Who was Jesus?

Historical sources portray a person who was complex, multi-layered, and often contradictory to the tidy portrait that much of modern Christianity paints him as. Even the gospel accounts render him as both judge and healer, teacher and temple, servant and savior.

A Doubter’s Guide to Jesus is a persuasive and often challenging investigation into the historical figure found in the earliest sources. These sources, which include references both direct and indirect‚Äîfrom Roman, Jewish, and Christian accounts‚Äîoffer us more than simple evidence that Jesus existed; they begin to form a picture that is both deeply credible and profoundly counterintuitive.

Each chapter explores the evidence for a different aspect of the most influential figure in human history, exploring:

• His words and their impact.
• The scandal of his social life.
• His preference for the poor and lowly.
• The meaning of his death and influence of his promises.

The goal is not to turn Jesus into something neater, more systematic and digestible; but to see him more clearly as someone who stretches our imaginations, confronts our beliefs, and challenges our lifestyles.

After two millennia of spiritual devotion and more than two centuries of modern critical research, we still cannot fit Jesus into a box—and this is as challenging as it is deeply compelling.

Read by the author

A concise account of the whole biblical narrative and what it means–as well as the beliefs and lifestyle it inspires–for those observing Christianity from the outside, especially those who think there are good reasons not to believe.

A Doubter’s Guide to the Bible charts a biblical roadmap from the story of creation to the fulfillment of creation, answering many of the most frequently asked questions along the way:

• How can we read the creation account in Genesis in light of modern science?
• How should Old Testament law be understood when it appears inconsistent and irrelevant?
• Isn’t the story of Jesus’ birth a little far-fetched?
• What is the Gospel? Why are there four accounts of the same thing, and what are they really saying?

John Dickson provides a readable and inviting Bible primer for anyone interested in informing themselves about the most widely read book in the history of humanity.

By presenting the whole of the Bible as an account of God’s promise to restore humanity to Himself, and humans to one another and to creation, Dickson allows believers and skeptics alike to gain insight into why the Bible has been a compelling, life-changing, and magnetic force throughout the ages–and why it still matters.

Timelines are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

*Read by the author.

For believers and skeptics alike, A Doubter’s Guide to World Religions introduces the five major world religions so that you can explore their similarities and differences in a fair and engaging way.

The world is a very religious place. Wherever you look, people are worshipping, praying, believing, following, even dying for their faith. But what does it mean to be religious? Are all religions the same? Do they all call on the same God simply using different names? Are their beliefs and practices simply cultural expressions of the same spiritual longings?

Written and read by historian and theologian John Dickson in his characteristically engaging style, this audiobook presents each of the world’s five major systems of faith, carefully outlining the history, doctrines, beliefs, and spiritual practices of:

• Hinduism (“The Way of Release”)
• Buddhism (“The Way of Enlightenment”)
• Judaism (“The Way of the Torah”)
• Christianity (“The Way of the Christ”)
• Islam (“The Way of Submission”)

In his own words, Dickson acts as an art curator in a gallery, presenting each of these “works of art” in their best light and letting each have their say. Along the way, he demonstrates the importance of religion in general–to society and to individual believers–and addresses many of the universal questions that all of these serious and ancient religions ask:

• Who are we?
• What is our worth?
• How should we live?
• Are we alone?

Accompanying visuals, recommended resources, and a glossary are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

Is the world better off without Christianity?

Combining narrative with keen critique of contemporary debates, author and historian John Dickson gives an honest account of 2,000 years of Christian history that helps us understand what Christianity is and what it’s meant to be.

To say that the Christian Church has an “image problem” doesn’t quite capture it. From the Crusades and the Inquisition to the racism and abuse present in today’s Church–both in Catholic and Protestant traditions–the institution that Christ established on earth has a lot to answer for. But the Church has also had moments throughout history when it has been in tune with Jesus’ teachings–from the rise of charity to the invention of hospitals.

For defenders of the faith, it’s important to be able to recognize the good and bad in the church’s history and be inspired to live aligned with Christ. For skeptics, this book is a thought-provoking introduction to the idea that Christianity is, despite all, an essential foundation of our civilization.

Bullies and Saints will take you on a big-picture journey from the Sermon on the Mount to the modern church:

• Giving contextual accounts of infamous chapters of Christian history, such as the Crusades, and acknowledging their darkness.
• Outlining the great movements of the faith and defending its heroes and saints, some of whom are not commonly recognized.
• Examining the Church beside the teachings and life of Jesus and how it has succeeded in its mission to imitate Christ.

