A bit thick for such a thin book, but worth it

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	• The Philosophy of Jesus Peter Kreeft St. Augustines Press, 2007 - 160 pages average customer review:based on 5 reviews view larger image
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A bit thick for such a thin book, but worth it

This book is not as clearly written as some of Kreeft's other works, but is worth the effort if you are interested in considering Jesus as the Way/Truth/Life. Through somewhat muddled writing, KReeft brings to life some real home run ideas concerning Jesus' approach to life, knowledge and ethics. The ideas in the book are 5-star, but the writing is 3-star, thus the 4-star rating.

Tiny book; HUGE questions and answers

Kreeft asks the big questions--what is?, how can we know what is real?, who are we?, and then, how should we live? He points out that "philosophers have thought profoundly about these four questions for over two millennia. Why have they not found answers that are adequate, final, and universally acknowledged?" (p 9)

He finds answers in the philosophy of Jesus, and compares those answers to those that are found in other religions and by other philosophers.

Against the God of the Christians who declares "I AM" there stands the many gods of Hinduism. Kreeft finds it significant that the "East never developed a morality or a politics of human rights" (p 121). The Hebrew God was a God of absolute goodness who instituted a covenant with his people. He was infinite love.

As for what we must know and be, that is also answered by Jesus. We must know ourselves and God, and to know God we must pray.

Buddhism seeks to overcome "the reality of the subject-object dualism" (p 71). Philosophers have fallen into the trap of either materialism or pantheism. Only in Christianity and in learning to become little Christs are these problems solved.

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Not so interesting...

Though well written, too much sexual allegory seeps into the pages and creates a strange image of God. A worthy attempt at Logic but at times steered away from Truth due to extra-Biblical doctrines suited only for the Catholic church.

Not a dry book on philosophy, but a great read

George W. Bush in a presidential debate when asked who was his favorite philosopher, remarked "Jesus." He was roundly criticized for this at the time on multiple levels. Many thought it was a silly answer showing his ignorance and others that it was demeaning of Jesus. Peter Kreeft in his new book The Philosophy of Jesus explores Jesus as philosopher and explores his philosophy.

As Peter Kreeft states in the front of the book the audience for this book is both the Christian and non-Christian and I would say that the book achieves this admirably. It is also a book for both those trained in philosophy and those who know little or nothing on the subject. He defines the terms he uses along the way to ensure he leaves nobody behind. This book is also not full of technical philosophical or theological language and though while at times some of these terms are used his writing is very clear.

The book is divided into four major chapters:

* Jesus' Metaphysics (What is real?)
* Jesus' Epistemology (How do we know what is real?)
* Jesus' Anthropology (Who are we who know what is real?)
* Jesus' Ethics (What should we be to be more real?)

One of the hardest things to teach is to teach something that somebody already believes he knows. As Christians we accept the incarnation, but after a time we can talk about these mysterious things in a monotone. Peter Kreeft in his writing shows none of this tendency and presents Jesus and his teaching in fresh ways that once again invokes how you felt when you first started to believe. It is hard not to get excited once again as you read this book and for a book that deals with philosophical subjects you will be surprised how fast you are swept into the book, as if you were just doing some recreational reading from on of your favorite novelists.

This book is not the overt apologetics such as his outstanding Handbook of Christian Apologetics, but it certainly does show the philosophy of Jesus so that the non-Christian can understand it in a non-combative style and that the Christian will see the deeper dimensions of Jesus the philosopher.

So don't let the title throw you off, this is not a dry text on philosophical subjects, but a book certainly to nourish you.

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