Table of Contents

Preface Introduction: The Shore and the Current Mix and Match Religion Navigating the Current The Quest of the Historical Jesus The Rules of the Game The Quest Begins Quest II Quest III The Jesus Seminar Three Pictures on a Wall The Jesus Seminar Criteria of Authenticity The Hidden Assumptions of the Jesus Seminar How Reliable Is the New Testament as a Historical Document? The Nature of the New Testament New Testament 101 Are the Manuscripts on Which the New Testament Depends Reliable? How Reliable Are Hand-Copied Texts? How Do Historical Details in the New Testament Compare with Ancient History? The Main Characters of the New Testament The New Testament, a Primary Historical Document What Can We Know about the Jesus of History? The Scandal of Equating Jesus with God Was the Early Church Responsible for the Scandal? Is the Portrait of Jesus in the Gospels Trustworthy? Further Evidence in Favor of the Historicity of the Gospels The Roar of a Cowardly Lion Did Jesus Consider Himself God? The Self-Consciousness of Jesus Is the Key A Window into Jesus' Soul Rabbi Jesus -- in a Class by Himself The Authority of Jesus' Teaching The Authority of Jesus in Supernatural Matters The Authority of Jesus over Nature The Authority of Jesus to Reorder Social Relations Why Was Jesus Executed? Jesus' Understanding of the Significance of His Death The Witness of the Gospel of John to Jesus' Messianic Self-Consciousness The Particularity of Jesus' Relationship with God Taking Stock of the Argument Jesus -- the Savior of the World New Creation in Christ Jesus, Savior of Both Jews and Gentiles The Testimony of John The Cosmic Reach of the Savior's Arm The Grand Surprise Can the Gospel Compete in a Pluralistic World? The Gospel in a Disintegrating World Not by Law Not by Caesar Not by Mystery Religions The Past as Prologue Is a Savior from Sin Meaningful in a Day of Moral Relativism? The Theory of Moral Relativism The Deflation of Sin A Tectonic Shift in Theology Radical Sin Demands Radical Grace Grace on Behalf of Others Three Effects of God's Grace in Christ The Divine Comedy The Gospel and Postmodernism The Hourglass of Salvation The Postmodern Dilemma Is Postmodernism a Postmortem of Christianity? The Drama of Salvation The Sending of the Son The Anointed One The Power of History One God, One Redeemer Does an Exclusive Savior Threaten World Peace? The Agenda of Soteriological Pluralism Why the Rush to Soteriological Pluralism? Grace: A Privilege of the Few, or a Gift to All? Those Who Were Far Off Have Been Brought Near Jesus, Redeemer of All Creation! Jesus, the Peacemaker of God How Should Christians Think about Other Religions? Your Call, Sir! Are They Really the Same? What Does the Bible Say about Other Religions? Are There Two Saving Covenants: One for Jews and One for Christians? Can People Be Saved Without Having Heard the Gospel? "Removing the Veil" The Mystery of the Incarnation The Incarnation and the Meaning of Life A Puzzle A Parable The Scandal of Particularity Index of Subjects Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Texts

About the Author

James R Edwards is professor of biblical languages and literature at Whitworth College, Spokane, Washington and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, USA.

Reviews

"Grounded in scholarship and common sense, this book lays out in brief compass why Jesus remains the only savior." D A Carson