This anthology brings together historic readings on Jesus from Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism in one volume. The volume provides fresh translations of important texts, 'Key-Issues' introductions, notes, questions for discussion and guides for further reading. Each set of readings ends with a reflection from a leading scholar in the field.

• General Introduction


• I: Jesus in Judaism: The Classic Texts


• Jewish Perceptions of Jesus: Key Issues


• 1: Nachmanides' Debate: Dangerous Times for Jews


• 2: The Talmud: The Rejected Disciple


• 3: The Talmud: A Teacher of Jewish Law


• 4: The Nizzachon Vetus: The Bible Testifies Against the Deity of Jesus


• 5: Isaac of Troki, Faith Strengthened: The Church - Not Jesus - is the Heretic


• 6: Letter of Rabbi Jacob Emden: Jesus: Jewish Evangelist to the Gentiles


• 7: Moses Mendelssohn, Letter to Johann Caspar Lavater: Reasons for Jewish Silence on Jesus


• 8: Abraham Geiger, Judaism and its History: Jesus: An Unoriginal Pharisee


• 9: Kauffman Kohler, Jesus of Nazareth: Jesus: Forerunner of the Reform Jew


• 10: Claude Montefiore, The Synoptic Gospels: The Value of the Gospels for a Jew


• 11: Claude Montefiore, The Synoptic Gospels: Jesus: A Prophet


• 12: Joseph Klausner, Jesus of Nazareth: Jesus: Destroyer of Culture and Nation


• 13: Leo Baeck, "The Gospel as a Document of History ": Jesus on Jewish Soil


• 14: David Flusser, Jesus: No Sentimental Love


• Closing Reflection


• Questions for Discussion


• Guide for Further Reading


• II. Jesus in Islam: The Classic Texts


• Muslim Perceptions of Jesus: Key Issues


• 1: The Qur'an: The Miraculous Birth of Jesus


• 2: The Qur'an: The Mission of Jesus


• 3: The Qur'an: The End of Jesus' Life?


• 4: The Qur'an: Right and Wrong Responses to Jesus


• 5: The Qur'an: A Final Word from the Qur'an


• 6: Sahih Bukhari: Jesus in the Hadith


• 7: The Muslim Jesus: The Ascetic Jesus


• 8: Al-Tabari, The History of al-Tabari: Jesus and the Powers of God


• 9: Al-Tha'labi, The Tales of the Prophets: Jesus in the Graveyard


• 10: Al-Razi, al-Tafsir al-Kabir: A Rationalist Examines Christian Claims about Jesus


• 11: Al-Ghazali, The Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names of God: Jesus: A Mirror of God


• 12: Jalal al-Din Rumi, The Mathnawi: Jesus and the Fool


• 13: Al-Busairi, Qasidah Burdah: On Praising a Human Being


• 14: Ibn al-Arabi, The Bezels of Wisdom: Realising God


• 15: Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-azim: Who Died on the Cross?


• 16: Ghulam Ahmad, Jesus in India: Jesus in India


• 17: Ghulam Ahmad Parwez, Islam: A Challenge to Religion: Jesus and Non-violence


• 18: A Common Word Between Us: Jesus Between Us and You


• Closing Reflection


• Questions for Discussion


• Guide for Further Reading


• III. Jesus in Hinduism: The Classic Texts


• Hindu Perceptions of Jesus: Key Issues


• 1: Rammohan Roy, Answer of a Hindoo: Jesus was a Unitarian


• 2: Rammohan Roy, The Precepts of Jesus: A Divine Teacher, Not Atoner


• 3: Keshub Chunder Sen, Lectures in India: Jesus, The Ideal Son


• 4: Keshub Chunder Sen, Lectures in India: Repudiate the Little Christ


• 5: Dayananda Saraswati, Satyarth Prakash: Jesus: Simple, Honest and Ignorant


• 6: Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: Mystical Experiences of the Universal Jesus


• 7: Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: Jesus is like Ramakrishna


• 8: Vivekananda, The Preface to the Imitation of Christ and Christianity in India: Jesus vs. His Christian Followers


• 9: Vivekananda, Christ, The Messenger: Jesus Was Oriental


• 10: M.K. Gandhi, The Message of Jesus Christ: Jesus is the Property of the World


• 11: M.K. Gandhi, The Message of Jesus Christ: Christ Has Yet to be Born


• 12: Aurobindo Ghose, Essays Divine and Human: Jesus' Message Continues to be Ignored


• 13: Aurobindo Ghose, Essays on the Gita and Savitri: A Legend and A Symbol: An Avatar of Sorrow


• 14: Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Eastern Religions and Western Thought and East and West in Religion: An Eastern Seer


• Closing Reflection


• Questions for Discussion


• Guide for Further Reading


• IV. Jesus in Buddhism: The Classic Texts


• Buddhist Perceptions of Jesus: Key Issues


• 1: Fabian Fucan, Deus Destroyed: Jesus: Son of a Dubious Deity


• 2: Ouyi Zhixu: The Founder of a Passive Religion


• 3: Thuken Chökyi Nyima, The Crystal Mirror: Jesus: A Teacher of Morality


• 4: The Carpenter-Heretic: A Demon in Disguise


• 5: Migettuwatte Gunananda, A Full Account of the Buddhist Controversy Held at Pantura: Birth Omens Compared


• 6: Anagarika Dharmapala, "An Appreciation of Christianity ": A Man Between Egoism and Universalism


• 7: Tanabe Hajime, The Demonstratio of Christianity: Jesus: Absolute and Relative


• 8: Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki, An Introduction To Zen Buddhism: Obliterating God Consciousness


• 9: Sheng Yen, "Further Discussion of the Similarities and Differences between Buddhism and Christianity ": A Man Tortured by Contradictions


• 10: Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, The Good Heart Closing Reflection - Donald S. Lopez, Jr.: The Good Heart of Jesus


• Closing Reflection


• Questions for Discussion


• Guide for Further Reading


• Acknowledgements


• Index