The following book offers a series of studies on the question of the historicity of Jesus, presented before the Independent Religious Society in Orchestra Hall. Contents: A Parable In Confidence Is Jesus a Myth? The Problem Stated The Christian Documents Virgin Births The Origin of the Cross The Silence of Profane Writers The Jesus Story a Religious Drama The Jesus of Paul Is Christianity Real? Is the World Indebted to Christianity? Christianity and Paganism Some Modern Opinions About Jesus. Another Rhetorical Jesus "We Owe Everything to Jesus" A Liberal Jew on Jesus From the Sunday Programs

A look at the nature of myth as a carrier of deep truth and that we all have our own internal myths about ourselves and life. Exploring what was and is meant by the term Messiah, both in the 1st century and now. "Here is a book bursting with common sense and inspiration, written by someone who has known life in all its rich complexity... It's a book that has to be read by all those who dare to ask for more" Revd Dr Terry Biddington FRSA, Dean of Spiritual Life, Winchester University.

The Real Jesus Myth is what happens when a retired (but still cynical) journalist, who is also a retired (but still cynical) Anglican priest, decides to answer some of the questions tossed at him about the Christian Faith. Many people don’t know enough about the nuts and bolts of Christian belief – “doctrine” to use an unpopular word. This isn’t their fault: most mainline churches put “social justice” issues front and centre while doctrine, evangelism and apologetics gather dust in the rear pews. This may be one reason so many mainline churches are scrambling to stay afloat and, if so, why it’s long past time to re-emphasize the fundamentals of the Faith. The Real Jesus Myth is a (fairly) orthodox look at the Christian Faith centered around the Nicene Creed and bookended by comments on everything from why the bible is God’s word to why orthodoxy isn’t as scary as you may think. It is written both for Christians and for the curious non-Christian but one caution – the author is an ex columnist and police reporter, not a theologian, so don’t expect this to read like a textbook.

Did pagan mythologies represent Christs miracles in order to convince them to accept the Christian faith? Beyond these miracles is there enough evidence to prove there was a Jesus? Cutner says no. He also says that the Apostle Paul never portrayed Jesus as a man, but as a spiritual being. To Paul, Christ is found in a spiritual sense within oneself, as opposed to being an actual historical personage. When the Church accepted Paul, this inner reflection was outwardly projected by the Church into an actual mana saviour, according to Cutner. This might be why Paul was almost rejected by the Churchhis views posed a danger to those who might rely on their own spiritual knowledge, rather than the authority of the Church. Whether Jesus lived or not, we still have a lot to learn about ourselves and our true place in the universe. This book, although critical, may be useful in that respect.

This multifaceted work contextualizes Jesus in religion and culture by bringing together articles on folklore, history, literature, philosophy, popular culture, and theology. Many books have been written about Jesus, but this two-volume work takes a different approach than most. What sets it apart is that it emphasizes Jesus' lasting impact on world history and his legacy in the imagination over 2,000 years. Written as an introduction, the encyclopedia is equally suitable for Christians who wish to better understand the history and philosophy of their religion and for non-Christians who wish to grasp Christianity in its historical and social contexts. Alphabetically arranged entries cover representations of Jesus in the bible and the writings of key theologians, examining the essentials of philosophical and religious views across history. The set also includes hundreds of entries that reflect on the role Jesus has played in popular culture and contemporary vernacular religion—perspectives that are not usually placed alongside theology. Through the encyclopedia, students will see how artists, writers, philosophers, church figures, and others have imagined Jesus and been influenced by their perceptions of him. At the same time, primary documents will encourage students to compare and contrast ideas and evaluate arguments that have arisen over 20 centuries.

This book reveals the true story of what was unfolding in the Middle East in the centuries leading up to the emergence of Christianity as accurately as possible. It will upset some, but that is not my goal. The true history of events is always suppressed and this is an attempt to revive the actual story as it occurred, as faithfully as possible. A long-lost prophecy in the Dead Sea Scrolls reveals that Judas Maccabeus was the original Messiah, and he did do amazing things, including liberating Israel from the oppressive Greeks. He gave Israel independence for the first time in 400 years and began a golden period. However, in the centuries to come, the spectre of the Roman army began to manifest. The Jews needed hope and so the prophecy was revamped and extended. This resulted in a whole swathe of messianic contenders and in the 70's AD, after Rome defeated the Jews in a bloody war, a relatively unknown man was extolled as the Messiah. The reason why Jesus was chosen? He was the most Western of all the contenders; he preached tolerance at a time when few Jews would. This suited Rome, and so in Rome, in a foreign tongue, his story was written. A lot of it was made up (I don't say these words lightly, I will prove this). This book answers many more questions too, questions that have vexed us for millennia such as: 'Where is the Garden of Eden?' 'What happened to Noah’s Ark?' 'Who was the first man?' 'Who was the Devil?' The answers will surprise you and they’ll challenge everything that you think you know. We live in dangerous times, when fact is hard to discern from fiction. This book offers a glimmer of truth at a time when this is the rarest of commodities.

Confronts the "legendary Jesus" case, showing how the Synoptic Gospels are the most historically probable representation of the actual Jesus of history.

How To Get Rid of Jesus: Prove He Didn't Exist! A popular question posed by Christians today asks, "WWJD?" - which stands for, "What Would Jesus Do?" For more and more Skeptics of Christianity, however, the answer to this question is, "JDNE" - which stands for, "Jesus did not exist!" In this volume, edited by prominent Internet apologist James Patrick Holding, a team of Christian authors provide a series of essays giving detailed answers to those who argue for the "Christ myth." Though rejected by mainstream scholars, this theory continues to grow in popularity among popular writers and Internet antagonists. The need for Christians to be ready to give an answer to it will only become more urgent. "Here's a clear and compelling rebuttal to fallacious claims that keep resurfacing in books and on the Internet. It's well-researched, expertly presented, and ultimately convincing." - Lee Strobel, author, The Case for the Real Jesus

Did Jesus Really Exist? The search for the historical Jesus continues to be headline news. Any speculative theory seems to get instant attention as the debate rages about His real identity and the claims made in His name. Did Jesus really exist? Is there real historical evidence that demonstrates that He lived and actually said and did the things the Gospels record? Is there any validity to the speculative claims that the Jesus story was a myth, borrowed from a variety of pagan cultures of the ancient world? In this follow-up to the book God’s Not Dead (that inspired the movie), Man, Myth, Messiah looks at the evidence for the historical Jesus and exposes the notions of skeptics that Jesus was a contrived figure of ancient mythology. It also looks at the reliability of the Gospel records as well as the evidence for the resurrection that validates His identity as the promised Messiah. Man, Myth, Messiah will be released concurrent to the God’s Not Dead movie sequel, which will cover the same theme.

Why Were the Teachings of the Original Christians Brutally Suppressed by the Roman Church? • Because they portray Jesus and Mary Magdalene as mythic figures based on the Pagan Godman and Goddess • Because they show that the gospel story is a spiritual allegory encapsulating a profound philosophy that leads to mythical enlightenment • Because they have the power to turn the world inside out and transform life into an exploration of consciousness Drawing on modern scholarship, the authors of the international bestseller The Jesus Mysteries decode the secret teachings of the original Christians for the first time in almost two millennia and theorize about who the original Christians really were and what they actually taught. In addition, the book explores the many myths of Jesus and the Goddess and unlocks the lost secret teachings of Christian mysticism, which promise happiness and immortality to those who attain the state of Gnosis, or enlightenment. This daring and controversial book recovers the ancient wisdom of the original Christians and demonstrates its relevance to us today.