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Resurrecting Easter: How the West Lost and the East Kept the Original Easter Vision – An Illustrated Journey of Ancient Communal Christianity and Inclusive Hope
In this four-color illustrated journey that is part travelogue and part theological investigation, bestselling author and acclaimed Bible scholar John Dominic Crossan and his wife Sarah painstakingly travel throughout the ancient Eastern church, documenting through text and image a completely different model for understanding Easter’s resurrection story, one that provides promise and hope for us today.
Traveling the world, the Crossans noticed a surprising difference in how the Eastern Church considers Jesus’ resurrection—an event not described in the Bible. At Saint Barbara’s Church in Cairo, they found a painting in which the risen Jesus grasps the hands of other figures around him. Unlike the Western image of a solitary Jesus rising from an empty tomb that he viewed across Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the Crossans saw images of the resurrection depicting a Jesus grasping the hands of figures around him, or lifting Adam and Eve to heaven from Hades or hell, or carrying the old and sick to the afterlife. They discovered that the standard image for the Resurrection in Eastern Christianity is communal and collective, something unique from the solitary depiction of the resurrection in Western Christianity.
Fifteen years in the making, Resurrecting Easter reflects on this divide in how the Western and Eastern churches depict the resurrection and its implications. The Crossans argue that the West has gutted the heart of Christianity’s understanding of the resurrection by rejecting that once-common communal iconography in favor of an individualistic vision. As they examine the ubiquitous Eastern imagery of Jesus freeing Eve from Hades while ascending to heaven, the Crossans suggest that this iconography raises profound questions about Christian morality and forgiveness.
A fundamentally different way of understand the story of Jesus’ rebirth illustrated with 130 images, Resurrecting Easter introduces an inclusive, traditional community-based ideal that offers renewed hope and possibilities for our fractured modern society.
Traveling the world, the Crossans noticed a surprising difference in how the Eastern Church considers Jesus’ resurrection—an event not described in the Bible. At Saint Barbara’s Church in Cairo, they found a painting in which the risen Jesus grasps the hands of other figures around him. Unlike the Western image of a solitary Jesus rising from an empty tomb that he viewed across Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the Crossans saw images of the resurrection depicting a Jesus grasping the hands of figures around him, or lifting Adam and Eve to heaven from Hades or hell, or carrying the old and sick to the afterlife. They discovered that the standard image for the Resurrection in Eastern Christianity is communal and collective, something unique from the solitary depiction of the resurrection in Western Christianity.
Fifteen years in the making, Resurrecting Easter reflects on this divide in how the Western and Eastern churches depict the resurrection and its implications. The Crossans argue that the West has gutted the heart of Christianity’s understanding of the resurrection by rejecting that once-common communal iconography in favor of an individualistic vision. As they examine the ubiquitous Eastern imagery of Jesus freeing Eve from Hades while ascending to heaven, the Crossans suggest that this iconography raises profound questions about Christian morality and forgiveness.
A fundamentally different way of understand the story of Jesus’ rebirth illustrated with 130 images, Resurrecting Easter introduces an inclusive, traditional community-based ideal that offers renewed hope and possibilities for our fractured modern society.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2018
281 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
John Dominic Crossan
67 books294 followersJohn Dominic Crossan is generally regarded as the leading historical Jesus scholar in the world. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Birth of Christianity, and Who Killed Jesus? He lives in Clermont, Florida.
John Dominic Crossan was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1934. He was educated in Ireland and the United States, received a Doctorate of Divinity from Maynooth College in Ireland in 1959, and did post-doctoral research at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1959 to 1961 and at the École Biblique in Jerusalem from 1965 to 1967. He was a member of a thirteenth-century Roman Catholic religious order, the Servites (Ordo Servorum Mariae), from 1950 to 1969 and was an ordained priest in 1957. He joined DePaul University in Chicago in 1969 and remained there until 1995. He is now a Professor Emeritus in its Department of Religious Studies.
