This is based on sound scholarly research and uses a readable style and clear language. It sheds a penetrating light on how the NT came into being and looks at the implications of its inconsistencies and contradictions. It is only possible to pick out a few highlights and no space to describe the detailed, scholarly references, explanations and conclusions given. He speaks of the ‘existential differences’ between the gospels ‘not simply different stories. Here, Jesus is a different Jesus each time.’ The differences are delved into and laid bare and in the chapter on Oral Traditions, he gives an illuminating exposition on the reality of how stories develop and expand/change during oral transmission and the storyteller/writer’s own convictions and intentions. This is backed up by examples of carefully controlled experiments during the last century. Another compelling, and to some maybe disturbing, chapter is that on Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. He shows how the story of the trial breaks every rule concerning a Jewish trial. He then describes in horrifying detail what a Roman crucifixion was like, in the preceding flogging, in the actual event and in its aftermath. Forget any image you have from religious art. It was horrific beyond belief. The concluding chapter steps beyond the book’s sub-title to compare Jesus’ and Paul’s Christianity. It is titled ‘A Christianity Without Jesus’. The last paragraph opens thus: ‘Let me be very clear: what Paul proclaimed has nothing – absolutely nothing – to do with Jesus' message’ and continues ‘Everything Paul claims is based solely on his own vision...not the living Jesus and what he preached, not even marginally. One can rightly ask: Was Jesus a Christian?’ ~ Fred Pink - Progressive Voices 47

In what is a most gloriously styled book of insightful prose, all questions are asked, pondered and investigated in a concise, clear language that dutifully enables the reader to gain insight into the historical and literary contexts from which these texts emerged and how they have shaped all Western cultures, author William Van Peer opens with: What do we know of Jesus of Nazareth? The answers are not a great deal, in truth, but enough to still be able to form an image of him and his followers based mainly on the four Gospels. I mean, I grew up on the question as to whether Jesus was always the eternal Son of God or that He became the Son of God only when He came to earth. Side barring for a second, this is technically called the eternal generation of the Son, where two issues are involved: The relationship between the nature of the Father and the Son and The relationship between the ways they carry out their respective roles as members of the Trinity. That aside, what this enthusiastically-charged, magnificently-impassioned book seeks to do is examine the historical origins of the Gospels: where and when they originated, how they differ and how they influenced each other, who the authors were, what is known about their intentions, and which precursors of those texts are known. In closing, this book is aimed at interested readers who want to learn how the New Testament came into being and how it has moulded our worldly lives. Although it is based on sound scholarly research, Unbelievable seeks primarily to appeal to a broad audience by presenting a cultural history of the book that so deeply influenced and still influences Western societies. ~ Exclusive Magazine, Review