A compelling read from start to finish, The Jesus Papers reconstructs Michael Baigent?s 22-year long quest for clarity about Jesus, Judaism, Christianity, and the events that took place two thousand years ago. Carefully separating mythology from history, and speculation from known fact, and avoiding the sensationalism suggested by the book?s cover, Baigent presents a refreshing picture of Jesus as a human being who, though bred for a revolutionary role as ?King of the Jews?, chose to risk everything to ensure that people would not forget ?the Way? to the Kingdom of Heaven, or the ?Far-World? as Baigent calls it. Taking us back to sites that he has meticulously explored, studied and, in some instances, excavated for the first time, Baigent considers evidence for the Egyptian influence on Jesus?s teachings, his possible whereabouts during the missing years, and the possibility that he may not have died on the cross. Baigent even talks about a document he has seen, which suggests that Jesus could have been alive in 45AD. He leaves us with the impression that, if we make the effort to free ourselves from 2000 years-worth of dogma, superstition and deliberate deception, we may yet find something wonderful at the heart of it all.
336pp, 160mm x 240mm, illus. in colour, hardback, 2006