John Dominic Crossan was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland in 1934. He was educated in Ireland and the United States, received a Doctorate of Divinity from Maynooth College in Ireland in 1959, and did post-doctoral research at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1959 to 1961 and at the École Biblique in Jerusalem from 1965 to 1967. He was a member of a thirteenth-century Roman Catholic religious order, the Servites (Ordo Servorum Mariae), from 1950 to 1969 and was an ordained priest in 1957. He joined DePaul University in Chicago in 1969 and remained there until 1995. He is now a Professor Emeritus in its Department of Religious Studies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 5, 2022
John and Sarah Crossan examine ancient or medieval images portraying Christ's resurrection, and they note two kinds. One type portrays Christ rising alone in his great victory over death. The other shows Christ rising with others, taking Adam and Eve by the hand, treading upon the figure of Hades, bringing all the dead to life. As Matthew tells the story,
"The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of their tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many" (27:51-53).
Looking for the roots of these images requires far more than a Google search on the Internet. The Crossans must travel to ancient churches, monuments, or museums across Europe and the Mediterranean world. On page 86 they ponder,
"Where are we now, and what comes next? By the year 700, we have two divergent and competing direct images for the actual moment of Christ's Resurrection and the content of Easter's icon."
They date pictures and match them with stories, examining the evolution of Christian mythology. From the "Gospel of Nicodemus" (late 600s CE) we have
"Why do you marvel at the resurrection of Jesus? What is marvelous is not that he rose, but that he did not rise alone, that he raised many other dead ones who appeared to many in Jerusalem."
To me, this is akin to tracing the development of legends about Krishna. Aside from any concern about factuality, there is symbolism and strange beauty. From a work called "Pseudo-Epiphanius" (600s CE), we have Jesus speaking to Adam in the underworld:
"I command you: Awake sleeper! I did not create you for this, that you remain chained in Hades. Arise, my creation, arise my likeness, made in my own image. Arise, let us leave here. For you are in me and I in you, we are but one undivided person."
On page 57, the authors instruct the reader:
"Look for one last time at that Figure 3.7a, with its icons to the left and correlative relics to the right. If you look long enough and imagine deeply enough, you may eventually hear a sound muffled for us today by our lost sensibility to the incarnation of the spiritual in the material. That sound is the beating heart of Byzantine Christianity."
"The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of their tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many" (27:51-53).
Looking for the roots of these images requires far more than a Google search on the Internet. The Crossans must travel to ancient churches, monuments, or museums across Europe and the Mediterranean world. On page 86 they ponder,
"Where are we now, and what comes next? By the year 700, we have two divergent and competing direct images for the actual moment of Christ's Resurrection and the content of Easter's icon."
They date pictures and match them with stories, examining the evolution of Christian mythology. From the "Gospel of Nicodemus" (late 600s CE) we have
"Why do you marvel at the resurrection of Jesus? What is marvelous is not that he rose, but that he did not rise alone, that he raised many other dead ones who appeared to many in Jerusalem."
To me, this is akin to tracing the development of legends about Krishna. Aside from any concern about factuality, there is symbolism and strange beauty. From a work called "Pseudo-Epiphanius" (600s CE), we have Jesus speaking to Adam in the underworld:
"I command you: Awake sleeper! I did not create you for this, that you remain chained in Hades. Arise, my creation, arise my likeness, made in my own image. Arise, let us leave here. For you are in me and I in you, we are but one undivided person."
On page 57, the authors instruct the reader:
"Look for one last time at that Figure 3.7a, with its icons to the left and correlative relics to the right. If you look long enough and imagine deeply enough, you may eventually hear a sound muffled for us today by our lost sensibility to the incarnation of the spiritual in the material. That sound is the beating heart of Byzantine Christianity."
April 18, 2020
A remarkable book reporting results of meticulous, dedicated study over years beautifully illustrated.
