Jesus the Savior: The Meaning of Jesus Christ for Christian Faith

Rating:
Summary: CLEAR THINKING ABOUT FAITH
Review: The past twenty years have seen a resurgence of interest in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth. This resurgence has produced a volume of work sufficient to warrant the headline "The New Quest for the Historical Jesus." Writers from John Dominic Crossan to Paula Fredriksen have attempted to recover the historical person who lies behind the witness of Paul and the canonical gospels. While these efforts have produced some helpful insights and intriguing theories, they cannot be satisfying to the person who views Jesus not so much as an historical figure but as the Christ of Faith. For such folks, including myself, the appeal of Jesus is not so much the question of his existence (or non-existence, or status as a literary creation or a composite character) but his claim on my life. My own faith, and decision to serve as a Christian pastor, flows from strong personal experiences of the reality of Jesus Christ and the visceral sense that he is my Lord. Most of the time, when such statements are made, the immediate assumption is that the speaker must now check at the door both common sense and intellectual consistency. William Placher, who possesses both, along with a vital faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrates what the theologians of old understood: faith and reason not only exist together but go hand-in-hand in developing a mature servant of Christ. Placher demonstrates this connection in his own ministry. He is a university-trained theologian who has taught for many years at the well-respected Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He is a leader in the Presbyterian Church. His previous work demonstrates a solid grasp of the theological enterprise. In Jesus the Savior, Placher demonstrates how his faith and his theological savvy work together. Though he acknowledges its reality, he is not sidetracked by speculation about the historical Jesus. Instead, Placher begins with language. The name "Jesus" comes from a Hebrew word that means "God will save." He then examines the Biblical witness to Jesus' saving activity under four headings: Incarnation, Ministry, the Cross, and Resurrection. These, of course, parallel the church's traditional confession: Christ was born, Christ went about doing good, Christ died, Christ rose again. The movement of Placher's argument is bi-directional. He connects the traditions about Jesus with their roots in the theology and practice of ancient Judaism (and sometimes other parts of the ancient world). He then explores the relevance of the Biblical witness to believers in all times and in all places. Along the way, he visits an issue which causes division among most denominations, that of homosexuality. He also visits the issue of prisons, which claims an ever-greater percentage of American citizens and American wealth. If Placher's book could be improved, that improvement would consist of addressing other pressing social issues, such as terrorism and war.

Jesus the Savior will satisfy all but the most ardent debunkers of the claims of Christianity. While Placher is definitely an apologist for his (and my) faith, he develops a tone which is at once pastoral and intellectually respectful. This is a genuinely impressive accomplishment. I plan to develop several series of sermons from his book in the hope of deepening and broadening the faith of my people. The greatest hope Christianity proclaims, especially in these dangerous days, is that Jesus Christ is alive and available to us now. I thank Dr. Placher for finding a fresh way to proclaim that ancient message.

Rating:
Summary: CLEAR THINKING ABOUT FAITH
Review: The past twenty years have seen a resurgence of interest in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth. This resurgence has produced a volume of work sufficient to warrant the headline "The New Quest for the Historical Jesus." Writers from John Dominic Crossan to Paula Fredriksen have attempted to recover the historical person who lies behind the witness of Paul and the canonical gospels. While these efforts have produced some helpful insights and intriguing theories, they cannot be satisfying to the person who views Jesus not so much as an historical figure but as the Christ of Faith. For such folks, including myself, the appeal of Jesus is not so much the question of his existence (or non-existence, or status as a literary creation or a composite character) but his claim on my life. My own faith, and decision to serve as a Christian pastor, flows from strong personal experiences of the reality of Jesus Christ and the visceral sense that he is my Lord. Most of the time, when such statements are made, the immediate assumption is that the speaker must now check at the door both common sense and intellectual consistency. William Placher, who possesses both, along with a vital faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrates what the theologians of old understood: faith and reason not only exist together but go hand-in-hand in developing a mature servant of Christ. Placher demonstrates this connection in his own ministry. He is a university-trained theologian who has taught for many years at the well-respected Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He is a leader in the Presbyterian Church. His previous work demonstrates a solid grasp of the theological enterprise. In Jesus the Savior, Placher demonstrates how his faith and his theological savvy work together. Though he acknowledges its reality, he is not sidetracked by speculation about the historical Jesus. Instead, Placher begins with language. The name "Jesus" comes from a Hebrew word that means "God will save." He then examines the Biblical witness to Jesus' saving activity under four headings: Incarnation, Ministry, the Cross, and Resurrection. These, of course, parallel the church's traditional confession: Christ was born, Christ went about doing good, Christ died, Christ rose again. The movement of Placher's argument is bi-directional. He connects the traditions about Jesus with their roots in the theology and practice of ancient Judaism (and sometimes other parts of the ancient world). He then explores the relevance of the Biblical witness to believers in all times and in all places. Along the way, he visits an issue which causes division among most denominations, that of homosexuality. He also visits the issue of prisons, which claims an ever-greater percentage of American citizens and American wealth. If Placher's book could be improved, that improvement would consist of addressing other pressing social issues, such as terrorism and war.

Jesus the Savior will satisfy all but the most ardent debunkers of the claims of Christianity. While Placher is definitely an apologist for his (and my) faith, he develops a tone which is at once pastoral and intellectually respectful. This is a genuinely impressive accomplishment. I plan to develop several series of sermons from his book in the hope of deepening and broadening the faith of my people. The greatest hope Christianity proclaims, especially in these dangerous days, is that Jesus Christ is alive and available to us now. I thank Dr. Placher for finding a fresh way to proclaim that ancient message.