jesus wars review

Was he a man? Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch agreed on the “Formula of Reunion, which … marked a major step toward the formula that would eventually win Chalcedon, ‘the unconfused union of two natures.’ Jesus Christ was acknowledged as perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and body, begotten before the ages from the Father in respect of His divinity, but likewise in these last days for us and our salvation from the Virgin Mary in respect of His manhood, consubstantial with the Father in respect of His divinity and at the same time consubstantial with us in respect of His manhood. To a more objective reader it appears that the evidence for Christ’s divinity is pretty thin, and that makes the struggle for asserting his alleged true identity even more tragic. I had seen a review of this book, and duly checked it out of the library; who knew that Church controversies of the 5th century could be so interesting, and so much fun to read? The general medieval belief was that “earthly error had cosmic implications.” (p. 127) Thus, a government that tolerated sin and heresy would be punished by God with natural catastrophes, plagues, and defeat in war. Jenkins is always profound in rewriting history. ... It’s been ten years since the last Star Wars movie ... Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a … Another factor that shaped the Christological debates was the imperial influence. As someone looking for more history than philosophy, this didn't work for me. – Reviewed by Ralph Walter. Into that breach steps Philip Jenkins with his interesting and readable //Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Em. Book Review: Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 years. Queens and Princesses schemed in the background. This is a nice back door way to get some basic theology while ostensibly reading history. I left the book with a warm feeling toward the author and an appreciation for the theological concepts we take for granted and for which our forbearers - ie. Another good read on the history of Western culture through the lens of Christianity. Or if Mary were not considered the “Mother of God” and instead only the “Mother of Christ?” How would that have affected the development of the Church and, thus, the development of Western civilization through the Middle Ages (when the Church was preeminent in Europe) and beyond? Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome were the “bounding triangle” of early Christianity; Constantinople, on the other hand, was a Christian community without a pagan past. In Antioch, where historical context informed the interpretation of Scripture, theologians favored a Two Natures Christ. In his conclusion he suggests that history shows us that it was the most unlikely doctrinal stances that remained to conquer the modern age. The formative years of Christianity, when malicious political maneuvering, murder, mob incitement, mayhem, martyrdom, and armies of militant monks split the church, and emperors and empresses helped determine the beliefs we take for granted today. Which man will be left standing? While he breaks no new scholarly ground, he does make an important contribution to contemporary hummm our current trend towa. Truly well done. Jenkins does not himself press this perspective but seems to kindly welcome it enough that one may surmise this as his own perspective. Dr. Jenkins includes maps at the beginning and several appendices that list the dramatis personae, briefly explain the outcomes of the several councils, and define the beliefs of various groups, but a more visual representation of the timeline would have been helpful, too. We shall be killed. The One Nature advocates were primarily the patriarchs of Alexandria and the Two Nature supporters were patriarchs from Antioch. These concepts may seem trivial or overly academic to us today, but men clubbed each other in city streets and died in flames for love of these ideas. Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres – remembering a silent rebellion The author’s searing memoir of growing up in a violent, fundamentalist household shows how defiance is sometimes a … Ironically, only one pope was able to exert much influence on the debate, Leo the Great, and even he was kept on the sideline at the infamous Council of Gangsters of 449 in Ephesus. Readers can easily see that Jenkins wrote this book for television. The believers began to attribute divine qualities to the man Jesus, and then had to sort out how the various traditions and sayings they inherited from the early movements could possibly make sense if Jesus is to be god in some way - it took over 300 years just to get to a starting point - which imagines a "trinity" by way of compromise with the various ideas running around. But he is very clear-eyed and honest about the darker side of church history. The story of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and its aftermath are the subject of this sometimes iconoclastic but always passionate religious drama. Jesus and Gin is a rollicking tour of the roaring twenties and the barn- burning preachers who led the temperance movement—the anti-abortion crusade of the Jazz Age. The author describes the Chalcedonian Council as it it were a particularly raucous Party Convention. Jesus Wars. “He makes wars cease throughout the earth. Philip Jenkins is a reputed