The Historical Jesus: History & Myth

Participate in a critical analysis that brings the tools of social scientific inquiry to the question of the historical Jesus. Separate history from myth by looking at Jesus within the cultural and religious Roman and Jewish world in which he lived, without the accumulated baggage of subsequent centuries. We will examine the earliest Christian writings, both inside the New Testament and outside, and explore the rich literary traditions of philosophers and the “wonderworkers” who greatly impacted depictions of Jesus. We will also consider the long history of historical Jesus scholarship that illustrates a tendency for each generation to turn Jesus into the person they want him to be—most often, a reflection of themselves.