Am I a Biblical scholar? No. Am I familiar with the Gospel of Nicodemus? No.
Even with those limitations, I was able to follow vicariously the manifold number of trips by this couple to study and examine carefully the varying depictions of the Resurrection of Christ.
I also appreciated the message of the book, especially this Easter 2020.
Kindle Purchased from Amazon
Am I a Biblical scholar? No. Am I familiar with the Gospel of Nicodemus? No.
Even with those limitations, I was able to follow vicariously the manifold number of trips by this couple to study and examine carefully the varying depictions of the Resurrection of Christ.
I also appreciated the message of the book, especially this Easter 2020.
Kindle Purchased from Amazon
August 30, 2021
Reminded me of a series of Lenten talks that I heard a few years ago - traces the history of iconographic representation of the Resurrection. The book was dry in presentation, but wonderful in photos. Thank you for the loan, my dear friend!
April 14, 2020
I wanted to like this book. Crosssan is normally insightful, creative, and fascinating in his analysis. However, I just could not get into this book as I have his others. I think it was an excellent undertaking since the differences in the understanding of the Resurrection between East and West is marked. But the text seemed stiff. Crosssan ignored the deeper mystical reasons and stayed to the art historical reasons.
As a Roman Catholic who is also a trained iconographer, I can tell you the reason that Byzantine Catholicism adopted the expansive, universal depiction of the Resurrection has more to do with their history of mysticism in general. When you read icons and your faith seeks to find depth in all things, the concept of a mystical universal Resurrection seems a no-brainer. Roman Catholics have a more literal and less internal understanding of the mysteries of their faith. They like relics and rosaries and outward prayer. The two expressions of the same faith led to both the great Schism and the vast differences in the way something like the Resurrection is seen.
As a Roman Catholic who is also a trained iconographer, I can tell you the reason that Byzantine Catholicism adopted the expansive, universal depiction of the Resurrection has more to do with their history of mysticism in general. When you read icons and your faith seeks to find depth in all things, the concept of a mystical universal Resurrection seems a no-brainer. Roman Catholics have a more literal and less internal understanding of the mysteries of their faith. They like relics and rosaries and outward prayer. The two expressions of the same faith led to both the great Schism and the vast differences in the way something like the Resurrection is seen.
November 28, 2021
An interesting history about how two different images of Christ's resurrection developed and how one became the common image in Eastern Christianity and one became the dominant image in Western Christianity. The images are the resurrection (anastasis) in the East of Christ raising Adam and Eve from Hades versus Christ alone rising from the tomb in the West. Crossan argues that both images are found in history East and West but the West moves in one direction and the East in the other. There are variations in the two images but eventually they become fixed in the East and West. The West will rename the East's Anastasis image as the descent into Hell or the harrowing of hell, but the East holds to the title Resurrection - a lifting up of humanity from the dead ones. The West will move from images of Hades (place of the dead) to Hell where the dead are tortured. The East has the risen Christ grasping Adam and sometimes Eve's arm, but the West will generally not portray Christ touching Adam or Eve. The East will have Christ bringing humanity into His divine glory (represented by the mandorla) which the West keeps a separation between Christ and humans. The East has Christ standing on personified Hades or Death while the West keeps Christ distanced from them or spearing them. Crossan makes the point that the Greek New Testament texts do have Christ rising along with the dead ones (plural) while often in English translations following the Western images Christ is rising from death or from the dead but not raising the dead ones.
April 14, 2018
This was one of those books that catches your eye in the new book section of the library. The title and subtitle promised an interesting subject in these days after Easter. The book presents the account of the author and his wife as they examine the illustrations of Christ’s resurrection and determine how and when they moved from an Eastern concept of a universal resurrection to the traditional Western concept of an individual resurrection. Their travels took them to libraries and monasteries and ancient churches in Europe and the Middle East as well as in Russia. His findings were shared through numerous photographs of the illustrations mentioned so that the reader could see what they found. The research was fascinating but the use of non-Biblical sources as a foundation for his position which seemed to favor the Eastern concept of the universal resurrection made me a bit skeptical when it came to finding his conclusions believable. It was interesting to read only because it introduced me to things I had never heard before. That being said, he did not convince me that his thesis was valid because he started outside of the Bible and and based his conclusions on illustrations and tradition rather than on Word of Scripture.
April 12, 2022
Was recommended this book through Richard Rohr’s “The Universal Christ.” This book is really enlightening and shows the difference between Western Christianity’s individual resurrection and Eastern Christianity’s universal resurrection through historical art. As someone only really ever knowing the individual side, it was interesting hearing a different perspective that makes you really contemplate what the resurrection (and Easter!) is about.
March 17, 2020
Although more a pictorial history of resurrection from the ancient church it is a great study on this subject which might just help us see this event with new eyes
April 30, 2018
The title of this book is misleading as it's not really a question of who "won" and who "lost" the Easter vision, but a difference in visual interpretation of the resurrection of Christ. "Vision" is an accurate word, though, as the book is full of beautiful color photographs of religious icons, mosaics, statues, paintings that the Crossans took on numerous trips to the Middle-East. Crossan emphasizes that this is a book, not with pictures illustrating the text, but rather with the text commenting on the images.
The difference between visual representations of Christ rising from the tomb are that in the western church, Christ is more often portrayed rising as an individual, whereas in the eastern tradition, he is usually portrayed with hands outstretched and grasping the hand of Adam, Eve often behind him, and sometimes pulling souls from beneath the tomb, flames shooting forth as symbolic Hell.
Crossan argues that the second interpretation is the earlier one and more closely reflects the Christian Judaism of the New Testament. The issue is one of whether Christ's resurrection is relevant for all of humanity, or for only part of humanity, true believers, the view favored by the Western church.
Does it make a real difference which version is accepted, or is this just an exercise in aesthetic pedantry? Crossan, who has emphasized the humanity of Christ in his other works as opposed to Christ's divinity, sees the "universal" resurrection in what could be called evolutionary terms. He sees it as "a parable of possibility and a metaphor of hope for all of humanity's redemption. Even though Christ is crucified for his nonviolent resistance, this Crucifixion and Resurrection imagery challenges our species to redeem our world and and save our earth by transcending the escalatory violence we create as civilization's normal trajectory."
To visually make this point, near the end of the book Crossan shows a photograph of a parade of Soviet military might in Red Square. In the background is St. Basil's Cathedral which has on a wall a mosaic titled "The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ." It is of a universal type, Christ grasping the hand of Adam as he stands on the gates of Hades surrounded by a multitude. The implication is clear; is the earth evolving into a non-violent "heaven", or is it sliding back into a "hell" of an ever-increasing use of violence and force? In these terms, Crossan urges us to take a hard look at the core meaning of one of the world's great religions.
The difference between visual representations of Christ rising from the tomb are that in the western church, Christ is more often portrayed rising as an individual, whereas in the eastern tradition, he is usually portrayed with hands outstretched and grasping the hand of Adam, Eve often behind him, and sometimes pulling souls from beneath the tomb, flames shooting forth as symbolic Hell.
Crossan argues that the second interpretation is the earlier one and more closely reflects the Christian Judaism of the New Testament. The issue is one of whether Christ's resurrection is relevant for all of humanity, or for only part of humanity, true believers, the view favored by the Western church.
Does it make a real difference which version is accepted, or is this just an exercise in aesthetic pedantry? Crossan, who has emphasized the humanity of Christ in his other works as opposed to Christ's divinity, sees the "universal" resurrection in what could be called evolutionary terms. He sees it as "a parable of possibility and a metaphor of hope for all of humanity's redemption. Even though Christ is crucified for his nonviolent resistance, this Crucifixion and Resurrection imagery challenges our species to redeem our world and and save our earth by transcending the escalatory violence we create as civilization's normal trajectory."
To visually make this point, near the end of the book Crossan shows a photograph of a parade of Soviet military might in Red Square. In the background is St. Basil's Cathedral which has on a wall a mosaic titled "The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ." It is of a universal type, Christ grasping the hand of Adam as he stands on the gates of Hades surrounded by a multitude. The implication is clear; is the earth evolving into a non-violent "heaven", or is it sliding back into a "hell" of an ever-increasing use of violence and force? In these terms, Crossan urges us to take a hard look at the core meaning of one of the world's great religions.
April 10, 2019
This is a really fun book to read! And don’t be fooled by the title into thinking that this is a strictly a book about religion. It is so much more than that. It is part art, history, theology, and travel book, with the feel of a detective story, lavishly illustrated, and full of interesting stories about how the authors conducted their research, made serendipitous discoveries, and assembled their evidence. It is not without its dark moments, such as the realization that a very helpful priest in Syria was later murdered by ISIS. Having said how much fun this book is, it is still a serious book of interpretive and scholarly analysis. The husband and wife team of Dominic and Sarah Sexton Crossan searched churches and archives throughout the Middle East and Europe in search of images depicting the Resurrection. Dominic Crossan is a scholar of high standing, who has written exegeses on Jesus, Paul, the early church, and more. He has also appeared on numerous television shows and documentaries over the last three decades. I am not as familiar with Sarah Crossan’s work. They chart the changes in the interpretation of the Easter over the course of two millennia. They show the changing definition of the underworld from hades to hell in Western imagination, the emergence of the individual and bodily resurrection of Jesus, and how the Eastern and Western Christian churches developed two rival visions of the meaning of the Resurrection. In the East, Easter is celebrated as a universal experience with Jesus lifting up all of humanity, past, present, and future with him. In West, Easter is much more an individualistic experience. Jesus is resurrected, but individuals will go to heaven or hell according to their own actions. Previous depictions of Jesus lifting up those in hades/hell as part of the universal resurrection were downgraded to capturing the moment of his descent to hell before the Ascension to heaven. The book ends with a powerful argument for a return to the universal viewpoint as an opportunity to bridge divides that are the source of so much hatred and violence in the modern world.
May 7, 2019
The key to the overall understanding of Crossan's thesis is contained in the title: "How the West Lost and the East Kept the Original Easter Vision". The extensive inclusion of actual photos of both Western & Eastern art of the "Anastasis" or "Resurrection", along with detailed explanation & commentary bolsters that thesis, and should serve as a wake-up call & incentive to Western Church denominations to study & accordingly restate their theology of the practical meaning of the Resurrection in the lives of Christians. Crossan hints at the far wider implications of the reality of the Resurrection of Jesus in terms of humanity, its tendencies from the beginning down to the present, and what may be in store for humankind in the future. The last three pages, and their photos, are very powerful & should speak volumes, especially to an American audience faced with who-knows-what from the current "dictator" in the White House, allied with the current dictator in the Kremlin.
This book wasn't always easy for me to follow. Crossan isn't, IMHO, a great writer, but he does a creditable job. He isn't always immediately clear in what he's trying to explain, though usually further down the line the reader can figure it out.
The illustrations are breathtaking & remarkable, and the 15 or so years which the Crossans spent in putting this book together is most admirable. Many non-Christians will find it interesting, and I think it should be a must-read for at least every mainline Christian.
This book wasn't always easy for me to follow. Crossan isn't, IMHO, a great writer, but he does a creditable job. He isn't always immediately clear in what he's trying to explain, though usually further down the line the reader can figure it out.
The illustrations are breathtaking & remarkable, and the 15 or so years which the Crossans spent in putting this book together is most admirable. Many non-Christians will find it interesting, and I think it should be a must-read for at least every mainline Christian.