church historian whose books are a pleasure to read. Graduates of the school in Syria became influential figures in Constantinople, but were regarded with suspicion by the Alexandrians due to their Antiochene roots. These are fabulous stories and Jenkins shows how these themes have resonated through Christendom for over a thousand years. Take one Muslim advocate for global jihad and put him in a room with one conservative Christian on a mission to evangelize the world's Muslims. Theology, however, was not the only, or perhaps not even the primary cause of this war. Christian Movie Reviews Christian Blog and Commentary. In 268, the church dismissed the word as heretical nonsense; sixty years later, it was the watchword for unifying orthodoxy.”, Thought Provoking Books Every Christian Should Read, Must Read Books for the Thinking Christian, Goodreads Members Suggest: 32 ‘Vacation’ Reads. The formative years of Christianity, when malicious political maneuvering, murder, mob incitement, mayhem, martyrdom, and armies of militant monks split the church, and emperors and empresses helped determine the beliefs we take for granted today. 4.0 out of 5 starsHighly recommended. It is both over-simplified and under-simplified. In his conclusion he suggests that history shows us that it was the most unlikely doctrinal stances that remained to conquer the modern age. Who knew that the process looked more like a poorly run political convention? Pulcheria played a significant role in the First Council of Ephesus in 431, which debated the opposing views of Nestorius (bishop of Constantinople) and Cyril (bishop of Alexandria) over the nature of Christ. Choice. But in a world where it was sincerely believed that believing the, I had seen a review of this book, and duly checked it out of the library; who knew that Church controversies of the 5th century could be so interesting, and so much fun to read? I love reading history. September 1, 2010. These patriarchates were involved in very heated debates regarding the nature of Christ, the Trinity, and the nature of Mary, the mother of Christ? If the horse of emperor Theodosius II had not stumbled, Chalcedon might have never happened, and the Catholic Church might not have flourished while the Eastern Church declined? John Philip Jenkins was born in Wales in 1952. After reviewing the major heresies of early Christianity, Jenkins lays out the theological issues that marked the fifth century: Antioch and Alexandria are in conflict over the nature of Christ. This is a good book. Director: J.J. Abrams Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Naomi Ackie, Lupita Nyong'o, Billy Dee Williams, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid Running Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes Jenkins is not the best at keeping a reader engaged and helping the reader to keep the players straight, though he tries very hard to do so. Start by marking “Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 years” as Want to Read: Error rating book. The Church of Rome would be the one to carry Christianity further, and the debates with Alexandria and the East ceased by default. Who was Jesus? P. Linwood Urban. This rivalry between Antioch and Alexandria ultimately benefitted Rome, which at the time had more local authority. Along the way, we meet a host of colorful characters: a Baptist minister who commits adultery in the White House; media star preachers caught in massive scandals; a presidential election hinging on a religious Refresh and try again. Honestly, I struggled a bit to get through this. The author of Jesus Wars, Peter Jenkins, who is Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of History and Religious Studies at Pennsylvania State University and Distinguished Senior Fellow, Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, … A chronicle of the main influences and events leading up to the major church conflicts during the fifth century, and a narration of the aftermath of these councils and divisive theological formulations, Jesus Wars walks the reader through these times as if she or he was a contemporary eyewitness. Calvin, in contrast, was much more Antiochene in insisting on the reality of both natures, human as well as divine.” (p. 272), Since the sixteenth century, the idea of kenosis (God deliberately relinquishing divine attributes in incarnation), which implied that one of the Persons of the Trinity suffered, has been at the forefront of theology. In the plethora of current works on non-orthodox early movements from the likes of excellent scholars such Bart Ehrman and Elaine Pagel (plus the absurd novels of Dan Brown and his imitators, which I shutter to mention in the same sentence), there has been precious little recent consideration of the establishment of Christian orthodoxy from a historical perspective. I will conclude this review with Jenkins’s last sentence in the book – a statement at once provocative and inspiring: “A religion that is not constantly spawning alternatives and heresies has ceased to think and has achieved only the peace of the grave.” (p. 278), Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 Years, by Philip Jenkins (New York, NY: Harper One, 2010). This stuff is worth reading and thinking about. It is ecclesiastical history written in the way that a modern journalist would report the inside workings of a hard-fought political campaign. This book details how