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Average Rating:  out of 45 Reviews
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Price: $16.00
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Sale: $9.17
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Manufacturer: Beacon Press
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UPC (Universal Product Code): 046442077149
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EAN (European Article Number): 9780807077146
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Number of Items: 1
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Binding: Hardcover
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Author: Thomas Jefferson
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Publisher: Beacon Press
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Edition: 1
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Dewey Decimal Number: 226.1
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Publication Date: 2001-07-04
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Reading Level: 171
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Description: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth
Introduction by Forrest Church
In 1794, President Thomas Jefferson set out to uncover the essence of true religion from the Gospels by extracting Jesus' message of absolute love and service from the annunciation, virgin birth, and even the resurrection. Completed in 1819, this little book is the result of Jefferson's efforts.
"Gives us a preaching Jesus of distinctly human dimensions, without miracles or resurrection [A] fascinating document, telling us a great deal about a great eighteenth century mind and its world."
-Charles S. Adams, Religious Studies Review
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Customer Reviews
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Review Summary: Helped make my decision about christianity |
Date: 2008-11-12 |
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Details: ...And the verdict?
After tearing out every ridiculous thing in the New Testament, all we're left with is 4 or 5 parables repeated in slightly different ways, showing not one but two different kinds of Jesus - the peaceful, forgiving Jesus, and the vengeful, cut your head off with a flaming sword Jesus. Christianity? No thanks.
I enjoyed the essay TJ wrote at the front though. |
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Review Summary: An interesting book from an historic standpoint. |
Date: 2008-07-19 |
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Details: This book is historically important, and used in US military schools as a template of good values.
This book is merely a cut an paste of most of the "interesting values" in some of the gospels accepted and selected by the church.
I do wish that Thomas Jefferson could include the recently discovered gospel of Judas, and also the gospel of Marie.
This book should in my view be seen in the historical context of the late 18th century: the Christian church was much discredited by the abuses of the inquisition, and large use of abuse, torture and killing of opponents which were really political opponents.
A few examples: In England John Tyndale (his only crime was to translate the bible in english, re-edited by his friend Cannondale, it became, with political help from the king, the "King James Bible") was burned at the stacke, in France Calas was executed for just not align themselves with the official (and very lucrative) policies of the catholic church.
In my view, again, a good book in the historical context.
From a theological point of view, unless I missed something, there is nothing really new, just an attempt to create a simple short document, much easier to read than the whole set of the gospels.
Here Thomas Jefferson makes the case, that religion without ethical values is mere superstition.
But if you wish to know much more about Thomas Jefferson on religious issues, suggest that you also read his writings: many letters including to members of the church will clarify his strictly monotheist, unitarian christian point of view.
So byzantine discussions about the theological value of this book, seems to me un-necessary and vaines: christianism like most large religions has many schools of thought, and when disagreement are non violent, then, they are acceptable ones...
But the extreme violence that the Christian church unleashed against any unorthodox theologic view, from the twelve century (first crusade 1095) to the present times, must make dissenters cautious.
Suggested related reading: (beside the Torah and some accepted version of "the new testament" (there are many, the ones translated from the Greek language are usually accepted from being of better quality...).
1) The Writing of Thomas Jefferson.
2) "The book of sins".
3) "Misquoting Jesus".
4) The Gospel of Judas.
5) The Gospel of Mary.
6) The Chouraqui Bible (In French, my Andre Chouraqui, mayor of Jerusalem).
7) "The decline and fall of the Roman empire" by Edwards Gibbons.
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Review Summary: th heart of christian ethics |
Date: 2008-06-10 |
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Details: I was curious as to what & how the new Testament was "edited" by Jefferson. The description of miracles was minimised. Dialogues focussed on exposition of morality & basic belief. I wonder as to leaders/ advocates of several organised faiths reaction & agreement with the corpus of Jeffersons "ommisions" |
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Review Summary: Red Letter version w/ references to scriptures |
Date: 2008-05-14 |
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Details: The best study of the "social & moral" teachings of Jesus
is this version of the Jefferson Bible.
It has red-letter text for the quotations of Jesus,
and cites the NT passages from which they are taken.
It is in the King James version,
so you may want to use [...]
for the modern English translations of the Jesus quotations,
which will give the poetry of the KJV new life.
Taking out all the Theology & Eschatology
was a brilliant inovation by Thomas Jefferson. |
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Review Summary: Jesus said... |
Date: 2008-04-08 |
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Details: I have long believed that the way Jesus said to live was more important than his immortality (or mine). I knew our "Founders" didn't base our constitution on "Judea-Christian values", as is frequently proposed by some
political/religious leaders, but on principles of the Enlightenment which they believed would bring a new kind of government, free of religious oppression, first to America, and then to the world.
The only books on the subject are very large, very scholarly, very informative, but... how nice to have this little book on my coffee table where curious minds can explore the thinking of one of America's most forward looking leaders, and read just the words of Jesus, without the mythology attached to his death by future theologians.
The preface, the introduction and chapter about Jefferson's contemporaries is a history lesson every
American should review. No-one who has visited my home has found it in any way offensive, but all
find it enlightening ! |
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