Part 1
Bruce N. Fisk through the character of Norm, a recent religion graduate, illustrates a journey to discover the Jesus of History and the Jesus of Gospels. Inspired by philosophy and religion professors and authors, Norm sets out on a journey to the Holy Land to distinguish between “text and event” (15). Norm like his past professors of Biblical criticism is not convinced that every Bible story can be “taken at face value”, so he decides to find out who Jesus is (15). Norm cites that fellow academics have ventured to discover who Jesus was. He cites Wright, who conducted his journey out of his loyalty to the Scriptures to read the Gospels with more detail and perspective. Norm like Wright understands that one can’t avoid creating Jesus in his own image (18). This creation of Jesus in a particular image goes hand in hand with one’s ideology. Ideology delimits our views and interpretations. Norm’s quest is one the reader can relate to. Like Norm, the reader wants to determine his/her world view and what lenses they see Jesus with. Norm does not know “what sort of Jesus” he would find in the Holy Land, and he is not sure if the Jesus of History and Jesus of the Gospel are reflected in his image of Jesus (18). While on the plane, Norm has a conversation with a “hefty, scented lady” about Pliny, Nero, Trajan, and Josephus on the subject of 1st century Christianity and Roman History. He embarks on a discussion with Dorothy about the existence of Jesus and Christians outside of the New Testament. The discussion leads to a realization that the 1st century and 21st century were not so different. Norm comments on the attitude of governments towards religion, which he said “unchecked religion led to fanaticism and conflict” in the suspicious minds of the Roman government during Nero’s reigns as well as the Presidency of George W. Bush after 9/11 (30).
Part 2
Like Norm, being in this class I am trying to study the evidence of history and different cultures to decide how Jesus can be bent in any way one likes (16). Norm’s insight on the century parallelism got me thinking about my interterm class. We watched “Kingdom of Heaven”, in which Ridley Scott tried to use the pretext of the Crusades to provoke religious tolerance in the midst of the Iraqi War against Muslims and Christians. Scott presents that there are extremists on both sides, the Templars and Arab Knights, along with models of tolerance, King Baldwin IV and Saladin. Artists, writers, and film directors are still present how religion unchecked has the potential to lead violence. Norm sets out to find out how he can relate to the world of the 1st century to a 21st century perspective. His journey is just beginning as well as mine.
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