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Hebrew Christians V Jesus of Rome by Richard J. Gibbs 322 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #03-1966; ISBN 1-4120-1589-8; US$25.99, C$34.00, EUR22.10, £15.32 New research sheds fresh light on early Hebrew Christianity. Reveals why the heritage of Christian Jews was silenced. Jesus-and the rival messiah of Rome-prophecies of Virgil.
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About the Book
A new approach to the early history of
Christianity to the fourth century.
Beginning with a revealing study of
God's purpose for the Jews and for
mankind. It explores in depth the origins
of religion and the virtually unknown
(unmentioned) conflict between the
destiny of Rome from Virgil and the
destiny of the Jews from the Bible. A
detailed examination of the civil laws of
the Jews is contrasted with traditional
religions, giving remarkable new insights
into the beliefs and practices of the first
Hebrew Christians.
It explores the unlikely conversion of
Constantine, the surprising true origin of
his amazing sign and it's role in the
restoration of his church. To understand
Constantine and his church, we need to
understand Virgil. The book then
questions how far the church adopted
Christianity as the earliest disciples knew
it, and how far the early faith was
knowingly replaced by Constantine's
religion, and why. It explores the conflict
between discipleship and church as two
distinct systems, one chosen by Jesus,
the other a long standing Roman
tradition. It re-examines the life and
teachings of Jesus based on a Hebrew
perspective and the relevance of
Christianity today and provides an
outline for tomorrow based on the
hitherto unknown teachings of the early
disciples. It also takes a compelling new
look at the question of the divinity of
Christ in the light of Hebrew beliefs in
contrast to the influence of Virgil.
Along the way, the book discusses a
number of crucial themes, such as the
real identity of Joseph Arimathea, the
other name of John the Baptist, and the
possibility that Jesus was known by
several different names in his own time.
It also reviews (and answers fully) the
new persecution of Christianity, the
church * state question, and the many
new theories and criticisms aimed
against Christianity in the post modern
world.
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About the Author
Richard J. Gibbs migrated to Australia from Wales in 1968. He now lives in Tasmania where he recently gained a BA (Hons) in sociology and Public Administration. He has worked on this book for eleven years folllowing his complete commitment to Christianity. His search for greater understanding of the earliest authentic teachings has covered a vast area including translation of Hebrew and Greek texts. His journey for truth has taken him through culture, history, language, politics and religion of the Jews, Greeks and Romans, and a comprehensive study of Christianity itself.
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Sample Excerpts or Table of Contents
Introduction from Hebrew Christians Versus Jesus of Rome
Christianity is a phenomenon that has changed the world in many ways. It
has influenced the law, culture, politics, work, international relations,
community life and values, education, the economy and the family in
every corner of the world. It has caused wars and has preserved peace.
However, in every age there have been arguments and debates over
doctrine and belief. Debates have been contested over the role and duties
of Christians and their leaders. Even over the purpose of Christ and the
meaning of his mission. The debates in old times as much as in the
present day revolve around who he was, what he meant and what he was
trying to do. Today, enthusiastic dissenters talk about the relevance of
Christianity in a post modern, multicultural, globalised society. The
subject of Christianity has perhaps spawned more written words and
heated debates than any other subject in human history.
In recent years, rather than the debates becoming more settled,
Christianity seems to be under increasing assault from every angle. There
are numerous discussions, challenges, accusations, theories and demands
concerning Christianity. Almost everything about it is again being
questioned, and as always, everything about Christianity is being refuted
by one source or another. Did the miracles really happen, was Jesus really
born of a virgin, was he God? Was the Bible a secret code? Were there
secret sects of the initiated few? Even if these questions could be settled
once and for all, there are multitudes of activists who claim that it doesn't
matter. That Christianity is just another outmoded religion that no longer
bears any relevance to the liberated, sensitive, new age, self actualizing,
spiritually aware individual.
I believe that Christianity still has great relevance for individuals and for
humanity, and that there is no viable alternative, no greater hope of peace
and goodwill, forgiveness, understanding and compassion. There is no
more logical or rational explanation of the condition of mankind. There
are no better reasoned solutions to our various sufferings and tragedies.
The problem is that in the face of so much debate, dissent, opposition and
criticism of Christianity from the very beginning, it is not easy to discern
what exactly Christianity is. Especially in the light of so many variations
of belief, behaviour and teaching within what is called Christianity. There
is a world of difference between the old Christian orthodoxy, the
Catholic, the liberal Anglican, the Pentecostal, Adventists, Brethren,
Baptists, Methodists, Latter Day Saints, Presbyterians, Quakers, and
Lutherans to name but a few. Indeed increasingly, it seems, there are
wider and wider variations within each division of Christianity. There are
extremes of orthodoxy and fundamentalism, together with ecumenical,
liberal and permissive tendencies coexisting in many of the same
mainstream branches of Christianity. Who and what is to be believed
among so many diverse ideas?
