Zealot - Fascinating Reading

Zealot is an attempt to find the non-Christian Jesus. The author admits that the historical man is impossible to pin down with any degree of accuracy, but makes the attempt through careful analysis of the context in which Jesus of Nazareth lived and an equally careful interpretation of the writings about him and the early Christians.

I was brought up as a Catholic, so my picture of Jesus is primarily the religious, mythological one. This changed a little when I played trumpet in a production of Webber's rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar when I was 18. I can remember attending bible study classes at the university and discussing the merits of this modern take on Jesus with a Lutheran pastor, who felt that the opera was a good way of bringing Jesus to life. Aslan, too, believes that the two versions of Jesus can co-exist - one based on faith and the other on historical research and a large dose of guesswork.

A brief summary from this review: 

Zealot, as the title hints, attempts to portray an angry, somewhat self-righteous young nationalist revolutionary, descended from a lineage of ornery Galilean hillbillies, who was not above a degree of ass-kicking and name-taking when he thought it necessary. Aslan chooses as his epigraph Matthew 10:34 (“Do not think that I have come to bring peace on Earth. I have not come to bring peace, but the sword.”)

Another tidbit I found interesting was a discussion of the influence of St. Paul on Christian doctrine. Paul who never actually met Jesus, claimed the place of first apostle through divine revelation. His views were frequently at odds with the other Apostles and with the teachings of Jesus's brother James, who continued Jesus's teaching after the crucifixion. Aslan also points out that much or what is written undergoes a clear metamorphosis during the early years of the church as the movement evolves from a Jewish sect expecting the immediate return of an earthly leader to the more mystical Christian beliefs with which we are more familiar.

The book has received much attention in the US due to an interview of the author on Fox television as described in this review. Some Christian commentators are understandably unhappy with the book and there are a few legitimate criticisms including the fact that Aslan appears to cherry pick the selections from the Gospels that support his thesis. He has also been accused of getting dates and facts wrong.