The Trauma of the Cross: How the Followers of Jesus Came to Understand the Crucifixion - Tapa blanda

This is an intriguing exploration of how the early Christians coped with the shame of the crucifixion by transforming it into an a act of glory. Written by a lawyer with a degree in theology, the author "cross examines" the scriptures to investigate history's most famous case of capital punishment. He traces how Jesus' followers handled the repeated traumas of the crucifixion, the destruction of the temple, the great fire of Rome, and the expulsion from the synagogue. The result was to gloss over the horrors of reality and to rewrite the Old Testament into the New in such a way as to make the crucifixion a fulfillment of prophecy. In addition, only when the actual punishment itself was banned by Constantine was depiction of it possible in art. Engaging and well written, this book - - incorporates contemporary scholarship in an accessible way - includes photos of the crucifixion in art - looks at the parallels between Aeschytlus' Prometheus Bound and the passion narrative

Born in Belfast, Ireland, Damian Barry Smyth is an appellate lawyer in private practice in San Francisco. He's also a poet and a book reviewer. He's a longtime member of San Francisco's AMICUS, Attorneys Meeting in Christ to Understand the Scriptures. The author's presentation to that weekly group was the original impetus for this book.