It seems to me that in the earliest days, although there were debates and
discussions about what Christianity meant, the range of theories was far
smaller. They centered mainly on whether or not Christians should fully
adopt all Jewish practices. Whether the end of days was near, had already
passed or was yet to come. Discussions also centered on whether a
convert was free to sin, having been redeemed and no longer bound by
the written law. The early Apostles seemed to know very well what
Christianity was, what it meant and how a Christian should live
henceforth. They had a powerful conviction based on the direct teachings
of Jesus, backed up by a thorough knowledge of the Old Testament. In
more modern times, and perhaps because of the continuous debates and
controversies within the Church, answers are more difficult to find, and
are often contradicted by other branches of the church, or by other Church
leaders of a different persuasion. Answers in the present day also appear
to lack sufficient conviction, fail to present compelling evidence or
conclusive argument and are unable to end the debates effectively.
Why, then, did Christianity become so vague, so diverse, so broad and
permissive of such a wide range of often conflicting beliefs? I believe that
Christianity as we know it is so far removed from the original intent and
teaching, that it is almost impossible to reconcile what Christianity has
become with what its creator envisaged. The answers are no longer there
conclusively simply because Christianity is no longer what it was
intended to be.
After more than nine years of full time study on which my life depended
absolutely, I believe there are events which happened in the early years of
Christianity which have never been disclosed. Those events, some of
which reach over four hundred years, resulted in a cataclysmic change to
Christianity. The end, no less of the original Hebrew faith of Christ and
the emergence in its place of an entirely different theology and practice
which took the name of Christianity. That substitute religion was the life
blood of Rome since 40BC. It was restored after silencing and eradicating
the Hebrew following of Christ, the Rabbi and substituting in its place the
old college of priests of the senate of Rome and all the theology of
Virgil1. The result of this political and cultural deception became what we
know as church. The religion which this substitute faith perpetuates,
although claiming the heritage of Christ and the Jewish scriptures, is
emphatically Roman in every aspect. As such, it does not, and indeed
cannot proclaim the same faith, the same purpose, the same meaning as
believed and taught by Jesus and the Apostles who based all their
understanding on their Hebrew heritage.
The purpose of this book is to explore and discuss how, when and why
Hebrew Christianity was completely consumed and dissolved by the old
religion of Rome. To outline the enormous changes and consequences
which this cultural genocide caused. To explain as far as possible what
Christianity originally meant from the perspective of the first Hebrew
converts. Along the way, I hope to provide some insights into the
relevance of Hebrew Christianity for the present time.
The book will begin with a synopsis of the problems facing Christianity
today, an overview of what is happening to undermine the faith in so
many ways. It will progress, I hope logically and chronologically to
describe from historical, cultural, scriptural and political sources why
Christianity was necessary and how, and why it was all but eradicated in
the fourth century. It will also describe what Christianity was replaced
with.
Whatever your interest in Christianity, this book will open up new
understanding of the origins, meaning and purpose of Christianity. It will
also show why so many people throughout history have fought so hard to
suppress, change, silence or eradicate it. Finally, this book adopts a
completely new approach to the study of Christianity. Rather than take all
the traditions for granted and studying Christianity as a religion, it takes
the unusual method of enquiring as to what God intended to do and why,
and therefore what approach he was most likely to adopt for his quest to
save mankind from itself.
For the most part of the last 2000 years when we think of Christianity we
think essentially of a non Jewish religion. In fact Christianity has tended
to be strongly anti-Jewish for most of its history. In recent years this
model has been challenged, not least because of the widespread publicity
concerning the gruesome inhumanity of the "final solution" of the Nazi
holocaust. It was no longer socially or politically acceptable to remain
anti-Jewish. Religious sensibilities proved more resistant to change, but
eventually even Christians had to think twice and choose their words
carefully when speaking of the Jews. Concurrent with modern
humanitarian and multi-cultural sensitivities (political correctness) we are
only recently beginning to realise that there was actually a time when the
Christian faith was entirely Jewish. Yet our understanding of what this
earliest Christianity must have been like is all but lost.
From the fourth century especially, Christianity was so ferociously anti-
Jewish, almost all traces of Jewish Christianity were systematically
purged from Christian history. Even favourite characters of the New
testament were given Romanised names, to separate them from their
Jewish heritage, culture, and beliefs.
Two great rival systems
This book offers a completely new look at the origins of Church as a
system and explores the crucial but virtually unknown 400 year political
and cultural war for the title "savior" between Israel and Rome7. This
book reveals why the church passionately continued the Roman tradition
of vilifying the Jews after it allegedly became Christian, and why the
church suppressed and denied the Jewish origins of Christianity for
almost 1600 years.
Catalogue Information
