Jesus: A Gospel Portrait

Rating:
Summary: Good intro to understanding Jesus as shown in Gospels
Review: Fr Donald Senior, a Passionist who has taught for many years at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, has produced an effective, readable introduction to Jesus Christ as shown to us in the Gospels. For those who want to build a view of the Son of God as presented in Christianity's most sacred texts, this book serves as an accessible, inspiring guide.

Yes, Fr Senior makes ample use of his understanding of the best scholarship in looking at scripture. And yes, his straight-forward, interesting style challenges me to continue to grow in my Christian faith. In this I am certain not that the best scholarship and research will support my preconceptions and prejudices about Jesus, but that following Jesus Christ sincerely means following the truth.

By faith we know, after all, that truth leads us ever more deeply into the mystery of God's infinite love -- love shown clearly to us in the life and most especially in the suffering and death of Jesus. Who better than a Passionist such as Donald Senior, who has devoted his life to spreading this message, to encourage us to look at Jesus of the Gospels.

Rating:
Summary: Very Misguided Theology
Review: Fr. Senior tries to persuade any catholic christian reader that its possible that scripture is full of embellishments therefore one needs to rely on todays scripture scholars to peel away the truth from those things which as he puts it "smacks of the art of story telling". Fr. needs to reread the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation from Vatican II more closely in that the content of his book opposes this important document and is therefore true heresy. This document states "Holy Mother Church has firmly and with absolute constancy held, that the four Gospels just named, whose historical character the Church unhesitantly asserts, faithfully hand on what Jesus Christ, while living among men, really did and taught for their eternal salvation until the day He was taken up into heaven" (Chapter V (19) from the above document). If you really want a gospel portrait of Jesus I would highly recommend Frank Sheed's TO KNOW CHRIST JESUS or Bishop Fulton Sheen's classic LIFE OF CHRIST.