Jesus the Black Messiah; Jesus the Jew; Jesus the Hindu sage; Jesus the Haight-Asbury hippie: these Jesuses join the traditional figure of Jesus Christ in American Jesus; which was acclaimed upon publication in hardcover as an altogether fresh exploration of American history--and as the liveliest book about Jesus to appear in English in years. Our nation's changing images of Jesus; Stephen Prothero contends; are a kind of looking class into the national character. Even as most Christian believers cleave to a traditional faith; other people give Jesus a leading role as folk hero; pitchman; and countercultural icon. And so it has been since the nation's founding--from Thomas Jefferson; who took scissors to his New Testament to sort out true from false Jesus material; to the Jews; Buddhists and Muslims who fit Jesus into their own traditions; to the people who adapt Jesus for stage and screen and the Holy Land theme park. American Jesus is "a lively; illuminating and accessible survey that takes us into unexpected corners of our shared religious heritage" (Dan Cryer; Newsday).
#1164462 in Books Farrar; Straus Giroux 2000-05Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.62 x 6.42 x 9.32l; #File Name: 0374187711352 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy tgaExcellent resource for a very important time in American history. Highly recommended!0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This is a fantastic book! I rarely read a book of this ...By Brenton MorleyThis is a fantastic book! I rarely read a book of this length (400+ pages); but I had to MAKE myself lay it down and go to other things I needed to do. The condition was excellent and it arrived in good time.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Very informative tellingBy Mark S. CrawfordAuthor Andrew Ward presents a very informative telling of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. He does so with an impressive use of personal writings from the students; various administrators; and other individuals that hosted or otherwise interacted with the group. Reading about the singers' experiences through the participants' own words made for a greater degree of empathy and understanding. With that said; there are many names to keep track of; and some passages had so much detail I had to read paragraphs more than once. In the end; the read was well worth the time and I came away impressed that - given the times and resources - such an endeavor as the Fisk Jubilee Singers was even attempted; let alone successful.For me; the take-sways included learning more about Professor George White (the group's director); General Fisk (didn't know he was white); the purpose of the Freedman schools; the role of the American Missionary Association; and the lives of the students before; during; and after their time at Fisk (there's enough story lines to produce a great movie). The chapter notes and end sources were also very informative.Very vivid and humanizing telling of one of the better known events in African American history; as well as music history.
