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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 5, 2025
I found Visions of Jesus to be somewhat of a chore to read. The section that most held my attention was when Wiebe recounted the thirty modern experiences people reported of seeing Jesus.
The remainder of the book—covering possible explanations for these visions, philosophical reflections, and Wiebe’s personal conclusions—was much more technical and, at times, dense. Whether the individuals in the book genuinely saw Jesus is not for me to say; I don’t feel it’s my place to question someone else’s religious experience. Still, I wasn’t as impressed by some of the features Wiebe found noteworthy.
He places particular emphasis on cases where a person looked away from Jesus and, upon turning back, still saw him. Wiebe treats this stability as evidence that the experience was objective rather than hallucinatory. However, other kinds of hallucinations—such as those in Charles Bonnet Syndrome or temporal lobe seizures—can also display this kind of persistence.
I did appreciate Wiebe’s effort to categorize and analyze the various reports, and I noticed some recurring themes that could be seen as meaningful patterns. But ultimately, I wasn’t persuaded by his conclusions. In the end, I’d say the book was interesting in parts but overall just okay.
The remainder of the book—covering possible explanations for these visions, philosophical reflections, and Wiebe’s personal conclusions—was much more technical and, at times, dense. Whether the individuals in the book genuinely saw Jesus is not for me to say; I don’t feel it’s my place to question someone else’s religious experience. Still, I wasn’t as impressed by some of the features Wiebe found noteworthy.
He places particular emphasis on cases where a person looked away from Jesus and, upon turning back, still saw him. Wiebe treats this stability as evidence that the experience was objective rather than hallucinatory. However, other kinds of hallucinations—such as those in Charles Bonnet Syndrome or temporal lobe seizures—can also display this kind of persistence.
I did appreciate Wiebe’s effort to categorize and analyze the various reports, and I noticed some recurring themes that could be seen as meaningful patterns. But ultimately, I wasn’t persuaded by his conclusions. In the end, I’d say the book was interesting in parts but overall just okay.
March 2, 2013
A wonderful collection of 30 accounts of visions of Jesus
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews