Lives of Jesus, Then and Now

In this seminar we will examine lives of Jesus from the earliest gospels to contemporary novels, tracing how changing times result in changing views. Though focusing on literature, we will also look at the ways artists of each period portray Jesus—including representations in contemporary cinema. From the earliest period we will look at a variety of gospels (Mark, John, Thomas, and the Protoevangelium of James); from late antiquity and the medieval world we will consider Augustine’s harmony of the gospels, the Gospel of Nicodemus, and examples of narrative art; the latter part of the course will focus on the “quest of the historical Jesus” and recent responses to it. 3 hrs. sem.