_ Are the gospels reliable accounts of Jesus? _ Did Jesus claim to be God? _ Was Jesus bodily raised from the dead? _ Is Jesus the only way to salvation? _ Are Christianity and Islam basically the same? _ Were the Founding Fathers orthodox Christians? Christians in America are routinely confronted with news of archaeological discoveries or new scholarship claiming to present the real Jesus. These challenges have a long tradition in America and can be traced to some of the best-known founders of our nation. In pre-Revolutionary America, the formidable Jonathan Edwards directly confronted the challenge, providing an enduring model for Christians today who desire to articulate and defend the historic, orthodox doctrine of Christ. While Edwards sought to prove the historic Jesus, Benjamin Franklin attempted to improve on the original, offering a Jesus of more practical use to his social and civic purposes. Franklin's approach, inspired by Deist thinkers and refined by Thomas Jefferson, has found new life in the advocates of the Jesus Seminar and of other alternative Christianities. Even the ambassadors of strident atheism-Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris-are resurrecting Deist arguments in their best-selling books. These skeptics notably follow the Deist tactic of using the rise of Islam to undermine the uniqueness of Jesus. As a result, there is a widespread erosion of confidence among professing Christians in the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Which Real Jesus? reveals that these new views of the real Jesus are, in fact, old news.

Who was Jesus--really? For centuries, the Christian church has taught that Jesus is the divine Son of God, crucified for sinners and raised from the dead. In recent years, however, that picture of Jesus has come under widely publicized attack from sources ranging from critical scholars to Internet pundits to popular historians and others. The new portraits of Jesus seem persuasive. You can't help but wonder . . . Did Christianity merely copy its beliefs from earlier mythology? Did the church suppress alternate gospels? Did Jesus never die on the cross or rise from the dead for sinners? Is the New Testament hopelessly riddled with errors? New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel helps you separate truth from media hype, sound scholarship from bias, and fact from speculation. Digging below the surface, this book provides credible, informed answers to today's most pressing questions about Jesus.

The finest book I have ever read explaining who Jesus really is. Carefully reasoned, rooted in the Bible, and written in a popular, easy-to-read style, this book will prove thrilling for the Christian and very convincing to the sceptic or unbeliever. Brian Edwards, preacher and author.

Jesus did not die just so you can go to church on Sunday. This book will give you a clear understanding of the real Jesus. Many people’s Christianity is not really about Jesus; it’s something they inherited culturally. You will learn that your relationship with Jesus is deeper than your last attendance in church. You will put Him in the center of everything you do. Which Jesus do you follow? What does He believe? Or perhaps just as important, What do you believe about Him? In The Real Jesus, the debut book from pastor and beloved worship leader Jonathan Stockstill, you will have an encounter with the real-life Son of God—the One who loves you more than you could ever imagine. After reading The Real Jesus, you will: Understand the difference between the mistaken, miscast, misinterpreted Jesus of our culture and the blood-and-bones Jesus of the Bible Discover a Jesus you may never have truly known—even if you have been following Him for years or decades Enter into a more raw, real, and relevant relationship with the One who loves you and calls you by name This book will equip you to see Jesus as He really is and truly understand what it means to be His disciple.

In our culture of personalization, where everything is customizable, Jesus is often reworked into what each individual wants Him to be. Jesus is aligned to a person's agendas and dreams, making it easier for him or her to agree with Him.

Geza Vermes is the greatest living Jesus scholar. In "The Real Jesus", Vermes, best known for his work on the Dead Sea Scrolls, comments on a variety of contemporary religious themes such as "The Da Vinci Code", Mel Gibson's infamous film "The Passion of the Christ", Benedict XVI's book "Jesus of Nazareth" and the "Gospel of Judas". Informed by the work of a world-class scholar, the short articles in this book open to the general reader the findings of some of the major discoveries of the twentieth century such as the Dead Sea Scrolls. This collection of shorter popular pieces, many of which appeared in "The Times" and other newspapers, makes Vermes' research on Christian origins, the Dead Sea Scrolls and most importantly Jesus the Jew accessible to a wider readership.

Who is the real Jesus? Everyone has an opinion—from the scholars on a quest for the historical Jesus to the ordinary person on life's journey who thinks of Jesus as a “good person.” This book addresses the controversy that Jesus—by His very nature—incited both in His lifetime and still today. Dr. Bill Bright leads us through the various opinions of who Jesus is, so we can encounter the authentic Jesus—the Jesus who is very much alive and real today.

Presents a new perspective on the real life of Jesus based on biblical and historical scholarship and debunks many arguments arising out of the "Jesus Seminar."

An enlightening follow-up to the bestselling book The Case for Christ, In Defense of Jesus follows award-winning journalist Lee Strobel as he explores the most explosive arguments against the identity of Christ as the Messiah. Has modern scholarship debunked the traditional Christ? Has the church suppressed the truth about Jesus to advance its own agenda? What if the real Jesus is far different from the atoning Savior worshiped through the centuries? In Defense of Jesus explores such hot-button questions as: Did the church suppress ancient non-biblical documents that paint a more accurate picture of Jesus than the four Gospels? Did the church distort the truth about Jesus by tampering with early New Testament texts? Do new insights and explanations disprove the resurrection? Have fresh arguments disqualified Jesus from being the Messiah? Did Christianity steal its core ideas from earlier mythology? Evaluate the arguments and evidence being advanced by prominent atheists, liberal theologians, Muslim scholars, and others. Sift through expert testimony. Then reach your own verdict with In Defense of Jesus. This title is also available in Spanish, En defense de Jesús.

A New York Times Bestseller! "Who do you say that I am?" Uttered by Jesus Christ, this profound question has presented an age-old challenge to believers, skeptics, scholars, and rulers. In attempting to answer this question, The True Jesus goes straight to the unimpeachable source: the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Only in the Gospels, says #1 New York Times bestselling author David Limbaugh, do we come face-to-face with the Son of God, Whose sublime teachings, miraculous actions, and divine essence leap off every page and into our hearts. In this book, Limbaugh combines the four Gospel stories into a unified account (though not, he humbly admits, a perfect harmony) and guides readers on a faith journey through the Four Evangelists' testimonies of the life of Jesus Christ. Along the way, Limbaugh shares his insights on Jesus' words and deeds as well as His unique nature as fully human and fully divine. In The True Jesus, you will learn: - Why even the apostles failed to completely understand Jesus' true identity and mission until after His crucifixion - The real basis for the rejection of Jesus' message by skeptics in His hometown and elsewhere - The historical events preceding Jesus' birth that providentially paved the way for Christianity - How Jesus' message utterly contradicted modern attempts to portray Him as being non-judgmental Limbaugh's passion for the Gospels infuses the pages of The True Jesus, which is both a primer for new Bible readers and an outstanding guide to the Gospels for long-time believers. Who really is the true Jesus? Open this book and begin your odyssey toward the answer.