Resurrecting Jesus: Buy now!

Yesterday I mentioned a Sept 30 release date for Dale Allison's Resurrecting Jesus, which is apparently incorrect. I just received word from Dale that his book is available now, yes, now. For glowing blurbs see the page at Continuum. Heed the words of David Aune: "Since excellent books are rare, I would counsel you to go, sell all that thou hast, and buy this one!"

As one who has had the privilege of reading much of this book in advance, most notably the crucial chapter on the resurrection, I add my own endorsement as follows:

This is a profound study of the relationship between the historical Jesus and modern needs, which ends by being (surprisingly) stronger for its own excursions into theology. Allison explains, with enviable critical acumen, what makes people like or dislike the apocalyptic Jesus who preached hell and judgment, and the persistent trend in secularizing his world-view. He concludes with a sound treatment of the empty tomb, and a satisfying response to Tom Wright. Acknowledging good and bad arguments for both the historicity and fiction of the empty tomb, Allison finds the scales tipping slightly in favor of historicity. Steering between apologetics and arch-skepticism, he shows that the cognitive dissonance experienced by the early Christians came not from the crucifixion (which squared with expectations), nor the visions (which were perhaps grief-induced, and a common enough phenomenon), but the empty tomb in conjunction with visions. Far from being the product of dissonance, the empty tomb was the cause of it, and Christian theology was further shaped by what the disciples' bereavement wrought.

Don't wait any longer. Order today.

Post-script: Note Mark Goodacre's comments here.