Rating: 
Summary: Brillant 20th Century Scholarship
Review: Borg is one of the few 20th-21st century scholars whose breadth in scholarship and depth in insight is a source of illimination in a nation where biblical literary has become bibliolatry. Using modern methods of research he has opened up posibilites for understanding the "Jesus" behind the canonical gospels and has included in his construction materials from non-canonical sources like the Gospel of Thomas. All of Borg's books are worth serious consideration for the contemporary quester whether Christian or not.
Rating:
Summary: A Model For The Christian Life
Review: Borg paints a picture of Jesus which is different in many important respects from the image presented in the gospels and in particular in the Gospel of John. In Borg's view Jesus has at the center of His life a relationship to the Spirit of God and He is concerned with creating a community grounded in the Spirit. Jesus is a charismatic, a sage, a renewal movement founder and a prophet. Although Borg doubts the authenticity of the exalted identity and purpose of Jesus described in John, he still sees Jesus as a model for the Christian life as well as for one's own personal discipleship.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must Have in Your Path
Review: Borg presents to us the "historical" Jesus. He definetly does show many of the aspects of Jesus that are neglected in the whole of Christianity. Many have the idea that all you have to do is believe in Jesus and you are saved. Borg lets us know that to believe means to follow the footsteps of Jesus in compassion and love. It is a great book to read and find how are lives are meant to follow the path of Jesus in a concrete manner that is more than often underemphasized. This book should not be the end though, Borg does not follow through completely with his historical research. He neglects many aspects of Jesus' ministry and historical proof available when we take up the mentality of a first century Jew. In order to truly find out where the evidence leads us, I urge everyone to follow up with the N.T. Wright series called Christian Origins and the Question of God. The first book is called: The New Testament and the People of God, the second one is: Jesus and the Victory of God. Borg gives us a good start, but not as good of a finish. Nevertheless, we all need a foundation. Peace be with you.
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Summary: This Human Jesus Would Still Have a Lot To Say Today
Review: Great, readable, accessible book. Highly recommended for anyone with any curiosity about what is know historically about the life of Jesus. Borg writes about Jesus AND about Christ, carefully pointing out that actually believing or not believing in (for example) the bodily resurrection need not define one's Christianity. Reading Borg's interpretation of Jesus' teachings (which I find highly credible), it becomes quite clear why there is such a rift between "liberal" and "conservative" Christians (call them what you will). What if Jesus didn't declare himself THE Son of God, but more A Son of God, meaning that through "imitating" Christ we too can becomes Sons of God? Borg discusses the context in which the gospels were written, gives possible explanations for their inconsistencies, and even discusses other texts (e.g. the Gospel of Thomas), which were as legitamate as M, M, L, or J, but didn't make it into the New Testament because their message didn't fit perfectly the Word the early Christian Church was attemtping to put forth. A heck of a lot of information packed into 200 pages. Will likely make you thirst for further reading on the subject. Almost a "Jesus Primer" if you will. Borg's Jesus is not one who is no longer relevant today, but instead one who is ESPECIALLY relevant today, if we decide to wade through the dogma and find out for ourselves how he lived, what he taught, and why he is still alive in so many to this day.
Rating: 
Summary: Concise presentation
Review: Marcus Borg explores the spirit, culture and the life of the early Christian community. He writes that Jesus came to proclaim the kingdom of compassion as contrasted to the kingdom of holiness. His aphorisms, parables and actions as seen in the New Testament underscore this proclamation. Borg's treatment of culture is one of the main features of this book. He explains cultures in transition, in conflict with each other. He sees Jesus as a prophet, sage and miracle worker, but most importantly as a leader of a reform movement with Judaism. Borg's Jesus reflects on the culture of holiness and sees how it creates unconscionable burdens for people. The son of God proclaims that his father does not demand holiness, but compassion. And in an important way compassion is more difficult than holiness, as holiness tends to be juridical. Compassion challenges people and their societies more fundamentally. Part 1 of the book concerns the life of the Spirit as seen in the life of Jesus. Part 2 deals with Jesus and his culture. In this section Bork treats of the various ways Jesus is seen: as sage, prophet, reform movement leader. As he writes Borg tens to be quantitative. He breaks things down into compartments in order for the reader to understand a concept by its parts. It is easy to underline statements in this book. While Bork does not seem to present new material, he utilizes research and explains it in ways that do not have the constant citing that other scholars apply. There are notes from each chapter, with annotations that explain more fully. Borg's style makes an easier read.