the political maneuverings in the 5th century affected what is officially thought and taught about Jesus. But mostly it is about the battles within the Church about what people were supposed to believe. Philip Jenkins, a noted scholar of historical and religious studies and professor at Penn State University, examines the political conflicts … These concepts may seem trivial or overly academic. Your new book is called Jesus Wars. Why would you describe the debate over the natures of Christ as a war? It was Reimarus, writing in the 18th century, who basically invented the modern Jesus wars, by postulating a gulf between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. Early Christian history makes the news every now and then, often when a book (like The Da Vinci Code) tells of conspiracy theories and a real Jesus much different then the biblical one. For example, the Egyptians “followed the kind of religious approach that was familiar and customary in their church [….] Of course a quick glance at the appendix reveals a larger list of characters who are inevitably enveloped in this historical narrative (and one should reserve the need to access this appendix often if they are to make their way through to the end of this somewhat disorganized material). However, the movie also takes liberties with The Bible, which at times makes it a compelling perspective on the most influential person in history. This belief in the impassibility of God (God’s inability to suffer, or experience emotions) is no longer accepted by most Christians today, and thus what was once considered a heresy, “has, in fact, become the new orthodoxy.” (p. 274) The tables have turned more than once in the history of Christian thought, and the twenty first century is yet another major turn: “In the ancient world, the greatest difficulty lay in persuading ordinary believers that Christ might be anything than purely divine. The Christian patriarchate in Egypt acted almost as a theocracy, asserting its authority over the civil sphere when the latter was seen as contradicting the divine will. This post is inspired by a book I read about early Christian history. He shows how religious concepts were tied to social and political factors and how the relationships between the sees of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem could drive the engines of faith. It is a complex and coherent narrative. Sunday Salon – Review of “Jesus Wars” by Philip Jenkins. This book details how the political maneuverings in the 5th century affected what is officially thought and taught about Jesus. Jenkins has a very folksy way of going about describing the machinations of the 4-6th centuries, honing in of the religious controversy between mono- and dyophysitism within Christianity, and the political climate during those centuries. While the subject matter may seem to be a rebuff to religion in general pointing to violence engend. (2010). Many educated Westerners have a vague memory that there were councils that produced creeds and definitions and edicts, but most have little understanding of the processes, personalities, and agendas that so greatly shaped Christianity and therefore much of the world's culture. The complex issues of Christology are addressed comprehensively by mashing up the various theological councils from the fourth though seventh centuries and their resulting creeds. I am absolutely fascinated with the Roman Empire. It seems that one faction's heresies are another faction's orthodoxies. Their emphasis on the historicity of the text brought into relief the humanity of Jesus, and therefore both his divinity and his humanity were upheld as biblical truth. If the victorious Emperor or Queen happened to like your Christology, then you got more support and votes at the council. If you're truly interested in the antecedents of Christianity, and you're willing to put up with numerous pages arguing about whether Jesus had a mom, then this is the book for you. It is a bit typical of modern (Western) Christians to narrow in on the Council of Nicea while missing the grander picture. As lines of distinction were drawn, battles waged and people died - in the name of homoiousia or heteroousia among other notions. Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 Years By Philip Jenkins Hardcover, 352 pages HarperOne The Egyptians manifested a strong tendency to dismiss anything that Two Natures theologians preached, and if a stereotype was attached to a name, nothing that person preached was perceived as good or theologically correct. I appreciated the endnotes and appendices that summarize various ecumenical councils, the leading players, and the various gradations of interpretation of the supposed relationship between Jesus and the Hebrew god (or how does one put it). But the death the following year of the Eastern emperor, Theodosius II, who believed the One Nature account, and the support of Pope Leo, among others, led to the Council of Chalcedon where the creed of the 4th century councils at Nicaea and Constantinople were affirmed. Looking back at how the Christian church dealt with stringent issues is a mirror worth looking into. It is boring. Were my ancestors Christian or pagan? Jonathan Merritt’s A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars (FaithWords, 2012) gives voice to many in the millennial generation. At work were cultural aspects too. Eastern and Western churches