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Historical Jesus: What Can We Know and How Can We Know It?
Historical Jesus asks two primary What does “historical” mean? and How should we apply this to Jesus?Anthony Le Donne begins with the unusual step of considering human perception — how sensory data from sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell are interpreted from the very beginning by what we expect, what we’ve learned, and how we categorize the world. In this way Le Donne shows how historical memories are initially formed. He continues with the nature of human memory and how it interacts with group memories. Finally, he offers a philosophy of history and uses it to outline three dimensions from the life of his dysfunctional family, his politics, and his final confrontation in Jerusalem.This little book is ideal for those with no background in religious studies — even those with no faith — who wish to better understand who Jesus was and how we can know what we do know about him.
- GenresBiblical Studies
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2011
3 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 31, 2016
A Flawed Gem
This a brilliant as an introduction to memory studies, but I read it after Dunn's 'Jesus Remembered' and learned only a little I didn't already know. But to the beginner in memory studies, it's very valuable.
My gripe though is that after reading it, I've still no idea what LeDonne actually believes about Jesus in a theological sense.
This a brilliant as an introduction to memory studies, but I read it after Dunn's 'Jesus Remembered' and learned only a little I didn't already know. But to the beginner in memory studies, it's very valuable.
My gripe though is that after reading it, I've still no idea what LeDonne actually believes about Jesus in a theological sense.
January 1, 2022
A philosophical study of History, Memory and Perception to equip the reader with the tools to interpret The Scriptures in search of the Historical Jesus.
Extremely readable and interesting but with a much greater focus on the above philosophies and how they can be used to uncover who Jesus was rather than doing the uncovering in this book.
Extremely readable and interesting but with a much greater focus on the above philosophies and how they can be used to uncover who Jesus was rather than doing the uncovering in this book.
September 4, 2023
Surprising amount of heidegger
June 7, 2025
This book is about perception, memory, and historiography…Historical Jesus? Not so much…
Despite the glowing (and deceptive!) editorial reviews this is a somewhat confusing book.
Le Donne claims to engage in a “post-modern” historical approach to the historical Jesus. The supposed post-modern ideas (methods) are introduced only at the halfway mark, and then only in the guises of Gadamer and Heidegger (moderate and phenomenological hermeneutics, respectively). Both are given radically thin treatments in the effort to introduce readers to the concept and operation of the “hermeneutic circle” of interpretation.
The first half presents a study of perception and memory drawn from “analytic” philosophy sources – and it seems as if the author is more interested in adopting the role of “philosopher” than New Testament historian.
The so-called “analysis,” or interpretation, of the life of Jesus appears as an afterthought, and here I am not engaging in hyperbole. What it seems to me is that the author wants readers, who are now schooled in “post-modern” method(s), to reassess their approach to the Gospel material and embark on their own search for the historical Jesus. Something of a Platonic educational ideal…I guess.
It is not for serious readers of post-structural literature or theology that includes such ideas, e.g., writings by the well-known NT scholar S. D. Moore. Instead, it is meant for rank beginners who may have heard of POMO philosophy but know little about it, or those who know about it and are put-off by its undeniable complex density.
Le Donne does a nice job of simplifying the ideas of the thinkers he engages, and again, it would serve as a good, but basic, primer on post-structuralism (really, hermeneutics) in relation to New Testament studies.
Dr. James M. Magrini
Former: Philosophy/College of DuPage
Despite the glowing (and deceptive!) editorial reviews this is a somewhat confusing book.
Le Donne claims to engage in a “post-modern” historical approach to the historical Jesus. The supposed post-modern ideas (methods) are introduced only at the halfway mark, and then only in the guises of Gadamer and Heidegger (moderate and phenomenological hermeneutics, respectively). Both are given radically thin treatments in the effort to introduce readers to the concept and operation of the “hermeneutic circle” of interpretation.
The first half presents a study of perception and memory drawn from “analytic” philosophy sources – and it seems as if the author is more interested in adopting the role of “philosopher” than New Testament historian.
The so-called “analysis,” or interpretation, of the life of Jesus appears as an afterthought, and here I am not engaging in hyperbole. What it seems to me is that the author wants readers, who are now schooled in “post-modern” method(s), to reassess their approach to the Gospel material and embark on their own search for the historical Jesus. Something of a Platonic educational ideal…I guess.
It is not for serious readers of post-structural literature or theology that includes such ideas, e.g., writings by the well-known NT scholar S. D. Moore. Instead, it is meant for rank beginners who may have heard of POMO philosophy but know little about it, or those who know about it and are put-off by its undeniable complex density.
Le Donne does a nice job of simplifying the ideas of the thinkers he engages, and again, it would serve as a good, but basic, primer on post-structuralism (really, hermeneutics) in relation to New Testament studies.
Dr. James M. Magrini
Former: Philosophy/College of DuPage
May 30, 2012
A fascinating popular level work about postmodern historical Jesus studies that focuses on history as collective memory. The parts I appreciated most dealt with contemporary philosophical and scientific perspectives about how memory functions.
June 15, 2015
I, for the life of me, cannot figure out why Le Donne was fired from LCU for writing this. The book adequately explains the historical Jesus "problems" and offers a satisfying option for the coming years of the Historical Jesus research, arguing that all history is remembered history.
May 4, 2011
While I am not sold on the theory which is the presupposition behind this book, it is an excellent treatment of the theory and its implications for historical Jesus studies.
July 23, 2012
An intelligently written work, to which I can only ask, "What is the role of inspiration, and how do we understand the Holy Spirit to interact with the transmission of Memory?"
September 29, 2013
Solid introduction to the ways postmodern history combined with memory studies can influence Historical Jesus writings.
March 29, 2017
Кратко, но в някои отношения много проницателно представяне на търсенето на историческия Исус от постомодерна перспектива (Преди някой да се смути от думата "постмодерен" предлагам да прочете самата книга).
Кратките анализи на начина, по който работи паметта и на историята не просто като откриване на "голите" факти, а като задължителното им тълкуване е нещо, което всеки, който се интересува от история и херменевтика трябва да знае.
P.S. Нека отново да кажа - преди някой да се уплаши от думата "постмодерен" - книгата не съдържа почти нищо, което вече да не е казано в други много сериозно приемани богословски трудове - най-вече в Jesus remebered на Д. Дън.
Кратките анализи на начина, по който работи паметта и на историята не просто като откриване на "голите" факти, а като задължителното им тълкуване е нещо, което всеки, който се интересува от история и херменевтика трябва да знае.
P.S. Нека отново да кажа - преди някой да се уплаши от думата "постмодерен" - книгата не съдържа почти нищо, което вече да не е казано в други много сериозно приемани богословски трудове - най-вече в Jesus remebered на Д. Дън.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews