HUMAN JESUS, DIVINE CHRIST: HIS MISSION, HIS MESSAGE, HIS MINISTRY

I have recently signed a contract with a traditional publisher to publish a book titled Human Jesus, Divine Christ: His Mission, His Message, His Ministry. The manuscript is due in September of this year, and the book should be published sometime next year.

The projected Table of Contents is:

FRONT MATTER:

Acknowledgements

Introduction

TEXT:

Chapter 1: What Kind of Man Was Jesus? Filling the Hole in the Gospel Story

Chapter 2: What Jesus Did—A Wandering Missionary

Chapter 3: What Jesus Said—The Law and the Good News

Chapter 4: What Jesus Said—The Pronouncement Stories

Chapter 5: What Jesus Said—The Parables

Chapter 6: What Jesus Said—The Discourses

Chapter 7: What Jesus Said—The “I AM” Sayings

Chapter 8: What Jesus Said—The Difficult Sayings

Chapter 9: The Miracles

Chapter 10: The Jerusalem Snake Pit

Chapter 11: The Triumphal Entry

Chapter 12: Which Messiah?

Chapter 13: A Temple Tantrum?

Chapter 14: The Temple Controversies, The Olivet Discourse

Chapter 15: The Prosecution Begins

Chapter 16: The Six Trials of Jesus—The Jewish Trials

Chapter 17: The Six Trials of Jesus—The Roman Trials

Chapter 18: The Crucifixion

Chapter 19: What Did It All Mean?

Chapter 20: The Resurrection

Chapter 21: The Resurrection Narratives

Chapter 22: The Divine Christ

BACK MATTER:

Appendix: A Synopsis of the Resurrection Narratives

Bibliography

Index

A GOLD MEDAL FOR "VARIATIONS ON THE THEME OF CHESS"

Last Saturday was the Florida Authors and Publishers Association awards banquet. Although I was registered for the banquet, I decided that the uncertainty surrounding the pathway of Hurricane Debby dictated that I not go. So I stayed home to batten down the hatches for Debby. As it turned out, I could have gone and gotten back before the hurricane hit, but I am satisfied that I did the right thing by staying home.

As it turned out, we got flooded. I feared that the water was going to come into the house, but it stopped at the western side of our house. It probably took out the air conditioner's air handler, but the inside of the house stayed dry. We were without power for about 15-20 hours, and our septic tank is still submerged, but with the help of our friends and our son, John, we got through it OK. 

I was naturally curious about how I did in the contest, but information on the web was scanty. Today, however, they sent me my Gold Medal. Being colorblind, I thought it was Bronze until I compared it to previous Bronze and Gold Medals. When I received notification that I was a winner, I predicted that I would get a Bronze, and I was just a little off.

Now, with that Gold Medal and a $10 bill, I can get a small cup of coffee at Starbucks. It ain't like a Gold Medal from Paris, but I take a good measure of pride in the accomplishment. When I submitted the book, I was sure I wasn't going to win anything.

If you are among that small minority of people who like Chess and Chess Variants, you'll like "Variations." I'm now working on a book that should have a somewhat broader appeal, but it will never make the New York Times best seller list. Advice for aspiring authors: Don't quit your day job.

After I finish my current project, I am planning on writing a popular account of the trial of Jesus. About ten years ago I did a heavily footnoted "scholarly" treatment of the trial, and my son John told me that the five people who would read the book would enjoy it. He was right. This next book, however, won't have any pretensions for being a scholarly work. Maybe more people will read it.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHESS PIECES