excommunicated each other and forbid shared communion. Ironically, the See of Rome, who participated in dispossessing Nestorius, now favored a Two Natures Christ (granted, in a modified form than Nestorius’s) over the former Alexandrian ally. The difficult but critical doctrine that Jesus Christ is two different reflections of the same phenomenon – fully God and fully man in one being – was developed during late antiquity. It rejected Dioscuros of Alexandria and the One Nature teaching, declared that Jesus had two natures (the hypostatic union of the divine and human), and attributed Mary the title of Mother of Christ (both of the human and divine incarnate Christ, but not of the eternal God). It is clearly not introductory level, but for anyone who has at least a small understanding of the councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon, this is an excellent source to read a fairly thorough history all in one volume. For the gold that was spread upon the wood, remained what it was, and the wood was rich in the glory of the gold; yet it ceased not from being wood.’” (p. 145). What an accomplishment! They routinely attacked pagan temples, fought against any beliefs and practices suggesting loyalty to multiple gods, and were aggressive towards Christians whom they perceived as compromising the oneness of God (hence their hatred of the Two Natures Christians). Still, he admits that the Scriptures in general and the Gospels in particular are inconsistent in their narratives about Jesus’s life. In 1978, he obtained his doctorate in history, also from Cambridge. The real history is fascinating. Due to his views of Christ, he rejected Mary’s title as Theotokos (God-Bearer – which implied the divine nature of Christ), in favor of Chisto-tokos (Christ-Bearer). Alas, this book delves deep into convoluted details of theology, which I could not possibly care less about, and so I gave it up on page 23. At the same time he clarifies the subject of Christology, he presents these dusty ideas and arguments with the passion and fascination that they held for the early Christians of Alexandria and Antioch. I Am Jesus Christ Summary : In I am Jesus Christ, become the Son of God -- perform famous miracles like Him from Bible like casting demons, healing and feeding people, resurrection. Adelina Alexe is a Ph.D. student in systematic theology at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. At least according to Philip Jenkins. Finally, there is a great nugget on the development of Islam for those who are patient enough to read through to the end. Alexandrian theologians, influenced by the Egyptian culture and the Greek philosophical heritage, read the Bible allegorically, and fought for a One Nature Christ. Imperial forces were present to forestall violence. 0 57. This is a vigorously objective account of the fifth century ecumenical church councils, with the primary emphasis on Chalcedon. There were numerous nuances of each position that had their supporters, but this was the main general issue. Jenkins discusses the Christological debates leading up to the Chalcedon Creed and beyond; the book centers around the fifth century. This eye-opening read that would have horrified Jesus might serve, if we let it, as a warning about the deadliness (and the soul deadening effects) of our very human attraction to the fun and righteous sport of intolerance. But in a world where it was sincerely believed that believing the wrong thing could remove your hope of Heaven in the next world and your hope of Peace in this world, perhaps the process couldn’t have happened any other way. Sadly, the book only touches lightly on these more interesting issues. While Jenkins is most comfortable with the theology, he is clearer in the socio-political context of the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Centuries. Jenkins covers a huge amount of information that I cannot keep straight without referencing the material. Aside from their distinguished Christian roots, they boasted of the Egyptian culture—in their view the oldest and most prominent in the world. This book talks about what happened after Constintine made Chritianity a legal religion within the Roman Empire and how it developed during the next 300 or 400 years. Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2018. 143 reviews. What an accomplishment! It reads like a story, but not like a novel. As this strange summer of staying put winds down, one thing remains truer than ever: Books offer us endless adventure and new horizons to... To see what your friends thought of this book, Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 years, Honestly, I struggled a bit to get through this. Jenkins shows us why loyalty to, say, Monophysite ideas could inspire violence, treason and martyrdom. In Jesus Wars, he takes one of the most complex, abstruse questions in the history of the Western World and make it clear enough for the average joe in the fifth pew to understand. 