The Other Jesus: Stories from World Religions by Todd Outcalt, Rowman & Littlefield
Photo Courtesy of Hacking Christianity
Historical Jesus
This rendering of a Judean man from Jesus's time, based on archaeological findings, is often used as an image for what the historical Jesus may have looked like.
INDIANAPOLIS – What most of us know about Jesus the Christ of Nazareth, we know from the four Gospels of the New Testament Scriptures. However, according to Biblical scholarship, there is much ancient literature about Jesus in non-canonical Christian texts as well as sacred and other texts from other religions worldwide.
The Rev. Todd Outcalt, author of The Other Jesus: Stories from World Religions, accepted the challenge of collecting samples of these text from a variety of major world religions including Jewish, Muslim including Sufi, Taoism, Buddhism and other religions, which he compiled in his book. He also shows parallels between selected texts and the New Testament Scriptures.
Outcalt, a practical scholar and seasoned author, leads Calvary United Methodist Church in Brownsburg, Ind., as its senior pastor.
In his book, he begins with non-canonical Christian texts, such as the Gospel of Thomas, and compares and contrasts them to canonical Gospel texts. He also includes texts from some of the early church fathers, such as Clement, Irenaeus, Origen and other historic leaders of Christianity, and their comments about the being of Jesus including so-called sayings of Jesus.
Following this foundational work, Outcalt systematically moves through the major faiths chronologically with stories about Jesus captured in the literature of the world’s major religions. He begins with Judaism with the works of Josephus and his Antiquities of the Jews and then continues to move on with noted rabbis through history parallel to early Christianity.
I found the book was a slow, sometimes tedious read, but well worth the venture. He assists the reader in placing parallel texts side-by-side rather than just referring the reader to them, so the book becomes a just sampling of what Outcalt calls “the other Jesus.”
I was profoundly enlightened and impressed with Outcalt’s tedious work to present a Muslim view of the person and teachings of Jesus. Outcalt believes “any exploration of Jesus in Islam must begin here (with the Qur’an) – as the Qur’an contains much information about Jesus, who is known as Isa. Likewise, Islam gives Jesus a place of high honor and respect – he is regarded as the most important prophet prior to the arrival of Muhammad (the last prophet)…” Outcalt lists 16 specific texts of the Qur’an referring to Jesus.
The Other Jesus
Cover of Todd Outcalt's book.
He continues with the stories of Jesus present in the internal discourses of Islam known as Hadith. “Hadith is conversation attributed to Muhammad,” he writes. In Hadith, one finds Jesus alongside Moses, David, Solomon, Job and even John the Baptizer. In Islam, “Jesus was looked to as a prophet of love and reconciliation.” If the book stopped here, it would be worth the read. However, he continues with Taoism, Buddhism and other religions.
Outcalt begins and ends his book in the context of Albert Schweitzer’s The Quest of the Historical Jesus and Schweitzer’s frustration in trying to find a historical Jesus. Outcalt's book highlights a Jesus far beyond the confines of what most Christians are used to experiencing from a humble earthly servant to the all-powerful Creator. Outcalt writes: “These ideas, coupled with concepts from other cultures and times create a rich tapestry of iconography. Jesus – unlike any personality in history – can be many things to many people… There is a sense in which Jesus cannot be contained in any of these singular concepts—but raises above them and through them.”
In the last chapter, Outcalt goes beyond texts to include prose and poetry of this man Jesus, who transcends both time and cultures to be an inclusive individual known throughout time and history. The Other Jesus pushes one to rethink the breadth and scope of both belief and knowledge to come to know more about Jesus of Nazareth.
The Other Jesus is a highly recommended read, not only for pastors and other faith leaders, but also for laity who are interested in expanding their concepts of Jesus beyond the Gospel they are accustomed to reading. It’s not a light bedtime read, but well worth a deep and repeated reading.
The Rev. Dr. Daniel R. Gangler of Indianapolis is a retired clergy member of the Indiana Annual Conference, where he served as director of communications for the Indiana Episcopal Area. He is past president of the United Methodist Association of Communicators and of Religion Communicators Council.