Part I

In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus, Fisk starts out by introducing the main character, "Norm".  He was a religion major in college and is embarking on a journey to the Holy Land as a graduation present from his parents.  The purpose of his quest is to try to discover and examine the historical Jesus while still keeping faith with the Jesus of scripture.  His seatmates on the plane, a young boy and a heavy-set older woman greet him.  He finds that the woman, Dorothy, is actually quite sharp and proceeds to have an intellectual conversation with her about some Roman writers that Norm is reading about.  First is the story of Pliny, which most of the conversation is spent on.  The two then talk about Tacitus and Josephus as well and Norm discovers he can actually have quite a substantial conversation with this woman.  

Part II

 Norm and his steps leading up to his journey and find so many connections in the scripts.  The conversation between Dorothy and Norm brought into reality how some people would look at the situations; it helped to develop dual opinions on the situations discussed.  Norm is discovering that the tension between scholars based on faith and those based on history is high (27).  He will have to use the principles given to him by Guilder throughout his journey to analyze situations and readings (29).  

Part 1

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus entails the journey of a young college graduate named Norm and his trip to Israel.  Chapter one leads into background information about Norm and his views on religion through conversation with a neighbor on the plane.  Fisk introduces Pliny’s letter to Trajan and Tacitus as destruction and hatred to the Christian faith.  This is especially seen in Josephus’s writings that believe Jesus was a rumor.

Part 2

I always knew that Christians were being prosecuted in the Roman Empire but I was unaware how badly.  It wasn’t until Pliny’s writings to the emperor Trajan that I was aware how bad it was (23-26).  Pliny’s letters almost make Christians out to be worse than they actually are.  Pliny purposely puts in one of his letters to Trajan that Christians have banned all political associations.  They fear the Christians and there religious practices (26).  I wonder if I lived back in that time, if I would be able to hold onto my faith.  The journal format that Fisk proposes is out of the ordinary in good ways and bad.  In a good way it is a different way of reading the text and makes it more interesting.  In a bad way I get confused about what is going on.  I understand Norm’s thoughts but I do not understand the background of the passages.  I find that they are easier to understand if I look up the author and read a little about them but if I didn’t do some research I fear that I would be misinterpreting Fisk’s religion and philosophy.  The first passage of Pliny’s writings I was so confused about the purpose of it or why it was relevant to the book other than just a fun read (18).  It wasn’t until I looked up Pliny that I understood he is a reason the letters that he wrote to Trajan were so unique.  Pliny is an important figure because he was an honest man whose real thoughts about the suspicion of Christians were actually recorded and saved throughout thousands of years.

If you were a Christian back then and being tormented and ridiculed every day about your faith, do you think you would be able to keep it?  Or would you lose your faith?

 

Part I

In A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus, Bruce Fisk introduces the main character, Norm, who travels to the Middle East on a journey to study Jesus and maintain his faith at the same time (7). Norm embarks on his trip wishing to see sights and find information about his religion (14). The book takes the reader on the trip that Norm begins; with his books and luggage, Norm starts off his journey with reading from the letters of the Younger Pliny (18).The letters date very close to the time of Christ, incorporating the Roman Empire in researching early Christian life style. Norm talks with Dorothy, the woman he sits with on the plane, about his article; they agree and disagree along the way.

Part II

Fisk leads the reader through the flight Norm takes to the Middle East and the readings he has already annualized. When Norm sets out on his adventure, he notes important readings for his plans. The first reading, History of the Synoptic Tradition, discusses how the Gospels reveal nothing about Jesus as a physical being (15). These readings pose an interesting thought to keep in mind as the story continues and Norm’s research begins. Fisk also mentions three points that his professor Guilder suggested to him, Guilder’s Guiding Principles are concepts to keep in mind when researching history (29).  His Guiding Principles begin with methodological doubt, which looks at conclusions of a subject being capable of change (29). On Norm’s trip, I think it will be interesting to see if he changes ideas that he originally had about Christianity (29). Analogy is seen in this book as Norm compares past and present events on his adventure (29). As he travels and visualizes the different sights he goes to, correlation may also be noted; seeing the visuals from the Bible may draw connections between events and history (29).

1)      Bruce N. Fisk decided to present his work,  A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus, as a narrative as told by Norm, a recent college graduate travelling to the Holy Land to find the historical Jesus.  The first chapter begins with explaining Norm’s desire to travel as well as his desire to study this topic after being exposed to critic’s of Jesus by philosophers such as Bultmann, Reimarus, Strauss, and Wrede (15-18).  This exposes his want for the historical Jesus, which leads into the second half of the chapter in which Norm is in transit to the Holy Land reading works from Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Tacitus, and Josephus.  This exposes the idea that Jesus did exist and the culture surrounding him and the first and second century Christians (18-28).  Finally Fisk spends some time dealing with three tactics for analyzing a text presented by Troelstch.