Rating:
Summary: Concise presentation
Review: Marcus Borg explores the spirit, culture and the life of the early Christian community. He writes that Jesus came to proclaim the kingdom of compassion as contrasted to the kingdom of holiness. His aphorisms, parables and actions as seen in the New Testament underscore this proclamation. Borg's treatment of culture is one of the main features of this book. He explains cultures in transition, in conflict with each other. He sees Jesus as a prophet, sage and miracle worker, but most importantly as a leader of a reform movement with Judaism. Borg's Jesus reflects on the culture of holiness and sees how it creates unconscionable burdens for people. The son of God proclaims that his father does not demand holiness, but compassion. And in an important way compassion is more difficult than holiness, as holiness tends to be juridical. Compassion challenges people and their societies more fundamentally. Part 1 of the book concerns the life of the Spirit as seen in the life of Jesus. Part 2 deals with Jesus and his culture. In this section Bork treats of the various ways Jesus is seen: as sage, prophet, reform movement leader. As he writes Borg tens to be quantitative. He breaks things down into compartments in order for the reader to understand a concept by its parts. It is easy to underline statements in this book. While Bork does not seem to present new material, he utilizes research and explains it in ways that do not have the constant citing that other scholars apply. There are notes from each chapter, with annotations that explain more fully. Borg's style makes an easier read.
Rating: 
Summary: Applause For The Power Of The Spirit
Review: One of the few things I applaud about this book is Borg's emphasis on the power of the Spirit and the new life it can create. I am too firmly indoctrinated, however, in the popular image of the Jesus of the gospels to enjoy reading much about modern biblical scholarship's attempts to discover the historical Jesus.
Rating:
Summary: The Social World of Jesus
Review: One of the more interesting chapters in this book attempts to describe the social world of Jesus. Borg theorizes that Jesus was deeply involved with the sociopolitical life of His own people as the founder of a revitalization movement. The Jesus movement is depicted as seeking to transform Jewish society by creating an alternative community based on inclusiveness, acceptance, love and peace. The Jewish social world in contrast is dominated by the politics of holiness which emphasizes separation as typified by clean and unclean, purity and defilement, sacred and profane, Jew and Gentile, righteous and sinner. Further complicating the situation is the Roman annexation of Palestine in 63 B.C. which creates an onerous system of double taxation with disastrous consequences for the agrarian society into which Jesus is born. The Jesus movement has competition from other Jewish renewal movements in Palestine such as the Essenes, Pharisees and Zealots. Borg manages to explain this complicated web using a very readable style. Overall I recommend the book highly as long as you do not insist on the inerrancy of the Bible. Otherwise you will definitely find it unsettling.
Rating:
Summary: A great overview.
Review: This 200 page book -- read the footnotes -- taught me more about the birth of Christianity the the twelve years being taught/indoctrinated about Christianity by nuns and Jesuit priests. My only problem with Dr. Borg and others is their defintion of Christianity, i.e. was Jesus just an enlightened figure whose perspectives, teachings, and actions are a model to follow or was/is Jesus the revelation of God. In other words,was Jesus another Buddha? Do Christians call themselves Christians as Marxists call themselves Marxists not because Jesus transcended death but only because we believe in his views and actions? Dr. John Crossan is the most confusing when it comes to this issue. Dr. Borg believes, I think, in the transcendence of consciousness after the death of the body whereas Dr. Crossan believes in God BUT NOT an afterlife; the New Testament is mostly metaphor; and heaven is here and now -- tell that to someome totally incapacitated.
Rating: 
Summary: Purchased for school
Review: This is another book by Borg that I would never purchase on my own. Borg is a proud member of the Jesus Movement and it appears that their main goal is to discredit the Jesus of the Bible and remake Him in the mold of one of many spiritual people throughout history.
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