R. Joseph Hoffmann

A good overview of the range involved in the question of the historical Jesus, ranging from whether he existed at all (and even teasing that question apart) to what he may have done or not done. Ultimately, the book demonstrates why the question has fallen out of favor. We simply can't know with the texts we have available to us. As Martin Kaehler said in the late 19th century, "Christian faith and the history of Jesus repel each other like oil and water."

A collection of scholarly essays by some of the leading biblical scholars to examine the actual text of the Bible separate from interpretation/exegesis. As with most books of contributed papers, the quality of the work is variable, but overall, the information in the book is sound and interesting. It was perhaps a little light on the New Testament.