Christ in Conflict: Lessons from Jesus and His Controversies

We often imagine Jesus as the ultimate peacemaker, as one who saw all sides and kindly overlooked differences of belief or practice. The Gospels say this was not so.Jesus drew sharp lines. He disagreed with many. He rejected being broadminded on avariety of topics. He engaged in vigorous debate, especially with several different groups of religious leaders. What conflicts did he have?

• He argued that we would experience a supernatural afterlife, that our natural existence is not all God has ...