2)      Because of the books “diary-like” qualities, it feels strange to read the subject matter in this way but it does do a good job of relating the problems encountered in religious studies that can cause problems.  I personally can relate to the questions brought up by taking New Testament courses that Norm experiences on page 16.  This kind of expierence can cause great pain yet great yearning for the truth which is what Norm is seeking. 

Part 1

Fisk begins his book off with Norm, the main character, on a plane headed to Israel. The chapter tells of his experience on the plane and his interaction with a female passenger sitting next to him, Dorothy. The two begin talking because Norm has pulled out a book of a famous Roman aristocrat. The book catches Dorothy’s eye, and she begins to ask Norm questions about it, his beliefs and the reason he is headed to Israel. Norm is a recent college graduate with a B.A. in religion. He studied Roman ideas about Christianity in college, which turns out to be the one of the main topics of their discussion. Norm is headed to Israel to test his faith, while Dorothy on the other hand seems to be a dedicated Christian who is looking to confirm her faith in Israel.

Part 2

The conversation between Norm and Dorothy is quite interesting. I found myself engaged in it and wondering how Norm would respond to some of her comments and questions because she challenged some of his comments and ideas. Norm’s situation was interesting as well. He talks somewhat about his life. He grew up in a Christian home it seems, but his parents were always very open minded about his curiosity. I cannot totally figure out Norm’s current religious views though. I feel like he is somewhat undecided in what he believes. He also talks of reading the works of Bultmann and Newbigin which also raises some suspicion. Overall I think the story is very intriguing so far. It is very different from anything else I have read mainly due to the way the book is set up. There are many side boxes, quotes of other texts, and notes of Norm. I found the “Dead Germans on Jesus” box quite interesting. It gave me an idea of what analytical and historical has been done on Jesus. I also did not realize how “young” this type of work has been going on. It has only been around since the 1700s. Up to that point people took the New Testament to be true, and not to be questioned. It was assumed that it was all fact, and before 1700, it seems you would be labeled and outcast if you questioned its legitimacy.

Part I
    
     In A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus, Fisk begins by telling the reader about a fictional representation of himself named “Norm”. The story is all about “Norm” and his journey to seek answers to his questions about the religious Jesus vs. the historical Jesus. In the first chapter, Fisk starts his journey from the very beginning…the arrival at the airport. He then goes on to discuss the conversations that occur between him and a fellow traveler named Dorothy, who was on a religious journey to confirm her faith. After Fisk introduces the writings of many influential scholars, such as Pliny, Tacitus, and Josephus, the chapter ends with his conversation with Professor Carpenter about Josephus.

Part II
                
     One of the aspects that I really appreciated in this book was how Fisk lays out his goal for the reader in the very beginning pages. He also starts off by reassuring the reader that the hardest step in studying the historical Jesus is to admit that there is a separate historical Jesus (15). Another thing that I found creative about Fisk’s writing was his use of modern day metaphors when explaining or relating things, such as the reference to puberty when discussing the time in a theological student’s studies when he realizes that some questions cannot be answered (17). By reading this after our Wednesday discussion, it also helped me to understand certain topics such as the Embarrassment Criteria, because Fisk explains it to Dorothy by using the writings of Tacitus as an example (31). I also found that I enjoyed the way Fisk discussed various scholars, such as Pliny and Tacitus who wrote about the hatred they had for Christians (21-31), and Josephus whose writings provide the best evidence about the existence of the historical Jesus (31), instead of just focusing on one specific writer.

Part I
    In chapter one of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus, Fisk introduces Norm, a recent college graduate embarking on his journey to Israel to learn more about Jesus.  Norm is a Christian seeking more knowledge and understanding about the historical Jesus compared to the Jesus that Christians have developed throughout the years. While on the plane to Israel, Norm is seated next to a hefty woman named Dorothy. Dorothy is also on a journey to meet her own religious desires, which strikes up a very interesting conversation between the two travelers.  Throughout their entire flight, Norm reads quotes from scholars including Pliny, Josephus and Tacticus.   By reading these quotes, it becomes very apparent that no one knows the "real" Jesus.  Dorothy has many questions and Norm does his best to answer them to the best of his knowledge.  Throughout this chapter, we are shown quotes from many scholars and Fisk explains them as Norm learns more throughout his search.

