Max Dunn's Web Site - Religious Books

Religious

While I enjoy studying the Bible directly, for the past few years I have felt as if no matter how much I read the Bible, I am missing something. So I have started delving into more background information including how the Bible came to be, as well as the history and alternate writings from that era.

The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus: What's So Good About the Good News?
by Peter J. Gomes
Read Jan 2008

Gomes comes at you not like a punch, but more like a gentle push. He doesn't write in sound-bites or hysterics, instead he offers reasonable, thoughtful ideas. So what is so good about the Good News? In summing up why he wrote this book, Gomes says: "If we read what Jesus says and sees what he has done, we must be convinced that the status quo, ancient or contemporary, is still not where he would have us be." (Page 241). This is not a book that those comfortable with the Christian status quo will be comfortable with. As he says: "Most people do not go to church to be confronted with the gap between what they believe and practice, and what their faith teaches and requires." (Page 32) In particular, he laments over the demonization of homosexuality in the church: "In the Bible, Jesus has a great deal to say about divorce and nothing about homosexuality, yet most Bible preachers today avoid any serious discussion of Jesus' views on divorce, whereas homosexuality has become the most divisive subject in the church." (Page 179) This is an important book that points out many shortcomings of today's church and lays out a plan for its salvation, yet it is unlikely that those who need his message the most will have the inclination or courage to read this book.

The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant
by John Dominic Crossan