For over twenty-five years John Dickson served the United States as a Foreign Service officer. Dickson organizes History Shock around a country-by-country series of lively personal experience vignettes, followed by compelling historical analysis of the ways in which his inadequate understanding of the host country’s history lead to history shock: where dramatically different interpretations of history blocked diplomatic understanding and cooperation.
John Dickson offers these stories to highlight the interaction between history and foreign relations and to underscore the costs of not knowing the history of our partners and adversaries, much less our own. In both Mexico and Canada in particular our lack of knowledge and understanding of how our long history of military interventions continues to complicate our efforts at developing mutually beneficial relationships with our two closest neighbors. In Nigeria and South Africa, Dickson experienced firsthand how the history of racism in the United States plays out on a world stage and clouds our ability to effectively work with key African nations.
The Foreign Service has long sought to provide some form of “operating manual” for its officers. Dickson provides not only a model for such case studies, but also recommendations for strengthening historical literacy in the Foreign Service.

Humility, or holding power loosely for the sake of others, is sorely lacking in today’s world. Without it, many people fail to develop their true leadership potential and miss out on genuine fulfillment in their lives and their relationships. Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership shows how the virtue of humility can turn your strengths into true greatness in all areas of life. Through the lessons of history, business, and the social sciences, author John Dickson shows that humility is not low self-esteem, groveling, or losing our distinct gifts. Instead, humility both recognizes our inherent worth and seeks to use whatever power we have at our disposal on behalf of others. Some of the world’s most inspiring and influential players have been people of immense humility. The more we learn about humility, the more we understand how essential it is to a satisfying career and personal life. By embracing this virtue, we will transform for good the unique contributions we each make to the world.

What really happened back in the first century, in Jerusalem and around the Sea of Galilee, that changed the shape of world history? Who is this figure that emerges from history to have a profound impact on culture, ethics, politics, and philosophy? Join historian John Dickson on this journey through the life of Jesus. This book, which features a self-contained discussion guide for use with Life of Jesus DVD, will help you and your friends dig deeper into what is known about Jesus‚Äô life and why it matters. ‚ÄúJohn Dickson has done a marvelous job of presenting the story of Jesus, and the full meaning of that story, in a way that is both deeply faithful to the biblical sources and refreshingly relevant to tomorrow’s world and church. I strongly recommend this study to anyone who wants to re-examine the deep historical roots of Christian faith and to find them as life-giving as they ever were.‚Äù‚ÄîTom Wright

This book comes out of years of reflection, failures, and some successes in the task of reaching out to others with the gospel. Many Christians think of the task of mission as an entirely verbal activity, when perhaps the best kept secret of New Testament teaching about mission is that it involves a whole range of activities that explicitly promote Christ to the world and draw others to him, and only a few of them involve speaking. Without diminishing or downplaying the importance of speaking the gospel, John Dickson shows that, on the other hand, downplaying the range of activities that promote Christ to the world has its own set of problems. It can make those who are not confident about speaking—of anything, let alone Jesus—feel inadequate and self-conscious in the task of reaching out to others. Equally, it can make those who do have a flair for speaking feel as though they are fulfilling Christ’s mission just by talking. But the reality is that the Lord wants our whole life, not just our lips, in the task of bringing the gospel to the world. Every facet of our lives can be used by God to promote the news of his power and mercy. In this practical guide to the biblical art of sharing your faith, John Dickson offers refreshing insight into the ways that all Christians can and should be involved in spreading the good news of Jesus. While not all Christians are called and gifted to become evangelists, we are all called to promote the gospel through a wide range of activities—prayer, financial partnership, good deeds, godly lives, public worship, daily conversation, etc.—with and without our lips. As readers engage with this book, grapple with its arguments and hear the stories of people coming to faith, they will be inspired to see the whole of life as significant for bringing the gospel to the world, and they will be liberated out of guilt and self-consciousness in evangelism into becoming perfectly natural promoters of Jesus Christ.

Uniquely among the world’s religions, the central claims of Christianity concern not just timeless spiritual truths, but tangible historical events. At the heart of the of the Christian faith are things that are meant to have happened in Palestine between 5 BC and AD 30. It’s as if Christianity happily places its head on the chopping block of public scrutiny and invites anyone who wants to come and take a swing.Some of Christianity’s claims are so spectacular that they provoke a firestorm of questions, scrutiny, debate, and misinformation whenever they are discussed. The popularity of The Da Vinci Code and the frequent airing of TV documentaries delving into the darker uncertainties of Christianity show that such skepticism flourishes in the Western world today. In The Christ Files you will learn how historians know what they know about Jesus. Historian John Dickson embraces the need to examine Christianity’s claims in the light of history, opening readers to a wealth of ancient sources and explaining how mainstream scholars—whether or not they claim Christian faith personally—reach their conclusions. Christianity arrived on the historical scene at a time of great literary activity. While many texts penned by ancient philosophers, historians, poets, and playwrights can reliably inform us about Jesus himself and about the culture in which he lived, others are not so credible. Dickson skillfully highlights both types of sources along with the historical methods used to study Christianity’s claims. He also shows how historians asses the reliability of available data, and provides an honest but informed perspective on where historical issues are clear-cut and where personal faith comes into play. The Christ Files is a must-read for those looking to expand their understanding of early Christianity and the life of Jesus.