Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Jesus of Nazareth is arguably the most influential person in human history. As the founding figure of Christianity, the largest of the world religions, his influence has extended to the billions of people who have professed this religion, as well as to the billions of others who have been affected by it. Christians past and present have worshiped Jesus as a god, prayed to him for assistance, looked to him for salvation, and professed to emulate his life and teachings. They have traversed the globe to bring the knowledge of his name to the entire world. Jesus' influence on the world has been complex and varied. In his name, his adherents have practiced pacifism or launched crusading armies, initiated missions of mercy and assistance or participated in pogroms and inquisitions, withdrawn from the world or established social and political movements. No single conception or image of Jesus could have spawned such diversity. From the beginning of Christianity, the image of Jesus has been protean, adaptable to the different perspectives and needs of different communities and individuals. The Blackwell Companion to Jesus explores these diverse conceptions and images of Jesus that have arisen over the past 2,000 years, from the beginning of Christianity to the present. While no single volume can claim to cover all of these, the present volume does examine the most significant ways in which ... log in or subscribe to read full text