Author : Joan E. Taylor Screen Reader : Supported Works with : Source : Status : Available | Last checked: 3 Hour ago! Size : 46,239 KB |
Jesus Christ is arguably the most famous man who ever lived. His image adorns countless churches, icons, and paintings. He is the subject of millions of statues, sculptures, devotional objects and works of art. Everyone can conjure an image of Jesus: usually as a handsome, white man with flowing locks and pristine linen robes.
But what did Jesus really look like? Is our popular image of Jesus overly westernized and untrue to historical reality?
This question continues to fascinate. Leading Christian Origins scholar Joan E. Taylor surveys the historical evidence, and the prevalent image of Jesus in art and culture, to suggest an entirely different vision of this most famous of men.
He may even have had short hair.
“[What did Jesus Look Like?] is a rich and lavishly illustrated adventure
into a vexing historical question.” - Biblical Theology Bulletin
“Joan E. Taylor holds a well-deserved reputation as an eminent scholar of the historical Jesus, and this book will increase readers’ appreciation for her perceptive analysis and research… a beautiful and highly recommended book.” - Catholic Biblical Quarterly
“In this beautifully written, lavishly artistic, and appealing book, Taylor (King's College London, UK) challenges readers to reappraise their mental picture of what Jesus looked like … By tracing the artistic development of Jesus to the archaeological findings of the period, Taylor demolishes the customary and culturally recognized Jesus in favor of a more realistic picture of Jesus's physical appearance. Summing Up: Highly recommended.” – CHOICE
“Taylor’s gorgeous book can be recommended for university classrooms as a text useful for studies of Christian iconography, or the history of ideas about Jesus.” – Reading Religion
“What Did Jesus Look Like? is significant for all who are interested in Christian history and faith […] Each time I flipped through it and beheld the pieces of art, I was flooded with memories of my own experiences involving images of Jesus. Time and again, I felt like Holmes’s comrade, Dr. Watson. With each turn of the page, I was astounded as Taylor took historical clues and transformed my confusion into clarity.” – The Christian Century
“An exceptionally grand book … a survey so rich in textual illustration and artistry that by the time the reader has made it through to the end of the book their only utterance is a quietly whispered ‘wow’ breathed out in awe … This book is genius. A term I am not used to using of books, or most authors and scholars. But here it applies to both book and scholar. Pure genius.” – Jim West, Swinglius Redivivus