Searching for the Historical Jesus

Who was Jesus of Nazareth? How does the historical Jesus differ from the Jesus Christ portrayed in the Gospels? In this course we will explore how early Christians remembered Jesus and shaped stories about him. We will read both canonical (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and non-canonical (e.g., Thomas, Mary, Peter) Gospels in their historical and literary contexts, with attention to Judaism, the Roman Empire, and Greco-Roman cultures. We will then examine how modern scholars use critical approaches to reconstruct the historical Jesus’s life. By comparing different portraits of Jesus in antiquity and today, we will consider why these interpretations are important for intellectual inquiry and public life. (How) does the historical Jesus still matter, and to whom? 3 hrs. sem.