July 4, 2019
I had no idea what to think of this book when I ordered it from the library, but I ended up loving it! I knew pretty much nothing about Orthodox iconography, so I was reading the book as a complete novice, but I learned so much. The book is an exploration of icons of Christ's resurrection and theology that they display over the centuries. Interspersed among the information and pictures of the icons as well as the theology that they represent are stories about how the authors were able to visit each site and a bit of history about each site. I strongly recommend this book.
October 2, 2018
Beautiful illustrations! This book is about the history of the common view of the events after Jesus' death. I had no idea that there was a dichotomy here, but the Crossans explain fully, and show the development of one idea that eventually changed over into something quite different which has left a bit of a rift between the Eastern and Western versions of Christianity.
Plus, lots of art!
Plus, lots of art!
April 13, 2018
Interesting read. Part art history. Part travel diary. I knew nothing about resurrection art before reading this book. By the end I was identifying the components of the images with the authors. I also found some of their travel stories rather interesting.
April 29, 2019
Very good evidence in the progression of resurrection theology. Explains the Harrowing of Hades concept and universal resurrection.
April 17, 2018
This is a truly amazing book: part travelogue, part art history, part theological investigation. The authors take readers on a tour of Easter iconography, from both the Latin West and the Greek East. Along the way, we look at excerpts from relevant texts that influenced the development of the iconographic traditions that are showcased in the wonderful illustrations.
The theological investigation part of the book deals with the Resurrection of Christ AND with the resurrection of the departed who were raised together with him (according to the Christian Testament and other early Christian writings). In the West, the teaching about a universal resurrection of the dead on Holy Saturday/Easter Sunday has been almost forgotten, but in the East, the teaching is alive and well -- and more in harmony with the Judeo-Christian background of the Christian Testament than its Western counterpart.
The book received 4 stars from me, instead of 5, because the final chapter proved to be a bit disappointing. I was hoping for a culminating discussion about the ancient and venerable teaching of apokatastasis (universal reconciliation at the end of time), but instead, I was greeted by a political discourse about nonviolent resistance to oppression (which is a good thing, in and of itself, but it's not a viable solution for all people in all times and climes). The authors would like to convince us that all empires are totally evil, but that's not entirely true -- and neither is it true that all democracies are good. All political systems have their advantages and disadvantages, but that's beside the point of this book (or rather, it should have been).
So overall, this was a good read -- very educational, very enlightening. Just be sure to take the political views of the authors with a grain of salt. :)
The theological investigation part of the book deals with the Resurrection of Christ AND with the resurrection of the departed who were raised together with him (according to the Christian Testament and other early Christian writings). In the West, the teaching about a universal resurrection of the dead on Holy Saturday/Easter Sunday has been almost forgotten, but in the East, the teaching is alive and well -- and more in harmony with the Judeo-Christian background of the Christian Testament than its Western counterpart.
The book received 4 stars from me, instead of 5, because the final chapter proved to be a bit disappointing. I was hoping for a culminating discussion about the ancient and venerable teaching of apokatastasis (universal reconciliation at the end of time), but instead, I was greeted by a political discourse about nonviolent resistance to oppression (which is a good thing, in and of itself, but it's not a viable solution for all people in all times and climes). The authors would like to convince us that all empires are totally evil, but that's not entirely true -- and neither is it true that all democracies are good. All political systems have their advantages and disadvantages, but that's beside the point of this book (or rather, it should have been).
So overall, this was a good read -- very educational, very enlightening. Just be sure to take the political views of the authors with a grain of salt. :)
April 4, 2022
This is a fantastic book.
The premise of the book is that within the tradition of art surrounding the resurrection of Christ there are two distinct types of resurrection images. One he calls the individual resurrection tradition, the other the universal resurrection tradition. The individual resurrection tradition most characterizes the Western Church and the universal resurrection tradition is represented in the East.
