My minor nitpick of this historical and anthropological look at Jesus "Josh" Christ's life and impact is that it more closely resembles a PBS documentary than it does a rigorous academic study (it doesn't even have any footnotes)—it follows the TV template to a tee, discussions are dominated by briskness, the likable narrator/host is there to interject personal stories every once in a while, and it ends with an inspirational flourish and a multicultural survey of Jesus in pop culture. Which is fine, really; it doesn't necessarily detract from its insights. My major nitpick is that the inquisitive, curious eye that dominates most of the book grows oddly timid when it comes to exploring the resurrection—all of a sudden, the frame shifts from historical record to conjecture and meaning. That's probably the benefit of a book like this, written by a believer and an accomplished academic, where faith isn't obliterated and dissected by a cold rationality; it's just hard to reconcile, "The gospels were written nearly 100 years after Jesus's birth and were obviously embellished to sell a religion," with, "Well, if all these people report seeing a resurrected Jesus, then who am I to argue?" Pagels insists its important to balance the historical exploration with the inspirational, a look at what makes the Jesus story so resonant with people to this day.* I guess what I'm saying is, if it meant more of the former I could have done without the latter. But, again, these are all just pretty much nitpicks. Four stars.
*"As I reflect on this project, what fascinates me is not only the historical mysteries my book seeks to unravel but the spiritual power that shines through these stories. This passionate, charismatic, first-century rabbi interpreted the Genesis creation story that 'God created humankind in his image' to mean that every member of the human race has sacred value. Other moral teachers, like Plato, had recommended helping people in need, but only people of one's own status—certainly not indigents, the poor, or people enslaved. And other rabbis of Jesus's time preached, as he did, the Scriptural injunction to 'love your neighbor as yourself.' But instead of focusing such clarity primarily on other Jews in his community, he shocked his listeners by urging them to lend compassion and practical help to anyone who is sick, in prison, or hungry, to a disgraced and ungrateful son, or even to an enemy. Is this what extended his reach so far beyond his own community, and even to ours today? His radical, unprecedented reading of Genesis still resonates through our social and political life as indictment—and inspiration."