This Tragic Gospel: How John Corrupted the Heart of Christianity

Praise for This Tragic Gospel

"Louis Ruprecht is an expert reader of gospels and tragedies. He is also aggressive in a fight, and here the opponent is John. But the cause is good, and Ruprecht defends the anguished heart of Mark′s gospel with rare, inconsolable faith."
Kathleen Roberts Skerrett, Associate Dean, Grinnell College

"Ruprecht transforms not only the way we view the gospel of John, but also (and perhaps more important) the way we view the synoptic gospels. He offers one essential solution, especially for Christians in these tragic political times, to the very real problem of Christianity′s inherent and often underexamined biblical triumphalism."
Lori Anne Ferrell, Professor of Early Modern History, Claremont Graduate University

"[Ruprecht′s] insights provide a portrait of layered insight into Christian origins that will appeal to believer and skeptic alike."
Bruce Lawrence, Professor of Islamic Studies, Duke University, and author, The Qur′an: A Biography

"Louis Reprecht takes a fresh look at the New Testament with the tragic vision of an ancient Greek and he see things many seem now to have unfortunately forgotten. Religion needs to be discussed, not shouted about; a dialogue, not a rant."
Mike Lippman, Assistant professor, Classical Studies, Rollins College

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

1. In the Beginning . . . : The Modern Quest for Christian Origins.

2. The Heart of Christian Compassion: The Prayer in Gethsemane.

3. Mark′s Tragic Gospel: The Birth of a Christian Genre.

4. From Tragedy to Triumph: John Against Mark.

5. Secret Caves and Secret Teachings: The Shaping of Christian Orthodoxy.

6. Martin Luther and the Beloved Disciple: How the Gospel Turned Evangelical.

Epilogue.

Notes.

Selected Bibliography.

About the Author.

Index.

Louis A. Ruprecht Jr. holds the William M. Suttles Chair in Religious Studies at Georgia State University and is an active member of the American Academy of Religion, the Society for Biblical Literature, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, and the Society for Values in Higher Education.

Despite the subtitle of this book, which some general readers may find alarming, Ruprecht′s argument is well reasoned and reflects concerns not new to scholars and Bible translators. The author, who teaches religious studies at Georgia State University, places in juxtaposition the gospels of Mark and John, suggesting that John was written not to supplement Mark′s book, but rather to replace it and create a more strident, less human portrait of Jesus. Ruprecht dissects the two gospels and shows how the Johannine influence has prevailed in Christian history, in particular with reformers like Martin Luther. He also explores how John′s gospel may have fed into the centuries–old plague of anti–Semitism in the church and beyond. In contrast to the self–assured Jesus described in John, Mark′s Jesus is conflicted and ambiguous, working miracles but commanding those he healed not to tell anyone. And where (in Ruprecht′s view) Mark sees Jesus′ suffering as without purpose, in John suffering was itself the purpose. Although Ruprecht′s ideas may surprise and discomfit nonspecialists, they deserve a read and are accessibly presented. (Aug. 8) ( Publishers Weekly, April 28, 2008)