Familiar Stranger: An Introduction to Jesus of Nazareth

Familiar Stranger by Michael McClymond is a very readable introduction to that elusive figure known as “the historical Jesus” — his life, his world, his sayings and doings, accounts of his death and resurrection, and his followers’ efforts to understand him.

Three features set Familiar Stranger apart from the many other available books on Jesus. First, it’s targeted to general readers but doesn’t dumb down in its attempt to inform them. Second, it’s ideologically balanced, exhibiting a refre...