of reviews that say things like, "The value of this book is that it makes you think and ask questions -- look at how it's made the other reviewers react."Stupid, stupid, stupid. That wasn't Crossan's purpose in this book, and a volume of fanciful pseudohistory isn't valuable just because it torques people off. There's a certain sort of sophomoric reader/reviewer who thinks it's just plain good sport to annoy "fundamentalists" and call it "provoking controversy," as though controversy _itself_ were somehow valuable no matter how well-founded it is or what it's about. Grow up, kids. Bad history doesn't turn into good writing just because it stimulates powerful responses from people who know better.
Rating: 
Summary: A provacative book that will make you think!
Review: I have read this book several times and continue to find it fascinating. Though I don't agree with many of Crossan's theories, there is no question that he forces you to question how you look at Jesus, regardless of your background. This book sparked my current interest in Jesus studies, and I have since read much by Crossan and other scholars examining the beginnings of Christianity. I am still trying to answer the questions he has forced upon me. Though you may find Crossan a bit hard to swallow, you cannot simply disregard this book. It is a must-read for anyone, regardless of their religious background.
Rating:
Summary: Great Historical perspective
Review: I picked up this work expecting a line of thought similar to Borg, which is quite the opposite of what happened. this is not your typical jesus biography utilizing the bible as the most common source. this utilizes roman and jewish sources, early christian sources, and even appeals to major philosophical movements at the time. What you get is not a portrayal of Jesus as Christ of faith. rather you get the straight man, no strings attached, no supernatural elements. For the faithful this may seem appaling, but we must remember this is not a spiritual biography, but a personal biography, just like one of any other historical figure. You will not walk away with strict empirical evidence for the resurrection, nor for the divinity claims. What you walk away with is a more rounded view of Jesus, as well as the true egalitarianism he was preaching, and which unfrotunately we have halted.
Rating:
Summary: for the student, quite refreshing
Review: I read this book as part of one of my courses that examined the life and "person" of Jesus Christ, which was appropriatly entitled "Jesus." In this class we were introduced to the various sides of the historical Jesus debate, which I find amusing to see reflected in these reviews. Out of everything we read in that class, which included Luke Timothy Johnson's "The Living Jesus," this book was easily my favorite. I found the Crossan's suggestions much more fasinating and worth the couple of hours of reading time than anything Johnson mentioned. I was also not alone in my preferance. Most of the class, chalked full of us know-it-all religion majors, enjoyed Crossan the most. His style of writing is incredibly refreshing to those of us who spend our free time reading book after book for classes. While I don't know enough to comment on the accuracy of what Crossan writes about, I do know that it's worth a read if you enjoy books that allow you to say "what if."
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