Fifteen Eighty Four

As we step into the second quarter of the 21st century, the landscape of Christianity is undergoing a seismic shift. While Europe and North America have long been seen as the heartlands of Western Christianity, these regions have more recently witnessed a steep decline in religious adherence. In contrast, Asia, Africa, and Latin America are experiencing a remarkable surge in the number of followers, with global Christianity growing by over half a billion believers in just 25 years. In a changing world, this transformation raises compelling questions about the future of Christianity and, importantly, the enduring significance of Jesus – who is by any standard the most influential individual in human history.

In response to these profound cultural and demographic changes, The New Cambridge Companion to Jesus emerges as a timely and essential resource for anyone interested in understanding the wide-ranging significance of Jesus today. Building on the foundation laid by the original Cambridge Companion published in 2001, this new volume acknowledges and explores the global reorientation of what Jesus means. As The Economist provocatively put it in 2015, “The future of the world’s most popular religion is African,” highlighting the urgent need to re-examine how we study and understand Jesus in a global context.

Bridging Then and Now

One of the standout features of this Companion is its attempt to integrate traditional with fresh approaches. It firmly upholds the conviction that Jesus cannot be adequately understood through the lens of ancient history alone. Instead, it embraces a dynamic interplay between the so-called “historical” Jesus and the living, “historic” global reality of 2,000 years. This reciprocal relationship ensures that both the past and present are integral to comprehending Jesus’s enduring impact.

The book explores critical developments over the past two decades, with distinct chapters dedicated to themes such as race, decolonization, the continuing challenge of the Jewishness of Jesus and the shifting structures of power and poverty within global Christianity. These topics are not just academic; they resonate deeply with the current experiences of believers around the world, making the Companion a relevant and engaging read for both scholars and curious general readers.  The New Cambridge Companion to Jesus develops a rich tapestry of perspectives that seek to do justice to his followers’ expanding worldwide footprint.

The historical foundations of Jesus’s life and ministry require nuanced portraits, rooted in first-century Jewish life and tradition while exploring his transformative teachings and actions. The Companion progresses from here to the accounts of Jesus in the New Testament and the early centuries, shedding light on how the Gospels and Paul’s letters shaped the profile of Jesus as Messiah, eternal Word, and Saviour of humanity.

Embracing Diverse Traditions and Interpretations

Material and artistic expressions of Jesus’s legacy are another part of this Companion’s rich portfolio. From early Christian relics and liturgies to contemporary visual arts and music, contributors offer insights into how Jesus’s presence has been manifested and celebrated by various media throughout history.

Among the multitude of voices from different cultural contexts is a chapter on how the Qur’an portrays Jesus, highlighting the Islamic tradition’s unique perspective. Similarly, scholars from Latin America, Africa, South and Southeast Asia examine the understanding of Jesus in these parts of the world, as part of the rich diversity of Christian expression worldwide.

Ethics, Theology, and Modern Scholarship

But in addition to historical and cultural analysis, the Companion wrestles with ethical and theological reflection about Jesus’s influence on modern Christian practice and thought. His place in Christian ethics is illustrated through practices like care for the poor, forgiveness, and self-giving. Other chapters explore the theological implications of Jesus’s identity and his role in the Church and in the sacraments.

Meanwhile, modern Jesus scholarship itself has long since become the object of critical analysis in its own right. The Companion’s examination of that enterprise advocates a more modest and self-aware scholarly approach, sensitive to both the historical and contemporary footprint of Jesus’s significance.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Jesus

The project’s compelling conclusion synthesizes these various threads, considering the future of Jesus in a world of historical change and challenge. The enduring impact of Jesus is found in his abiding identity – bridging past and present, material history and transcendent hope, the reassurance of tradition and the newness of redemptive change. This furnishes an all-embracing, multifaceted lens that queries narrowly linear conceptions of time and highlights in the person of Jesus a definitive transformation of history, culture, and what it means to be human. Very nearly two millennia after his followers first encountered the risen Jesus, and as their numbers continue to grow and develop globally, this comprehensive and eternal perspective becomes ever more crucial – raising a question of which he is both the beginning and the end.

Join the Conversation

The New Cambridge Companion to Jesus is thus no mere scholarly tome: it offers an invitation to engage with one of history’s most influential figures in the context of today’s globalized world. Whether for seasoned theologians, for students of religion or of Christian history, or simply for anyone curious about the evolving role of Jesus, this Companion invites fresh conversations by offering an exciting and beautifully illustrated array of insight and discovery.