The Six Most Controversial Reza Aslan Claims About Jesus (1 Viewer)

[Somerville]

As we all know, recently Muslim scholar Reza Aslan published a book on the life and times of Jesus; Zealot

an interview with FoxNews religion correspondent Lauren Green became an internet sensation and sent the book to the top of the NYTimes Best Seller list.

In the book, Prof Aslan makes various claims about Jesus and his ministry and execution

The Six Most Controversial Reza Aslan Claims About Jesus

Here are the claims without explanation

1. Jesus wasn’t born in Bethlehem
2. John the Baptist was once bigger than Jesus
3. Jesus was a zealot revolutionary
4. He was crucified for committing a capital offense under Roman law
5. Jesus didn’t condone violence, but he didn’t avoid it at all costs, either
6. We do have plenty of historical accounts of Jesus’s miracles

I see this as mixing historical and theological statements. What do you think?

Of these six claims, how many would be seen as negative toward your faith and how many are of little consequence but are of historical interest?

 

[tosca1]

1. Jesus wasn’t born in Bethlehem
2. John the Baptist was once bigger than Jesus
3. Jesus was a zealot revolutionary
4. He was crucified for committing a capital offense under Roman law
5. Jesus didn’t condone violence, but he didn’t avoid it at all costs, either
6. We do have plenty of historical accounts of Jesus’s miracles

I see this as mixing historical and theological statements. What do you think?

Of these six claims, how many would be seen as negative toward your faith and how many are of little consequence but are of historical interest?

I've not read the book....have you?

 

[head of joaquin]

The historical Jesus is lost in time. The Jesus that counts is the one in the gospel narratives. None of the claims above particularly affect my Christianity. Paul said the gospel is the power of God unto salvation -- he didn't say historicity is.

 

[Medusa]

As we all know, recently Muslim scholar Reza Aslan published a book on the life and times of Jesus; Zealot

an interview with FoxNews religion correspondent Lauren Green became an internet sensation and sent the book to the top of the NYTimes Best Seller list.

In the book, Prof Aslan makes various claims about Jesus and his ministry and execution

The Six Most Controversial Reza Aslan Claims About Jesus

Here are the claims without explanation

I see this as mixing historical and theological statements. What do you think?

Of these six claims, how many would be seen as negative toward your faith and how many are of little consequence but are of historical interest?

Jesus wasn’t born in Bethlehem
John the Baptist was once bigger than Jesus
Jesus was a zealot revolutionary
He was crucified for committing a capital offense under Roman law
Jesus didn’t condone violence, but he didn’t avoid it at all costs, either
We do have plenty of historical accounts of Jesus’s miracles


1- he was born in nazareth in my opinion

2-john was a holy man too l think ,not holier

3- every prophet was a kind of revolutionist

4- l can believe because the roman governor pontius pilatus is known to be responsible for jesus's death acording to some historical studies

5- l need evidence to believe in this claim

6- l need evidence ( l believe in miracles but they werent proven true according to historical records

 

[RGacky3]

As we all know, recently Muslim scholar Reza Aslan published a book on the life and times of Jesus; Zealot

an interview with FoxNews religion correspondent Lauren Green became an internet sensation and sent the book to the top of the NYTimes Best Seller list.

In the book, Prof Aslan makes various claims about Jesus and his ministry and execution

The Six Most Controversial Reza Aslan Claims About Jesus

Here are the claims without explanation

1. Jesus wasn’t born in Bethlehem
2. John the Baptist was once bigger than Jesus
3. Jesus was a zealot revolutionary
4. He was crucified for committing a capital offense under Roman law
5. Jesus didn’t condone violence, but he didn’t avoid it at all costs, either
6. We do have plenty of historical accounts of Jesus’s miracles

I see this as mixing historical and theological statements. What do you think?

Of these six claims, how many would be seen as negative toward your faith and how many are of little consequence but are of historical interest?

None of these are really that contraverisal in historical Jesus studies ... I don't see why the media is making a big deal out of it, I've read his book, it's pretty basic stuff.

1,2,4&6 are standard, although many people believe Jesus was born in Bethleham for more theological rather than historical reasons.

3 and 5 are a little bit more contraversial but the contraversy is minor and more definitional. I myself don't believe Jesus was a zealot revolutionary in a straight forward political sense, I think he was more of a social revolutionary internal to the jewish system, and a religious leader/apocolyptic prophet. Most of his social revolutionary leanings were against the Jewish high priesthood and wealthy, although he would naturally oppose the Roman occupation that doesn't seam to be his main concern.

As far as violence, he seams to be basically a pacifist, and the early church followed suit, except for near the end arming the apostles, although he never condoned actual violence.