The Life of Jesus

This was the first biography of Jesus to present him as a gifted and spiritual man, but as a man only, who was entirely human. He had wisdom, taught using parables, but being human, the Jesus of Renan was clever and opportunistic in his approach to achieving his aims. As time goes on, Jesus is shown to become increasingly enthusiastic and fanatical in the eyes of the author, to the point of deliberately allowing himself to be killed. Although one cannot prove this book to be more accurate than the traditional story (it is a matter of interpretation and opinion), it does offer a different view of Jesus that has been both criticized and praised. This book will raise interesting questions for those who seriously seek the truth and do so with open minds. It is capable of strengthening one's faith if the views are not agreeable, or it can move people further from it if the ideas make sense to the reader. Renan had studied to be a priest by attending Catholic seminaries, had taken the minor orders of the Roman Church, but in 1845 abandoned the faith. This book sparked a fierce controversy because of Renan's priesthood connection and the book caused him to be dismissed from the Chair of Hebrew at the College de France. It was written during an archaeological mission he was on in Syria in with the tremendous copying help of his devoted sister, Henriette. When both she and Ernest came down with severe attacks of fever it was only Ernest who survived. He went on to write many other books - this being the first in a series of four that were to outline the complete history and formation of the Christian faith. It is considered a classic work to this day and is still widely referenced.