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The Jefferson Bible
Lives of Great Religious Books (Related to this series)
- Author
- Peter Manseau
- Narrator
- Kerry Shale
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press
- Publish Date
- 1 December 2020
- Run Time
- 5 hours 27 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Religion and politics, Bibles
What to expect
This audiobook narrated by Kerry Shale traces the life and times of a uniquely American testament
In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson edited the New Testament with a penknife and glue, removing all mention of miracles and other supernatural events. Inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment, Jefferson hoped to reconcile Christian tradition with reason by presenting Jesus of Nazareth as a great moral teacher—not a divine one. Peter Manseau tells the story of the Jefferson Bible, exploring how each new generation has reimagined the book in its own image as readers grapple with both the legacy of the man who made it and the place of religion in American life.
Completed in 1820 and rediscovered by chance in the late nineteenth century after being lost for decades, Jefferson's cut-and-paste scripture has meant different things to different people. Some have held it up as evidence that America is a Christian nation founded on the lessons of the Gospels. Others see it as proof of the Founders' intent to root out the stubborn influence of faith. Manseau explains Jefferson's personal religion and philosophy, shedding light on the influences and ideas that inspired him to radically revise the Gospels. He situates the creation of the Jefferson Bible within the broader search for the historical Jesus, and examines the book's role in American religious disputes over the interpretation of scripture. Manseau describes the intrigue surrounding the loss and rediscovery of the Jefferson Bible, and traces its remarkable reception history from its first planned printing in 1904 for members of Congress to its persistent power to provoke and enlighten us today.
Critics Review
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"Manseau's story [recounts] a thrilling mixture of accident, fine timing, and diligent public-museum curation."—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker
The New Yorker
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"Peter Manseau's fluent and instructive The Jefferson Bible: A Biography . . . carefully traces Jefferson's pilgrimage into the non-miraculous."—James Parker, The Atlantic
The Atlantic
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"Peter Manseau knows the Jefferson Bible well. . . . His outstanding biography of the text . . . pays careful attention to its status as private project, published book and political symbol."—Crawford Gribben, Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal
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"An illuminating look at a work of one of our most intellectually inquisitive presidents that will appeal to Jefferson aficionados, as well as anyone interested in the history of American religion."—Library Journal
Library Journal
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Peter Manseau
- Narrator
- Kerry Shale
- Duration
- 5 hours 27 minutes
- Release Date
- 1 December 2020
- ISBN
- 9780691221182
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press
- Genre
- Religion and politics, Bibles
Synopsis
This audiobook narrated by Kerry Shale traces the life and times of a uniquely American testament In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson edited the New Testament with a penknife and glue, removing all mention of miracles and other supernatural events. Inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment, Jefferson hoped to reconcile Christian tradition with reason by presenting Jesus of Nazareth as a great moral teacher—not a divine one. Peter Manseau tells the story of the Jefferson Bible, exploring how each new generation has reimagined the book in its own image as readers grapple with both the legacy of the man who made it and the place of religion in American life. Completed in 1820 and rediscovered by chance in the late nineteenth century after being lost for decades, Jefferson's cut-and-paste scripture has meant different things to different people. Some have held it up as evidence that America is a Christian nation founded on the lessons of the Gospels. Others see it as proof of the Founders' intent to root out the stubborn influence of faith. Manseau explains Jefferson's personal religion and philosophy, shedding light on the influences and ideas that inspired him to radically revise the Gospels. He situates the creation of the Jefferson Bible within the broader search for the historical Jesus, and examines the book's role in American religious disputes over the interpretation of scripture. Manseau describes the intrigue surrounding the loss and rediscovery of the Jefferson Bible, and traces its remarkable reception history from its first planned printing in 1904 for members of Congress to its persistent power to provoke and enlighten us today.
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