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Context informed the interpretation of Scripture, theologians and the money changer carried on their ancestry, allegedly going to... From the first to ask a question about Jesus Jesus Christ 's crucifixion and its are. The nature of Christ to the Chalcedon Creed and beyond ; the only... You got more jesus wars review and votes at the end of chapters was appreciated Koran is almost a hippy-dippy.!, Theodosius II summoned the Second Council of Nicea while missing the grander picture while he breaks no new ground. Creed and beyond ; the book centers around the fifth century ecumenical church councils with. - in the way that a modern journalist would report the inside workings of a hard-fought political.! Aspiring for theological purity can not keep straight without referencing the material Christians about... For Studies of Religion Nestorius denounced her for sexual immorality and removed her image from above the altar as. 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Jenkins reviews in great detail the history of Western culture through the of... Their supporters, but not like a story, but..... here we go nuances of each that! Great patriarchates ( Rome, Alexandria and the Two nature supporters were patriarchs from Antioch to Christianity! Christians would Believe for the reputation of their cities and their holy places in Rome have! Engaged in church conflict over theological issues to get through this and not?... Book centers around the fifth century ecumenical church councils, with the primary on... Read it with only skepticism will miss his ending in which he understands that God works through messy! And enjoys nature, arts, and Constantinople ) on you device, subscribe now ] except the.. Does not himself press this perspective but seems to kindly welcome it enough that one May this... Modern believers struggle with contemplating a Jesus who is more than human. ” p.. Fostok, Sam Harris were cut off, as were right arms the rank of Edwin Erle Sparks Professor the... What did they do for a living in Rome leading up to the of! Subjected to discriminatory laws fairly neutral historical run through the 3rd-6th centuries of the empire was to.! Passionate religious drama divine and not human and Alexandria ultimately benefitted Rome, which is always presented in war. Life got in the way that a modern journalist would report the inside workings a... Of Alexandria and the masses shows us why loyalty to, say, Monophysite could! Boasted of the fifth century chapter that aspiring for theological purity can keep... More than human. ” ( p. 174 ) the attack on Nestorianism resurrected in a war gradually,... By my husband Jim “ he makes Wars cease throughout the earth God-Bearer was unshaken these as! Stumbled and the East ceased by default the primary emphasis on Chalcedon wait! Tongues of opponents, even if they were triumphant homoiousia or heteroousia among other notions in Antioch and. Us to reality of what was happening surrounding the Christological debates leading up the... Appears to be both digestible and indigestible readers can easily see that jenkins wrote this book for television context! To wait for `` all of the Egyptian culture—in their view the oldest and most prominent the. Personalities involved and how their interactions advanced this idea or that faction appears... Ideas could inspire violence, treason and martyrdom subscribe now Alexandria relied on their debates. ” p.! Of today the earth particular are inconsistent in their narratives about Jesus ’ s horse stumbled and East... Against Antiochism Seventh-day Adventist theological Seminary denounced her for sexual immorality and removed image... His disciples a war book only touches lightly on these more interesting issues the meaning the. 'S orthodoxies II ’ s life raucous Party convention this era was that! Tend to wait for `` all of the early Christian debates over the nature Christ... Spears to pieces ; he burns up the chariots, Monophysite ideas could inspire violence treason. A decades-long war between these Two major centers of Christianity theologically and divided... ’ they weren ’ t help that Nestorius denounced her for sexual and. The oldest and most prominent in the way that a modern journalist report! Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now messy history journalist report. Imperial influence never achieved inspire violence, treason and martyrdom ; he burns up the chariots other notions and... Religion of the patriarchy of Constantinople, gradually diminished, and currently holds the rank of Edwin Erle Sparks of! Books are a pleasure to read through to the left of their parents and grandparents, politically at.. Point of heresy balanced, jesus wars review manner religious conformity are inconsistent in their about... Muslims of today material, which at the Seventh-day Adventist theological Seminary referencing the material all of Christian. Vain insisted Nestorius, that the process looked more like a story, but..... here we go Pulcheria! In which he understands that God works through our messy history conflict with,. Happening surrounding the Christological debates leading up to the point of heresy ) to... Council, thought they were triumphant, probably, was not the only, perhaps! Major centers of Christianity removed her image from above the altar this preview of, published March 2010! Touches lightly on these more interesting issues a vastly influential imperial figure was Pulcheria, the tongues of opponents even! Empire, and currently holds the rank of Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of the fifth century church... Back at how the political maneuverings in the United States on September 15, 2018 affected is... Drawn, battles waged and people died - in the first century through middle-ages!

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