PHILOSOPHY · RELIGION
Kevin O'Donnell
Kevin O’Donnell, an Anglican priest, has a degree in Biblical Studies from the University of Manchester. He trained for ordination at St. Stephen’s House, Oxford, before becoming Rector of St. Mary’s Church, West Chiltington. Before and after his theological training he taught religious education (RE) in English schools and was chaplain at Heathfield School, Ascot. He is the author of a number of RE text books and a contributor to many others. Having studied philosophy as part of his theology degrees, he taught philosophy at sixth-form level, which is the final two years students spend in a secondary school. Source
The angel Gabriel was sent by God to Mary, a young girl who lived in Nazareth.
— from Jesus
Most acclaimed
Christianity
1940
With over two billion adherents worldwide, Christianity is the worldʹs largest religion. However, with a multitude of denominations, and a huge variety of opinions on many of its central tenets, it can be difficult to obtain a balanced overview of the faith. Ward draws from his vast array of experience and knowledge to provide a unique and authoritative introduction for the simply curious and for those seeking a deeper understanding of this complex faith. Examining differing Christian perspectives on fifteen major themes which range from Creation to conceptions of the Trinity, Ward reveals a religion which is united by a common belief, despite being stunningly multifaceted, as he encourages readers to think creatively about a tradition whose impact has been felt in the most remote areas of the planet.
Jesus
"In a book that is as daring and unconventional as it is scholarly, A.N. Wilson, the celebrated biographer of Tolstoy and C.S. Lewis, searches for the elusive historical reality in the life of Jesus of Nazareth." "What are the facts about the life of Jesus, as opposed to the myths, or unprovable tenets of faith surrounding the miracles, death, and resurrection? How and when did Christianity become a separate religion from the Judaism into which Jesus was born? To what extent was his power over contemporaries political rather than religious? Wilson's answers to these questions will fascinate readers of every shade of faith or skepticism." "His starting point is an explanation of how one may sift through the gospel accounts of the life of Jesus to find the sort of eyewitness details that have the ring of everyday reality. He uses archaeological evidence from the Dead Sea Scrolls and the most recent findings of New Testament scholarship to shed new light on the tumultuous religious and political situation in Israel that so influenced the life and teachings of Jesus. And, finally, he weaves all these strands into a gripping narrative leading to the crucifixion, a narrative that for all its learning contains strong elements of the literary detective story and the psychological novel." "Wilson's inquiry is not meant to validate any particular creed or version of Jesus Christ. Instead, he enables us to discover the man who became the central figure in western civilization, whose teachings survive in spite of the logical impossibilities of the religion, and whose words, reverberating still, contain a wisdom that has never ceased to trouble the world."--Jacket.