The life of Jesus

Written by French philosopher and writer Ernest Renan, this was one of the earliest works to approach the study of the life of Jesus Christ in the same way that one would approach the study of any other historical figure.

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LibraryThing member gmicksmith

Really easy to read and considered a classic re-definition of the historical Jesus it is more difficult now to appreciate just how revolutionary Renan was considered in his day. His view is more typical of many today who view Jesus as the most sublime man who ever lived. Nonetheless, in his day,

Renan was considered innovative and a new approach to the Gospels, Within his lifetime, Renan was best known as the author of the enormously popular Life of Jesus (Vie de Jésus). This book was first translated into English during 1863 by Charles E. Wilbour and has remained in print for the past 145 years. Renan's Life of Jesus was lavished with ironic praise and criticism by Albert Schweitzer in his book Quest of the Historical Jesus.

In light of more recent history his view of the "Musselman" is curiously anachronistic and he would now be considered bombastic in his dismissal of Islam.

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LibraryThing member antiquary

This was considered the classic skeptical (or at least unorthodox) biography in the 19th century, but I must admit I have not read it yet.

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