Early in the history of the church (the first millennium) we have both of these traditions are represented, but as we move into the second millennium, the West adopts the individual tradition and the East the universal. The Crossans examine this history and trace the development in a marvelous visual way. They take us to little known locations and display wonderful pictures to help us see this development. Occasionally, the photos are too small to show the detail needed, but often I could find the work online and enlarge and follow. Occasionally not.
But Resurrecting Easter is more than a visual history. Crossan makes a case for the tradition he feels best represents the Easter tradition expressed in the Gospels. His conclusion is that the true Easter vision is represented by the universal resurrection tradition that is dominant in the East.
I won’t try to reproduce his argument in this review but I will leave you with some of his observations...
Read the whole review: https://thetempleblog.com/book-review...
The premise of the book is that within the tradition of art surrounding the resurrection of Christ there are two distinct types of resurrection images. One he calls the individual resurrection tradition, the other the universal resurrection tradition. The individual resurrection tradition most characterizes the Western Church and the universal resurrection tradition is represented in the East.
Early in the history of the church (the first millennium) we have both of these traditions are represented, but as we move into the second millennium, the West adopts the individual tradition and the East the universal. The Crossans examine this history and trace the development in a marvelous visual way. They take us to little known locations and display wonderful pictures to help us see this development. Occasionally, the photos are too small to show the detail needed, but often I could find the work online and enlarge and follow. Occasionally not.
But Resurrecting Easter is more than a visual history. Crossan makes a case for the tradition he feels best represents the Easter tradition expressed in the Gospels. His conclusion is that the true Easter vision is represented by the universal resurrection tradition that is dominant in the East.
I won’t try to reproduce his argument in this review but I will leave you with some of his observations...
Read the whole review: https://thetempleblog.com/book-review...
July 23, 2022
This books work really well if you want a picture book of famous resurrection artwork. It also works really well if you want a travelogue of the authors pilgrimage visiting places where the artwork can be found. If you want a detailed discussion of how resurrection artwork changed over time in response to changing liturgical practices and evolving theology through the ages this book isn't really that great. He makes some excellent points about that subject in the final chapter but through most of the book he just shows the changing trends in artwork while seeming to express frustration that it took so long for people to come up with new or more modern representations while holding back discussion of the theological implications as if it were an attempt to build suspense.
So in the end I really liked some of the art pictured and I enjoyed the the theological discussion in the last chapter, but I feel like I would have been better served if he had co authored the book with an art historian and a church historian who knew the liturgical and theological practices that surrounded the artwork he discussed and could have brought more meat to the discussion instead of it being a kind of thin travel log.
So in the end I really liked some of the art pictured and I enjoyed the the theological discussion in the last chapter, but I feel like I would have been better served if he had co authored the book with an art historian and a church historian who knew the liturgical and theological practices that surrounded the artwork he discussed and could have brought more meat to the discussion instead of it being a kind of thin travel log.
April 11, 2024
The art is beautiful, the arguments fascinating, and the travelogue detailing how the Crossans managed to track down certain obscure Anastasis images throughout Eastern and Western Europe is a super cool behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to be a religious art historian. This all makes up for the fact that the organization of the book is rather haphazard, and the tone a bit dry and repetitive. Thankfully, the final two chapters pay off on the building question of what this all means, even for the nonreligious; e.g., what is hopeful about the Eastern Anastasis vision (as understood by the people of the time and place in which it arose) in terms of human evolution—understood here as the development of consciousness and (so-called) civilization. The Crossans' call for nonviolence and exploration of what collective/universal salvation meant to the early Christian world reframes a lot of the past 2,000 years for me. An original and valuable work of history and theology.
June 7, 2020
I added this book to my daily devotions this Easter season and what a great read it was! Bible scholar Crossan and his wife share--and show--the ways that Jesus' resurrection was depicted in early Christian art, noting the growing shift as the West favored Jesus' resurrection as an happening simply to Jesus while the Easter showed the resurrection for what it means: Jesus raises all of humanity (represented by Adam and Eve) when he arises.
