About the Book :
Would that more... felt the imperative to write so well. - Dale C. Allison Jr, author of The Historical Christ and theTheological JesusWas Jesus married? The question has the power to inflame opinion, split religions, start wars, and divide Christians and scholarsalike. Whether stirred up by the phenomenal success of Dan Brown's novels or the 'discovery' last year of the so-called Gospel ofJesus' Wife an ancient piece of papyrus that some interpreted to mean that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were man and wife thematter refuses to rest.Amid the storm of controversy, Le Donne provides a haven of clarity and sense. Approaching the subject from a firmlyhistorical perspective, he assesses Jesus within his socio-cultural context, demonstrating that not only was Jesus likelymarried before the age of thirty although not to Mary Magdalene but that his preaching against traditional family bondsindicates that he would have returned to a single state during his ministry. Crucially, Le Donne also confronts our ownpreoccupation with Jesus sexuality, examining how the quest for Jesus wife has more to say about the history of theChristianized West and those leading the search than it does the life of Jesus.Author is a respected scholar on the life of Jesus, who writes with lucidity, esprit, and common sense Gerd TheissenOriginal analysis and conclusions: evidence points to Jesus having a wife but not Mary MagdalenePerfect for the lay reader: reflects upon the impact of popular culture, history, fiction on the search for Jesus wife
About the Book : Would that more... felt the imperative to write so well. - Dale C. Allison Jr, author of The Historical Christ and theTheological JesusWas Jesus married? The question has the power to inflame opinion, split religions, start wars, and divide Christians and scholarsalike. Whether stirred up by the phenomenal success of Dan Brown's novels or the 'discovery' last year of the so-called Gospel ofJesus' Wife an ancient piece of papyrus that some interpreted to mean that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were man and wife thematter refuses to rest.Amid the storm of controversy, Le Donne provides a haven of clarity and sense. Approaching the subject from a firmlyhistorical perspective, he assesses Jesus within his socio-cultural context, demonstrating that not only was Jesus likelymarried before the age of thirty although not to Mary Magdalene but that his preaching against traditional family bondsindicates that he would have returned to a single state during his ministry. Crucially, Le Donne also confronts our ownpreoccupation with Jesus sexuality, examining how the quest for Jesus wife has more to say about the history of theChristianized West and those leading the search than it does the life of Jesus.Author is a respected scholar on the life of Jesus, who writes with lucidity, esprit, and common sense Gerd TheissenOriginal analysis and conclusions: evidence points to Jesus having a wife but not Mary MagdalenePerfect for the lay reader: reflects upon the impact of popular culture, history, fiction on the search for Jesus wife