Prothero's American Jesus Part 2

Prothero rounds out his section on "resurrections" with a consideration of Jesus Christ as Superstar. Jesus becomes a celebrity and an image/symbol that gains currency among the Jesus Freaks, Hollywood, and Broadway. This is turn spawns a kinder, gentler Jesus that fuels the seeker-sensitive megachurch and contemporary Christian music industry. One really can see the progression in American culture as Jesus becomes more and more of a personal friend. Who wouldn't want Jesus? and so what if that fueled desire helps sell some books, albums, and theatre tickets.

For the mainline Protestant, the second half of the book is interesting but Prothero can't hold up the same mirror in front of us as he explored the various "reincarnations" of Jesus as Mormon, black, rabbi, and oriental. The Mormon example is especially interesting in that it is a uniquely American religious group that was "born and raised" in the USA. Mormons both reacted to and accommodated the culture at various points as times changed and they became much more institutionalized. The Black culture in American has had a very complicated relationship with Jesus and their other books that treat this subject more throroughly. One of Prothero's interesting points is the conflating of Jesus with Moses.

The last couple chapters look at the view of Jesus from both a Jewish and Eastern Religion perspective. One cannot live in America without encountering Jesus. Both groups have tried to understand Jesus from their own religious perspectives and have suggested, sometimes overtly, that Christians have got Jesus all wrong. The Jewish communities have thought about Jesus as being a good Jew. The Hindu communities have through about Jesus as being a good avatar.

Overall, American Jesus takes a good look at how Jesus has been seen, portrayed and used in the American culture. Actions begets reaction and despite the good intentions of the actors and reactors, Jesus entry into secular America is not without controversy.