The First Coming: How the Kingdom of God Became Christianity

Description

Sheehan, professor of philosophy at Loyola, argues that Jesus dispensed with literal gods and formal religions, preaching a Kingdom of God within. He did not regard himself as divine but was made Savior and Son of God by the church. To recover His Kingdom, we must realize that "God has disappeared into justice and mercy"; ours is "the worldly task of human liberation." Sheehan follows an argument long present in liberal theology, though one new wrinkle is his emphasis on Simon Peter's role in the misinterpretation of Jesus. Those interested in the ongoing efforts to reinterpret Jesus for the 20th century will want to read this scholarly book. (Title)......Page 3 Contents......Page 10 Introduction: How Christianity Came Into Crisis......Page 14 1. Liberal Protestantism and the Jesus of History (1800-1900)......Page 21 2. Rudolf Bultmann and the Christ of Faith (1920-1950)......Page 29 3. The New Quest for the Historical Jesus (1950 to Today)......Page 34 One: How Jesus Lived and Died......Page 40 1. The End of the World......Page 44 2. The Making of a Prophet......Page 60 3. The Kingdom of God......Page 68 4. God's Word at Work......Page 81 5. Rejection and Death......Page 88 Two: How Jesus Was Raised from the Dead......Page 100 Simon's Experience......Page 104 1. The Myth of Easter......Page 106 2. The Birth of Christianity......Page 112 3. An Early Formula of Faith......Page 121 4. The Denial of Jesus......Page 130 The Empty Tomb......Page 138 1. Easter According to Mark......Page 142 2. An Earlier Legend......Page 146 3. What Really Happened......Page 158 4. An Apocalyptic Messenger......Page 167 5. The Meaning of Easter......Page 174 Three: How Jesus Became God......Page 186 1. The Apocalyptic Judge......Page 194 2. The Reigning Lord and Christ......Page 203 3. The Divine Son of God......Page 217 Conclusion: Recovering the Kingdom......Page 230 Appendix......Page 240 Notes......Page 244 Selected Bibliography......Page 286 About the Author......Page 300