The Jesus Myth: A Psychologist’s Viewpoint
By: Chris Scott - Christian Alternative, $11.95
Description: The Jesus Myth: A Psychologist’s Viewpoint is a look at the nature of myth as a carrier of deep truth and that we all have our own internal myths about ourselves and life.
Exploring what was and is meant by the term Messiah, both in the 1st century and now, Here is a book bursting with common sense and inspiration, written by someone who has known life in all its rich complexity. It is a book that has to be read by all those who dare to ask for more [Revd Dr Terry Biddington FRSA, Dean of Spiritual Life, Winchester University].
Verdict: Simply put, if you are looking to have your spirituality challenged, and if you are of the mindset that a good, honest, well thought out, well balanced conversation (nay, educational and informative debate) is just what your beliefs currently need, well, welcome to the book that you have been waiting so patiently for.
As a whole, and just to get us all on the same page (no pun intended), the Christ myth theory (in its acorn), also known as the Jesus myth theory, Jesus mythicism, or the Jesus ahistoricity theory, is the view that the story of Jesus is a piece of mythology, possessing no substantial claims to historical fact.
Compiled of aging beliefs of conventional, Church-taught Christianity alongside both old and new conversations, and which along the way get embodied by Carl Jung (a man influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy, psychology, and, of course, religious studies) and Joseph Campbell (who coined the term The Monomyth, and which is commonly referred to as The Hero’s Journey), Scott delivers his fresh-reading approach to the subject matter both succinctly and, importantly, passively.
Allowing time along the way for the reader to pause for personal reflections and considerations, The Jesus Myth: A Psychologist’s Viewpoint is most definitely a thought-provoking treaty, and one where the author even encourages these aforementioned readers, who might already not be wholly on board with Jesus, as a whole, that following in some of his more righteous footsteps wouldn’t be the worst idea.
About the Author - Chris Scott is a retired priest and psychologist/psychotherapist living in Winchester and an honorary chaplain to Winchester University.
He worked in parish and chaplaincy work, and also as an organizational consultant and trainer in the NHS. His main area of interest is in human growth and development, and those areas where religion and psychology interact and complement one another.
Official Book Purchase Link
www.JohnHuntPublishing.com