Judas :The troubling history of the renegade apostle
Judas :The troubling history of the renegade apostle
paperback
Published:
24 March, 2016
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Description
In this fascinating historical and cultural biography, writer and broadcaster Peter Stanford deconstructs that most vilified of Bible characters: Judas Iscariot, who famously betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Beginning with the gospel accounts, Peter explores two thousand years of cultural and theological history to investigate how the very name Judas came to be synonymous with betrayal and, ultimately, human evil.
But as Peter points out, there has long been a counter-current of thought that suggests that Judas might in fact have been victim of a terrible injustice: central to Jesus' mission was his death and resurrection, and for there to have been a death, there had to be a betrayal. This thankless role fell to Judas; should we in fact be grateful to him for his role in the divine drama of salvation? 'You'll have to decide,' as Bob Dylan sang in the sixties, 'Whether Judas Iscariot had God on his side'.
An essential but doomed character in the Passion narrative, and thus the entire story of Christianity, Judas and the betrayal he symbolises continue to play out in much larger cultural histories, speaking as he does to our deepest fears about friendship, betrayal and the problem of evil.
Judas: the ultimate traitor, or the ultimate scapegoat? This is a compelling portrait of Christianity's most troubling and mysterious character.
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9781444754711 |
| ISBN10 | 1444754718 |
| Number Of Pages | 320 |
| Item Weight | 228 g |
| Product Dimensions | 166 x 199 x 21 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | John Murray Press |
| Format | paperback |
Media Reviews
"Pick of the paperbacks'
A cultural overview of Judas the mythical figure.
Well-paced and engaging, * The Daily Telegraph *
This engrossing book about the 2,000-year-old traitor manages to be fun as well as sometimes profound. * The Week *
It's still a hotly debated topic. Stanford... has condensed the discussion into an accessible guide. * Sunday Herald *
A fantastic book.. With a hint of quirk. * Together Magazine *
A completely fascinating book, well written for lay people who want to understand more of how Judas Iscariot has been viewed through the ages. * Preach Magazine *
GoodReads Reviews
Author's Bio
Peter Stanford is a writer, journalist, broadcaster and prison reform campaigner. His biography subjects include the Cabinet minister and penal reformer, Lord Longford (made into a BAFTA-winning film), the Poet Laureate, C Day-Lewis, the Protestant reformer Martin Luther and the Devil (televised by the BBC), while his writings on the history, theology and cultural significance of religious ideas include Heaven: A Traveller's Guide, Pilgrimage: Journeys of Meaning, Judas: The Troubling History of the Renegade Apostle and Angels: A Visible and Invisible History. His books have been translated into twelve languages. A former editor of the Catholic Herald (1988-1992), he writes features for the Daily and Sunday Telegraph titles, has an interview column in the Tablet and has presented television documentaries including the award-winning Channel 4 series, Catholics and Sex. Raised in Birkenhead, he has been director of the Longford Trust for penal reform since 2002.