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Zealot

The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

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Zealot

By: Reza Aslan
Narrated by: Reza Aslan
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About this listen

 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the acclaimed author of No god but God comes “a lucid, intelligent page-turner” (Los Angeles Times) that challenges long-held assumptions about Jesus.

“Riveting . . . [Reza] Aslan synthesizes Scripture and scholarship to create an original account.”—The New Yorker

Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the “Kingdom of God.” The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was executed as a state criminal. Within decades after his death, his followers would call him God.

Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history’s most enigmatic figures by examining Jesus through the lens of the tumultuous era in which he lived. Balancing the Jesus of the Gospels against the historical sources, Aslan describes a man full of conviction and passion, yet rife with contradiction. He explores the reasons the early Christian church preferred to promulgate an image of Jesus as a peaceful spiritual teacher rather than a politically conscious revolutionary. And he grapples with the riddle of how Jesus understood himself, the mystery that is at the heart of all subsequent claims about his divinity.

Zealot yields a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told even as it affirms the radical and transformative nature of Jesus’ life and mission. Ancient Christianity Politicians Politics & Activism Middle East Royalty
All stars
Most relevant
touched on and provided answers to so many questions I had in my thoughts

wow

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I throughly enjoyed listening to Reza Aslan narrate his book, ‘Zealot’. I’d really recommend this to Christians and non Christians alike. It was was engaging, thoughtful and, for me personally, great to put my Roman Catholic indoctrination / teachings into a more meaningful and historical context.

Fascinating!

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I'm not a Christian. The overall story of the book very informative, narrated extremely well by reza. I understand why he focuses on religious texts so much in order to explain his interpretation of Jesus's life, but I got lost in the recounting of the religious texts.

Very interesting but too theological for my liking

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Enthralling book, I could not stop listening to Reza. He respectfully and fearlessly approached his subject. I felt his love. Thank you for acknowledging Palestine.

Highly recommend this book

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A fascinating book, recounting the documented, historical events surrounding Jesus the man and his journey to spread the message that would later become Christianity, and comparing bible versions of events to what likely would have actually happened as per the historical time they occurred. Recommended reading for anyone even slightly interested in the truth of Jesus as a historical figure, not just some cosmic being.

Not just for the devout

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