The Essene Odyssey: The Mystery of the True Teacher and the Essene Impact on the Shaping of Human Destiny

The Jewish Brotherhood of the Essenes flourished in the Near East at the time of Jesus. Knowledge of their teachings and way of life was sketchy until the spectacular discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which helped to decode the sect's writings and its prophetic and medical skills. The scrolls also revealed the existence of a mysterious personality among the Essenes called the True Teacher or Teacher of Righteousness, Prophet and Lawgiver, whose real name and identity were concealed by supporters.
In this clear and informative book, the fruit of years of research, the Essenes emerge from the darkness of the past. Dr. Schonfield has unearthed evidence of the Essenes' influence down through the centuries on orders such as the Freemasons and Templars as well as on Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam. This is a truly fascinating journey through one of the early influences on the Christian church.