Partial review of Jesus: An Intimate Portrat by Leith Anderson
I recieved this book as a gift from Mind and Media in order to post a review from the publisher. If you are interested in finding out how to do what I am doing, click the Mind and Media logo on my website.
Before I began reading this book, I must admit that I approached it with trepedation because I thought that it was just another attempt at a historical Jesus which does not accept the supernatural aspects of the Gospel accounts.
I was wrong, dead wrong. In fact, this is one of the most important aspects of this book, Dr. Anderson appears to have a a high regard for the Biblical story as truth. For that much I would commend anyone.
As I began reading this book, it was like reading a biography and I realize, how would one go about writing a biography about Jesus? He's the most debated, fought over, revered, hated and well-known person in human history, but Leith Anderson took this challenge and gives a faithful representation of Jesus, fully God and fully man.
The two key things I will highlight in this initial review will be context and accessibility.
Anderson does an excellent job when dealing with the context. It is obvious that he did his homework and that he had a great team to rely on as well. Even in the beginning he explains the cultural difficulties that would have caused so much pressure on Mary and Joseph from what would have went on in their minds from facing the birth of a son that could not be explained, to the difficulties of travelling to Bethlehem.
He also pays careful attention to detail with regards to the cities that are mentioned in the Gospel accounts, as well as the types of people who are mentioned as well. He did well to explain the cultural stigma shepherds carried with them, the cultural barriers between men and women, and the cultural outcasts that we so often read about in the Gospels from sick people to prostitutes. This is probably one of the most strong aspects of this book, and I believe, it would help serve as an aid to udnerstanding the context which Jesus and his disciples were living in.
This leads me to my second point, accessiblity. This book is completely accessible to anyone who is able to read. Anderson does such a maticulous job at presenting the life of Jesus in a simple way that it even makes this seminarian take pause and reflect at the simplicity of the Gospel message. The simple use of language and descriptors would be a valuable tool for a new Christian, or any Christian to sit and read this book in order to learn about Jesus' life. It also helps someone who is not familiar with "Christian speak" or familiar with the Bible learn much complicated information in an easy to read and understand format. He also takes a simple dynamic approach to the translation of the dialogues from the Gospels. To me, this was a little choppy, but still it makes the message understandable and clear.
These two aspects alone make this book worth reading, but I will list more throughout the week in order to give this work justice.
Before I began reading this book, I must admit that I approached it with trepedation because I thought that it was just another attempt at a historical Jesus which does not accept the supernatural aspects of the Gospel accounts.
I was wrong, dead wrong. In fact, this is one of the most important aspects of this book, Dr. Anderson appears to have a a high regard for the Biblical story as truth. For that much I would commend anyone.
As I began reading this book, it was like reading a biography and I realize, how would one go about writing a biography about Jesus? He's the most debated, fought over, revered, hated and well-known person in human history, but Leith Anderson took this challenge and gives a faithful representation of Jesus, fully God and fully man.
The two key things I will highlight in this initial review will be context and accessibility.
Anderson does an excellent job when dealing with the context. It is obvious that he did his homework and that he had a great team to rely on as well. Even in the beginning he explains the cultural difficulties that would have caused so much pressure on Mary and Joseph from what would have went on in their minds from facing the birth of a son that could not be explained, to the difficulties of travelling to Bethlehem.
He also pays careful attention to detail with regards to the cities that are mentioned in the Gospel accounts, as well as the types of people who are mentioned as well. He did well to explain the cultural stigma shepherds carried with them, the cultural barriers between men and women, and the cultural outcasts that we so often read about in the Gospels from sick people to prostitutes. This is probably one of the most strong aspects of this book, and I believe, it would help serve as an aid to udnerstanding the context which Jesus and his disciples were living in.
This leads me to my second point, accessiblity. This book is completely accessible to anyone who is able to read. Anderson does such a maticulous job at presenting the life of Jesus in a simple way that it even makes this seminarian take pause and reflect at the simplicity of the Gospel message. The simple use of language and descriptors would be a valuable tool for a new Christian, or any Christian to sit and read this book in order to learn about Jesus' life. It also helps someone who is not familiar with "Christian speak" or familiar with the Bible learn much complicated information in an easy to read and understand format. He also takes a simple dynamic approach to the translation of the dialogues from the Gospels. To me, this was a little choppy, but still it makes the message understandable and clear.
These two aspects alone make this book worth reading, but I will list more throughout the week in order to give this work justice.
posted by Bobby's blog at 1:46 PM
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