The book is written in a sort of "detective" story kind of way, as husband and wife detail how they pursued and unravelled their tale.
A superb and important read!
The book is written in a sort of "detective" story kind of way, as husband and wife detail how they pursued and unravelled their tale.
A superb and important read!
June 28, 2020
One thing I like about Crossan's books is that he tends to lay out the evidence, then draw his conclusions, so that you can look at the evidence and draw your own conclusions. This book is a preeminent example of this. What was the view of the Christian Church on the resurrection and who it saved? He goes to the images produced from the earliest he can find through about the 1400s that depict the resurrection, especially in relation to the fate of human souls, and prints them so you can see them too. I agree with his conclusion that universalism was the original Christian teaching. Worth getting out of the library if the subject is of interest to you.
October 19, 2019
This was not the book I was expecting. The title and description mask the fact the entire book is a description of travels and analysis of various icons and art to determine the nature of how the Resurrection was illustrated in the east and west. Unless you are well-versed in art history or a similar discipline, the main thrust of the content (the East-West tension on the universality of the resurrection) is completely lost.
Two stars because I would bet this is the right book for the right person. But not for me. I skimmed most of it.
Two stars because I would bet this is the right book for the right person. But not for me. I skimmed most of it.
April 18, 2021
Phenomenal Crosson study of resurrection art through the centuries, tracing the split.been the.universal resurrection conception of the eastern church and individual rising.of Jesus.in the.western church. It.provided.me with a more expansive.pictire.of what the phrase ." He descended into hell " means . The pictures are incredibly well reproduced which accounts for the $50+ price for the print copy. The quality is just as high in the Kindle version.at the.price of.jist over $1.00. No excuse for missing out on this gem.
April 26, 2022
A fascinating explanation (and travel journal) of the difference between Eastern and Western depictions of the Resurrection. I didn’t always follow the details of their points and was confused by the changing labels they used for different types of depictions, but I did find their points compelling, particularly the last two chapters, and the icons, mosaics and reliefs pictures sumptuous.
I wished they had talked more about the theology behind the differing images and why they thought they arose. Could it be the Roman influence in the West?
I wished they had talked more about the theology behind the differing images and why they thought they arose. Could it be the Roman influence in the West?
May 18, 2019
As recommended by Richard Rohr. This is a fascinating and lavishly illustrated book, describing the Crossans' visits to numerous sites of the ancient Eastern and Western churches, to explore the thesis of their title. The Western church adopted an 'individual' typology of the Resurrection, in which Christ characteristically rises alone; while the East retained the more biblical and traditional idea that in his Resurrection, Christ brought with him the whole of humanity.
April 28, 2025
Fascinating analysis using images of Anastasis (Universal Resurrection) to trace when the Western church broke from the original Easter story to a focus on the individual resurrection of Christ. I'm not sure the authors fully explained how this change fully affected both traditions or they did and I didn't understand it. I must admit that Crossan's writings often go over my head. The last chapter, however, was a chilling and accurate prophesy of where we are now.
April 18, 2019
I wish I would have looked at the description more when I purchased it online. I probably would not have bought it if it was clear to me that it was an art book. While I found parts of it interesting, it really was not my cup of tea. I was really looking for something more in line with his other works.
June 20, 2019
A scholarly, yet beautifully presented search for the "true" representation of the Resurrection. I appreciate the very human authors inspiring call for us to decide whether we turn away from violence or embrace it to our own detriment. This is not just a research project but an exploration of mankind's struggle to define its destiny. Thank you Dominic and Sarah.
July 5, 2019
Visually, the book is beautiful and profound. I want to buy the book just to have access to the historical art and icons. From a written perspective, it is confusing and disjointed. Part theology and part travel journal. Would have been better if it was images and captions only.
January 10, 2022
Most of the book is pure research into the iconography of Mediterranean churches, which will be helpful to specialists in church history or art history. The last chapter is a plea for nonviolence, which is the section most accessible to laypersons.
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