I was familiar with the work of the late Rev. Dr. Jaroslav Pelikan, Sterling Professor of History Emeritus at Yale University, but had not read any of his writings until earlier this year.  I was so impressed with Jesus Through the Centuries that I bought The Illustrated Jesus Through the Centuries.  While these books were published more than a decade ago, I am reviewing them for their value as pastoral resources.

              The first of these was written after Pelikan had completed his five-volume The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine.  His five-volume work traced the history of the significance of the person and work of Jesus Christ for the faith and teaching of the Christian church.  Jesus Through the Centuries is devoted to Jesus’ place in the general history of culture.  Pelikan notes in the Introduction that “it has been characteristic of each age of history to depict Jesus in accordance with its own character.  It will be an important part of our task to set these images into their historical contexts.  We shall want to see what it was that each age brought to its portrayal of him.”  In eighteen chapters the author covers twenty centuries of human response to Jesus Christ.  Much of the material in this book was seed for later academic projects, one of which was The Illustrated Jesus Through the Centuries.  The latter book was a revision of the first and was supplemented with full color artwork of paintings, engravings, and photographs of ancient literature. 

              Although the author did not organize his book into three major divisions, I thought it might be helpful for the sake of review to do so.  Three  groups of images relating to the person of Jesus Christ could be organized into three concentric circles.  In the center are many of the familiar terms used by Jesus and others to describe himself.  They are rabbi, king of kings, Son of Man, Christ crucified, prince of peace, light of the gentiles.  In the second and larger circle the author included terms that would be descriptive of Jesus’ life and ministry and as a model for the Christian life.  They are Cosmic Christ, the true image, the monk who ruled the world, the divine and human model, and the bridegroom of the soul.  In the third and outer circle are terms that have a wider application to human society, such as the mirror of the eternal, the teacher of common sense, the poet of the spirit, the liberator, the turning point of history, and the man who belongs to the world.

              What I found most helpful was that Pelikan placed these images and concepts within the context of history.  He held up Constantine in the 4th century as an example of the role that secular government played in establishing the Church as a part of society.  Augustine was mentioned in the chapter on the Son of Man as one who struggled with his own human nature and as a result reflected it in his theology.  St. Benedict and his Rule of Saint Benedict of Nursia was noted as the basis for monasticism.  In the chapter “Christ Crucified”, Anselm’s theory of

2.

atonement was cited for its significant influence on the Church’s understanding of the place of Christ’s death in humanity’s relationship to God.  St. Francis was an example of one who lived a life of obedience and poverty for the sake of the Gospel.  Byzantine iconography was lifted up as an example of how the Church attempted to balance the prohibition against graven images over against religious art that communicated the Gospel.  Under the topic of Prince of Peace, the work of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas were noted in the formulation of “just war” theory which later influenced the idea of “holy war” during the Crusades.  The influence of the Enlightenment on Thomas Jefferson was evidenced in his own version of the Bible.  Jesus as the Liberator was traced through Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr.

              I am using these texts as the basis for a Bible study.  I have found them to be helpful in broadening the horizons of individuals as they think about the variety of expressions of faith within the Christian church.  One realizes the gift of knowledge and reflection the historic Church has to offer.  It is like seeing the Church through a kaleidoscope with its many different colors and designs.  It helps people to talk about the diversity within the Church.

              I also found these books to be a helpful resource for pastoral conversation.  As people talk about their religious and spiritual experiences, it made me more aware of the nuances of meaning that people bring to these conversations.  It helped me to recognize that individuals’ religious symbols are grounded in the Church’s long history of reflection on the person of Jesus Christ.  As Christians, we are all part of a living organism.  The apostle Paul used the image of the Body of Christ.  One might also use images of a river or a tree.  Regardless of which living image we use, we are aware that each of us has entered the Church at a different point.  Knowing this opens the way for dialogue with one another.

              Even if one does not focus on the book’s content as the history of culture’s response to the person of Jesus Christ, Pelikan offers a wonderful example of how culture engages religion and religious figures.  This is a way of appreciating the book for its archetypal value.  In place of the word, “Christian” one could substitute the word “religious” and note the same dynamic tensions whether they are “just war”, the image of the Holy, obedience and poverty, monasticism, the divine and the human, or liberation.  One could take away the same lessons as those applied to Christian life and faith.  This is an excellent resource, worthy to be called a classic.

Rev. James F. Brandis, STM, BCC

Corporate Chaplain,

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Retirement Services, Inc.

June 28, 2007