Part II
    I really enjoyed reading the first chapter of A Hitchhiker's Guide to Jesus.  Some of the quotes were difficult to understand, but I definitely picked up that the scholars didn't have a complete truthful idea of who Jesus was as a person.  On page 17, a quote from the scholar Gunther Bornkamm really interested me.  He states that faith cannot be dependent on the uncertainty of historical research.  What I got from this is that Bornkamm is saying that although finding out who Jesus really was historically as a person cannot affect the way a Christian views him because the differences are substantial.  While reading this chapter, I realized that there is no proof that the words that were said by Jesus were actually spoken by him.  Many stories and sayings of Jesus were formed and modified by the church, and I am very curious to learn about what Norm finds on his journey.   I feel as if I am very comfortable with my faith in Jesus and what I know about him thus far, but I, like Norm, am very interested in finding out more about him from a scholars point of view.  I am curious to see how I can relate historical facts to my own faith.

Part I
     Fisk introduces us to his journey to test his faith by reenacting "Norm's" flight to Israel, in which he met a woman named Dorothy who was on a mission similar to his own.  Norm and Dorothy share their ideas, and the thoughts of Pliny and other scholars, about Jesus as a historical figure and the mark he left behind on many of his followers. By reading the quotes of these scholars, we can see how difficult it is for theologians to decipher the truth out of the material that is discovered. Fisk introduces the reader to the idea that maybe not all that is known about Jesus is particularly true. Throughout this chapter we are introduced to the thoughts of many theological scholars and to Fisk's reasoning and intent behind this journey. 

Part II
        I enjoyed reading this first chapter by Fisk, as some aspects of it took me by surprise. A few of the scholars that he quotes throughout the chapter seem to doubt the validity of Jesus’ life, specifically the stories within the Gospels. One such quote that interested me was the one from page 17 by W. Wrede. This quote stands to be a reason in itself for Norm to embark on a journey to discover the historical Jesus. If, according to Wrede, the stories we have grown up believing are the truth, are said to be 'fairy tales', and the man we have been taught to follow is but a myth, why would anyone not want to know the history behind it? Fisk relates Norm's faith and the quest for the historical Jesus on page 27 when Dorothy states, “The Bible is a matter of faith. If we have the spirit it makes sense. If we don’t, it won’t”. Norm reports that he is somewhere between the incontestable faith of Dorothy, where everything good heard about Jesus must be the truth, and the constantly wary Bultmann and other scholars who demonstrate suspicion at every turn about the stories of Jesus’ life. I have to admit that I am on the same level as Norm was prior to his journey, as I have faith in Jesus and what I have been taught, although, I too can understand the biblical criticism of theological scholars. I am interested to see where Norm's journey takes him and look forward to understanding more about the history behind Jesus and Christianity through this book and be able to relate it to my own faith.  

Part I
            In A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus, Fisk details the exploits of “Norm,” a recent college graduate who embarks on a journey to Israel to learn more about Jesus and Christian origins.  The first chapter recounts Norm’s experiences on the plane.  As he enters into conversation with nearby passengers, Norm 1) notes that historical Jesus research has approached the gospels as faith documents rather than as accurate “historical” reports (Reimarus, Strauss, Wrede, Bultmann, Schweitzer) (15-18); 2) introduces Pliny’s letter to Trajan and Tacitus’ report of Christians dying under Nero as examples of Rome’s negative evaluation of Christianity; and 3) shows that the Jewish writer Josephus provides evidence that Jesus was a historical figure.

Part II
            As a college student, Norm majored in Religion and focused on New Testament studies.  His academic training exposed him to historical Jesus research, a field that raised questions for him as a person of faith.  With an interest in academic learning and a commitment to Christianity, Norm envisions his journey to Israel as a “quest” to determine “how the future is tied to the past,” or how his faith might be tested through an engagement with historical questions about Jesus (33).  Norm thus sees his trip as an extension of the academic development he received in college (16), an education that 1) exposed him to scholarship that challenged the veracity of the gospels (15-18); 2) made him question the possibility of objective reporting (22, 27); and 3) introduced him to the tensions between scholarly and faith-based approaches to reading the gospels (27).  On the plane Norm speculates upon his quest with trepidation and cautious optimism, hoping that he will be able to use his travel experiences to bridge the gap between the critical inquiry expressed in academic halls and the inspired celebrations found in church pews (17, 27).

Question: Why does the academic study of the New Testament and Jesus often represent a threat to people of faith?

1)   Bruce Fisk’s A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus is a fictional story about a man named Norm who is traveling across the world on a journey to challenge his faith. Throughout the first chapter the reader slowly begins to discover Norm’s motivation for the trip, he had studied religion at a university and is now interested in challenging his faith by studying the Gospels in the Holy land. During his fight over, he begins discussing his faith with the woman sitting beside him, who is also on a trip in relation to her faith. She asks him about research he had done on a few famous authors until they make it to their destination.

2)   The first chapter of Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus prepares the reader to go along side Norm on his journey. This chapter also helps the reader understand what Norm’s purpose is and sets you up for what to expect to learn from his journey. So far we learn that the trip is not going to be easy and that it is going to challenge the view of Christians such as Norm. This book will allow Christians to see a different side of Jesus than the image we have created of him.