Rating: 
Summary: an interesting new approach
Review: 'The Meaning of Jesus' has seemed to take a new approach in its genre. This is most likely a result of the two mens friendship. It can be read by anyone without too much knowledge of the historical Jesus. NT Wright does use some intellectual language which might be frightening to some, but his point is not missed. Marcus Borg writes in plain old english which makes for easy reading without sacrificing to much meaningful content. This book is definitly an introduction and nothing written in it is new. It does cover many issues on several different topics. I'd reccomend this book to anyone who is casually interested in the case for the historical Jesus. I think you'll find it a very rewarding read.
Rating:
Summary: If you're going to buy one book...
Review: ...on the historical Jesus debate, this should be it.I've used this book in two of my seminary classes so far. It's rich in good scholarship, and both of these gentlemen are well respected in the academic world, but it doesn't get bogged down in technical language, so the lay person can still understand it easily. The idea of alternating chapters with the two scholars works perfectly, and they alternate who gets the first word and the last word on each topic, as well. I often found myself agreeing with one of the authors as I read his chapter, only to find myself agreeing even more with the other author in the very next chapter! Ultimately, I believe that neither side has the Truth completely figured out, and it will be much of this "give-and-take" that gets us closer to the heart of Christianity. I know that many people (myself included) believe that much of the truth of Christianity hinges on the resurrection, and both Borg and Wright do superb jobs in stating their opinions and arguments on that topic. The final topic, "Jesus and the Christian Life," serves remarkably well in tying everything together, as each author presents what meaning they find in their beliefs about Jesus. No matter what we believe about Jesus, if our beliefs don't inspire us to a changed, transformed life, then they are, in the end, worthless. Both Borg and Wright exhibit changed lives as a result of their experience with Christ. It is so beautiful how two friends with two (almost) opposite viewpoints can have such an honest, open discussion about a topic that is all too often very aggressive from both sides. Clearly, this is an issue that has important ramifications for those within and without the church, and, as such, it is crucial for both sides to begin being honest with each other. Peace.
Rating:
Summary: If you're going to buy one book...
Review: ...on the historical Jesus debate, this should be it. I've used this book in two of my seminary classes so far. It's rich in good scholarship, and both of these gentlemen are well respected in the academic world, but it doesn't get bogged down in technical language, so the lay person can still understand it easily. The idea of alternating chapters with the two scholars works perfectly, and they alternate who gets the first word and the last word on each topic, as well. I often found myself agreeing with one of the authors as I read his chapter, only to find myself agreeing even more with the other author in the very next chapter! Ultimately, I believe that neither side has the Truth completely figured out, and it will be much of this "give-and-take" that gets us closer to the heart of Christianity. I know that many people (myself included) believe that much of the truth of Christianity hinges on the resurrection, and both Borg and Wright do superb jobs in stating their opinions and arguments on that topic. The final topic, "Jesus and the Christian Life," serves remarkably well in tying everything together, as each author presents what meaning they find in their beliefs about Jesus. No matter what we believe about Jesus, if our beliefs don't inspire us to a changed, transformed life, then they are, in the end, worthless. Both Borg and Wright exhibit changed lives as a result of their experience with Christ. It is so beautiful how two friends with two (almost) opposite viewpoints can have such an honest, open discussion about a topic that is all too often very aggressive from both sides. Clearly, this is an issue that has important ramifications for those within and without the church, and, as such, it is crucial for both sides to begin being honest with each other. Peace.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling analysis
Review: Although I came late to this book, I nevertheless pass along these thoughts. This is an absolutely compelling work, particularly since both sides of the question of where Christianity should go in the future are well represented. The focus is on methodology rather than details and the interaction is mutually respectful. Anyone desiring to look beyond polemics and see why and how a new vision of Christianity in the third millennium is emerging could do no better than this.
Rating: 
Summary: Read the Borg half of the book... it is illuminating
Review: Borg is the liberal one, Wright is more of the conservative one. My beliefs are closer to Wright's, but, by God, his writing style is so stilted consisting mostly of jargons ("eschatology", "exegetical" "Epicureanism" - and that's just for the letter E) and long, windy paragraphs. In contrast, Borg language is lucid and intelligible.
