The Hidden Jesus: A New Life

As a Southern Baptist who has spent [1] the last 36 years as a professor in a Roman Catholic university and [2] the 69 years since his conversion wondering why he had never been able to experience the blinding, "born again" feeling of the Apostle Paul or Jimmy Carter or many other sincere Southern Baptists, I am delighted to report that the several hours I have just spent in absorbing much of Donald Spoto's wisdom have been very instructive. At this point, let me make one constructive criticism. Many of his sentences, like my first one in this review, are so long and complex that I had to re-read them before becoming comfortable with the content. On balance, however, this is a book that I will read again and again and will recommend it to my family and friends.

What a fascinating and exciting book! It's fascinating because at least in my some 16 years of Catholic education throughout grade school to high school and college an in-depth analysis of Jesus' life really wasn't part of the religious education; this book details enormously interesting details of the life of Christ. It's exciting because of the emphasis given and arguments for the presence of the risen Christ in our midst today, not just 2000 years ago. Do I disagree or have doubts about some of Spoto's assertions (was Christ really born in Bethlehem, did He have brothers and sisters, did He know He was God, did his parents know He was God, can one beleive in capital punishment and still be a Christian)? Clearly, yes, I disagree with some of his points. But there are no critical or essential points of the Christian faith(or Catholic faith for that matter) that are disputed by him. I do not for a second doubt the author's love and belief in the risen Christ "that the gospels proclaim". The greatest asset of this book is in it's elucidation of God's ever present love and compassion for us and how we find the "hidden Jesus" in our lives. This truly is a wonderful book that strengthens one's faith and love in Jesus Christ, our risen lord. Highly recommended!

This book can't be approached with the view of our childhood. The reader must either be knowledgable and comfortable with current biblical scholarship or allow Spoto's perspective to open their minds and faith.It is a beautiful poem and a wonderful homily that can open the reader to fuller expressions of what Jesus means for each of us and the world. His biblical exegesis is fresh and powerful. Not the quaint interpretations that have been repeated to us for centuries like a mantra. Spoto's interpretation is scholarly and refreshing. And, for those who realize that theology is the expression of life's meaning for us and is not just found in old interpretations, it offers new and rich horizons.

Standing applause for Mr. Spoto's effort. His previous oeuvre of celebrity biographies almost prevented me from picking it up, but as I read it I was entranced and ashamed at my prejudice. I found it hard to put down: a two day read. He not only deals systematically with the life of Christ but sheds light on a number of related issues showing how, for a Christian, Christology is central. The book is intellectually upright yet highly readable and unpretentious, and in my view superior in interest and execution to other fine recent efforts by A. N. Wilson and E.P. Sanders. As a reasonably well read layman, I found nothing theologically offensive in it, quite the contrary. He makes a splendid effort at describing the MEANING of Christ and the risen Christ, and all without the smell of the lamp or the academy. Highly recommended.

To the point and thoughtfu