Resources on the Historical Jesus and Early Christian Movements

The Five Gospels: What Did Jesus Really Say? The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus by Robert W. Funk, Roy W. Hoover, and The Jesus Seminar

Includes five Gospels -- Mark, Matthew, Luke, John from the Christian Testament, and Thomas -- with color coding to show the conclusions of the Jesus Seminar on each of Jesus' sayings: Red = Jesus very likely said something like this; Pink = Jesus may have said something like this; Gray = Jesus probably did not say this; Black = Jesus is very unlikely to have said this. Also includes an introduction to the principles used to draw these conclusions, and explanations of the scholars' reasoning about key sayings.

Reading The Five Gospels along with Bob

Meets the second Sunday evening of the month at 6 PM at the First Unitarian Church of San Jose

Bob Miess guides a monthly discussion of The Five Gospels: What Did Jesus Really Say? The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus by Robert W. Funk, Roy W. Hoover, and The Jesus Seminar. (See description of this book above.) If you are interested, contact Bob Miess.

Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography by John Dominic Crossan

One of the scholars of the Jesus Seminar provides an accessible summary of the history and culture that surrounded Jesus, his assessment of who the Historical Jesus was, and what Jesus was about.

God and Empire: Jesus against Rome, Then and Now by John Dominic Crossan

One of the scholars of the Jesus Seminar describes how Jesus and Paul called the Roman Empire into question, and how their message might address the Empire(s) of our time.

Re-Imagine the World by Bernard Brandon Scott

One of the scholars of the Jesus Seminar offers interpretations of the parables of Jesus. Scott's perspective is that the parables describe a whole new way of seeing the world.

Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of Contemporary Faith by Marcus J. Borg

One of the scholars of the Jesus Seminar provides an introduction to his interpretation of the results of the historical study of Jesus. He provides a gentle revisioning of Jesus that reflects a keen appreciation for Jesus' mystical side.

Westar Institute - Sponsor of the Jesus Seminar and Other Seminars

Between 50 and 70 biblical scholars will gather from around the world to discuss their investigations into Christian origins, and the public is invited to observe. The meetings include a polling of the scholars' conclusions, which are then published to the world. These discussions are preceded by two days of scholars' presentations to laypeople on topics related to the theme.

From Jesus to Christ - PBS Series

Also available on DVD:

Drawing upon historical evidence, this TV series challenges familiar assumptions and conventional notions about Christian origins. Archaeological finds have yielded new understandings of Jesus' class and social status; fresh interpretations have transformed earlier ideas about the identity of the early Christians and their communities.

Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings by Marcus Borg (Editor), Jack Kornfield (Introduction)

Marcus Borg, one of the scholars of the Jesus Seminar, offers an exploration of the parallels between the sayings of Jesus and the sayings of Buddha. (Note: The point is not that either heard of or learned from the other, but that authentic spiritual wisdom leads to such parallels.)

Who Killed Jesus: Exposing the Roots of Anti-Semitism in the Gospel Story of the Death of Jesus by John Dominic Crossan

John Dominic Crossan, one of the scholars of the Jesus Seminar, offers an exploration of the passion narratives.

The Lost Gospel: The Book of Q and Christian Origins by Burton L. Mack

Burton L. Mack, one of the scholars of the Jesus Seminar, explains the gospel that has never been found, but that scholars believe was a source for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version, Robert J. Miller, Ed.

Going beyond the four "canonical" Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), this readable book provides English translations of more than 20 gospels. The title "complete" is no longer accurate, as some additional gospels have since been discovered and/or translated.

Workshops and Retreats

Our chief facilitator, Bob Miess, offers workshops and retreats to groups of people who are interested in the Historical Jesus and the Early Christian Movements. Contact Bob for more information.