Rating:
Summary: Strong work on a fascinating subject
Review: I am not a theologian, and as such, I can't review or evaluate this book on that level. I am a Christian who was raised in the Anglican Church, and I've always been fascinated by questions of Biblical inerrancy. I approached this book as someone who clearly believes in Jesus as Son of God and Saviour, yet who is open to different ways of approaching the Bible. Borg and Wright both make well written, clear arguments to explain their views around Christ both as a spiritual and historical figure. The authors addressed all the key questions about Jesus, and they didn't try to force the reader into accepting one point of view or the other; the book seemed to be meant to get people thinking and exploring these issues. Any book that can take such complex matters and create a book that is not dry or textbook-like should be applauded. I thought the scholarship on both sides was sound, although both relied a bit more on their own previous works than I would have liked. A bibliography/list of works cited to go along with the notes would have been more appropriate. I thought the layout was a bit annoying - I'd have preferred a dialogue set up for each question, so that I could read the authors' differing views side by side, and it would've been easier to be clear on where they agreed and disagreed. As it was, I found myself going back and forth to see what each was saying on a particular subject. This book may present a challenge to readers who have made up their minds about Jesus' identity either way. As someone who does have faith, I found it a good exercise to read something that asked me to set aside my beliefs, question, and be open to new possibilities/interpretations. I actually found that in some ways my faith was strengthened because Borg was able to give me a way to look at the things in the Bible I find contradictory that doesn't require me to completely abandon the Bible. This book can be complex in parts, and it does assume a certain level of knowledge on the part of the readers' behalf. I don't know that it's a great book for a beginner. Anyone who is interested in the historical Jesus, regardless of what you believe about him, will find this book interesting, if challenging at times. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Good intro to great minds, bad debate format
Review: I enjoy the concept of having these two great minds (Wright and Borg) discuss the differences and similiarities in an open format, this does not happen in this book. The two disuss similiar topics, but rarely address the other's specific points. I would recommend buying Borg's "Meeting Jesus Again For The First Time" and Wright's "The Challenge Of Jesus", to get a glimpse into the core thoughts of the authors. Both books approach Jesus in a way that blend academic and spiritual concerns, only each offers a different conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: Good intro to great minds, bad debate format
Review: I enjoy the concept of having these two great minds (Wright and Borg) discuss the differences and similiarities in an open format, this does not happen in this book. The two disuss similiar topics, but rarely address the other's specific points. I would recommend buying Borg's "Meeting Jesus Again For The First Time" and Wright's "The Challenge Of Jesus", to get a glimpse into the core thoughts of the authors. Both books approach Jesus in a way that blend academic and spiritual concerns, only each offers a different conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent discussion.
Review: I enjoyed the book tremendously. I am a Christian who also wants to be intellectually honest in my beliefs. To me, it was refreshing to see two devoted Christians with significantly different views of the historical Jesus engaged in respectful dialogue in which neither acuses the other of heresy. This book presents competing views of the historical Jesus by two writers the editors label as "the leading liberal and sonservative Jesus scholars." That might be a bit overbilled, since other scholars such as Meier, Sanders and Crossan come at least as readily to mind. But Wright and Borg are excellent. The "Liberal" and "Conservative" labels are also a bit overdone. Both scholars accept the discipline of rigorous critical scholarship and, again, both are committed Christians-- so they are not so far apart as these labels might imply. It's not as if a Fundamentalist and an Agnostic are going at each other. But these complaints are with the billing for the book and not for the book itself, which I found excellent. Wright, the conservative, sees Jesus as a prophet inaugurating the Kingdom of God who indicated at least in a cryptic way that he was the Messiah of God. He sees the bodily ressurection and the empty tomb as historical events that are foundational for the Christian faith. Borg, the liberal, views Jesus as a social prophet and a healer, a man who called people to a new way of seeing and a new way of living. For him, whether the tomb was empty or not is irrelevent. He believes the Messianic claims contained in the New Testament come from the early Church rather than the historical Jesus. Nevertheless, he sees Jesus as the image of the invisible God. I recommend this book for anyone sympathetic to Christianity who is sincerely interested in the Historical Jesus debate.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting and clarifying
Review: I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. It has a lot of good explanations, and I very much like the concept of the book. As one reviewer put it, this is the way debate should be done: with respect and candor. Personally, I found Borg's argument to be much more compelling than Wright's (I actually started skipping Wright's chapters because to me Borg's were so much more plausible and interesting). Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.
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