Who Was Jesus of Nazareth?

In Search of the Historical Jesus
A WisdomQuest Weekend Workshop
Feb. 3-5, 2023

What was the world of Jesus like?

Why was Jesus crucified?

Which sources tell us about Jesus?

What did Jesus actually say and do?

Considering how influential Jesus has been, it’s worth asking whether his example is approachable for us. How much of what we think we know about Jesus is fact, how much is metaphor? One way to answer this question is through historical research. Scholars have been in search of the historical Jesus for over 200 years. Yet few people today know what the scholars have found.

Come, be an historian for a weekend. We’ll survey this field of study and evaluate the evidence for ourselves. You’ll listen to mini-lectures and engage in lively discussions of both source material (biblical texts) and a few popular books on the life of Jesus. When we’re done you’ll have a fresh sense of who Jesus was as a person, and better understand why he remains important.

The plan for the weekend:

Friday evening (7-9 PM) — Getting Started

Who do you say Jesus is?
Who killed Jesus, and why?
Three facts about Jesus and his movement

Saturday morning (9:30-11:30 AM) — Background and Sources

The world in which Jesus lived
The Gospels as historical sources

Saturday afternoon (12:30-2:30 PM) — What Did Jesus Say?

Historical criteria for evaluating the sayings
The Jesus Seminar

Saturday afternoon (3-5 PM) — “Critical” Lives of Jesus Since 1778

The 1st Quest, 1778-1906
The 2nd Quest, 1953-1985
The 3rd Quest, 1985-2010

Sunday afternoon (1-3 PM) — A Contemporary Portrait

Marcus Borg, Jesus (2006)
Wrap up review and takeaways: Was Jesus “a freak”?

The workshop will be facilitated by Robert Neuwoehner, PhD, a biblical and religious studies scholar whose book, Moonlight Shines in the Darkness: A Psychosymbolic Reading of Jesus and the Feminine in the Fourth Gospel, is available online at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Christ’s Church members, $45; the general public, $55