The Lost Religion of Jesus: Simple Living and Nonviolence in Early Christianity
From All Creatures Book and Video Review Guide

Author: Keith Akers
Introduction by Walter Wink

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Publisher:

Lantern Books
One Union Square West
Suite 201
New York, NY 10003
www.lanternbooks.com

Retail Price:

$20.00 US

About the Book:

Jesus’ preaching was first and foremost about simple living, pacifism, and vegetarianism; he never intended to create a new religion separate from Judaism. Moreover, Jesus’ radical Jewish ethics, rather than a new theology, distinguished him and his followers from other Jews.

It was the earliest followers of Jesus, the Jewish Christians, who understood Jesus better than any of the gentile Christian groups, which are the spiritual ancestors of modern Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches. In this detailed and accessible study, Keith Akers uncovers the history of Jewish Christianity from its origins in the Essenes and John the Baptist, through Jesus, until its disappearance into Islamic mysticism sometime in the seventh or eighth century.

Akers argues that only by really understanding this mysterious and much misunderstood strand of early Christianity can we get to the heart of the radical message of Jesus of Nazareth.

We have thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Religion of Jesus, and have been very impressed with the research and dedication that went into its writing.  It is the most comprehensive work we have seen on early Jewish-Christianity and it goes a long way in filling in the historical gaps in our written history as well as answering many Biblical questions.  Keith Akers clearly presents the fact that there were several doctrinal paths leading from Jesus and the early church fathers, and that its final canonization had some political influence affecting it. While we disagree with some of Keith Akers conclusions as to the extent of such political influence, this book convincingly presents how practiced Christianity has distorted Jesus' original message of simple living, peace, and non-violence, as presented in the Bible.  We highly recommend The Lost Religion of Jesus. ~Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman

“Other scholars have explored this field and several significant studies have been published, but none of them has the impact this one has.... Akers presents nothing less than an entire recasting of Christian origins, as well as a whole new conception of Christianity.”—Walter Wink

About the Author:

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Keith Akers is the author of A Vegetarian Sourcebook: The Nutrition, Ecology, and Ethics of a Natural Foods Diet. He lives in Denver, Colorado

 

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