Living Jesus: Learning the Heart of the Gospel Hardback - 1998

"I am extremely pleased to see this positive and enthusiastic contribution to the revival of Jesus studies done by a careful scholar who understands well the critical issues involved. With a focus on the Living Christ, it fills a much-needed gap in recent historical studies on Jesus that stop with the crucifixion. If you want to understand the Jesus the church has always worshipped, rather than the diminutive figure of some recent Jesus tomes, this is the book for you." --Dr. Ben Witherington, III, professor of New Testament Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary, author of "The Jesus Quest"

"Luke Timothy Johnson's new book does two fundamental things beautifully: it honors the word 'spirituality' in a seriously theological fashion and grounds that much-abused word in a full reading of the New Testament witness to the Risen Jesus. This accomplished work, wearing considerable learning lightly, deserves a wide readership." --Lawrence S. Cunningham, University of Notre Dame

""Living Jesus" is many things: a brief but comprehensive New Testament introduction, a superb biblical foundation for courses on Jesus and christology, an exercise in biblical interpretation that masterfully illustrates and teaches interpretation, a testimony of faith that strengthens the faith of others. A challenging work destined to be controversial; many of us will remember it as a key work along the path of biblical scholarship's keeping and/or reowning of it's soul." --William M. Thompson, professor of theology, Duquesne University

"Johnson's "Living Jesus" is a clear and lively book on the risen Jesus as well as the lives of those who seek his way. I know of no better brief survey of the New Testament that takes with equal seriousness its passionate focus on the living Jesus and the practices required to learn to be learners (disciples) today. In contrast to the dead Jesus of so many historians and the timeless Jesus of so many philosophers and theologians, Johnson does indeed lead us into the heart of the Gospel." --James J. Buckley, professor of theology, Loyola College in Maryland, coeditor of "Modern Theology"

"This book is important. Johnson makes clear that there is more to Jesus than can be measured by the historian. Like John crying in the wilderness, this is a voice that needs to be heard. The implicit call is not only for repentence, but also for dialogue." --William R. Farmer, University of Dallas, editor of The International Bible Commentary

"Proceeding from faith in the resurrected Jesus as living Spirit, Luke Timothy Johnson clearly sets out the classical modes of encountering that Jesus. Scripture, creeds, worship, and teaching are all depicted in their living, personal power within the church, in sharp contrast to a merely historical view of Jesus." --Bruce Chilton, Bard College, author of "Pure Kingdom: Jesus' Vision of God"

"Professor Johnson presents a stark choice: Jesus Dead or Alive--the dry bones of the 'historical' Jesus or the apostolic witness to the living Jesus. What a relief to learn Jesus from this challenging and heartwarming summary of New Testament Christology!" --Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm., George Washington Ivey Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies, Duke University

"This book is frankly very important at this time: many good and well-intentioned Christians are losing the dynamism of a living Presence for mere mind games. Luke Timothy Johnson gives us the pattern and promise of the real thing. I hope many read it and know." --Richard Rohr, O.F.M., author of "Jesus' Plan for a New World"

"In this timely and restorative book Luke Timothy Johnson superbly models approaching the New Testament not with suspicion but with trust. The result is that scholars and laypersons alike are invited to study the biblical portraits, reflect on the character revealed by witnesses-- and thereby learn Jesus as the resurrected Lord at work in his people today." --Marva J. Dawn, adjunct professor of spiritual theology, Regent College, author of "Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down"

"Johnson demonstrates that the "Living Jesus" of the biblical traditions is immensely more fascinating and significant than any of the dead Jesuses that the quests for the historical Jesus keep producing." --Miroslav Volf, Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology, Yale University Divinity School

"Whereas "The Real Jesus" was polemic, this sequel has an entirely different passion-- not critical but that of a stirring and touching witness to the author's Christian faith in and experience of the Jesus who is alive, in which he humbly shares how he learned the person of his living wife as an illustration of how we as Christians can learn the person of the living Jesus. It applies evidence from all the New Testament writings to illustrate his clear distinction between the Jesus studied in history who is dead, and the Jesus of faith who is living and nevertheless in continuity with Jesus as he worked in Galilee and died in Jerusalem." --William S. Kurz, S.J., professor of New Testament, Marquette University

"In this wonderful and insightful book, Luke Johnson offers a powerful antidote to reductionist understandings of Jesus. He offers profound wisdom in a readable style. "Living Jesus" nourishes an authentic Christian spirituality in which people encounter what it means to learn Jesus for the sake of new and renewed life with God." --L. Gregory Jones, dean and professor of theology, Duke University Divinity School

"In the 1890s, Martin Kahler said that the only Jesus is the historic biblical Christ. One hundred years later, Luke Timothy Johnson has repeated the message: the real Jesus is the "Living Jesus". Kahler's message resonated through the next fifty years of Life of Jesus research. Johnson's message deserves the same attention." --James D. G. Dunn, University of Durham

"In "Living Jesus" Luke Johnson provides his own constructive account to complement his arguments in THE REAL JESUS