The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth - Softcover

Jefferson, Thomas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0486449211 ISBN 13: 9780486449210

Publisher: Dover Publications, 2006

Synopsis

"Question with boldness even the existence of a god," Thomas Jefferson asserted, "because if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear." America's third president regarded Jesus as a moral guide rather than a divinity, and in The Jefferson Bible, he highlights Christ's ethical teachings from the Gospels. Discarding the scriptures' supernatural elements and dogma, this volume reflects the deist view of religion, focusing on Jesus' message of absolute love and service.
Jefferson undertook his self-appointed task in 1794, consulting not only the King James Bible but also Greek, French, and Latin versions. He selected verses from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and arranged them in chronological order to form a single narrative. Although Jefferson shared his interpretation with friends and family, he declined to publish it, in keeping with his conviction that religion is a private matter — and also to avoid providing his political enemies with ammunition. Not until the turn of the twentieth century did the book appear in print, when it became a tradition to present it to new members of Congress. Unique and influential, this volume reflects not only the thinking of one of the nation's most brilliant statesmen, but also the ideology of the Enlightenment era.

About this title

From the Publisher:

Akashic Books presents a thought-provoking series of early writings from United States Presidents, starting this season with George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, and moving chronologically forward. Each slim book offers an introduction and additional commentary by a groundbreaking contemporary writer. This series is unlike any other Presidential commentaries in print, and is characterized by a critical viewpoint that will provide a counterpoint to the more staid analyses that have traditionally accompanied Presidential writings.

From the Inside Flap:

Thomas Jefferson believed that the pure-principled teachings of Jesus should have been separated from the dogma and abuse of organized religion of the day. This led him to recast, by cutting and pasting from the gospels, a new narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0486449211
• ISBN 13: 9780486449210
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 96