The Secret Legacy of Jesus: The Judaic Teachings That Passed from James the Just to the Founding Fathers
Although the inclusion of the Founding Fathers in the subtitle plays to the book’s most sensational (and least convincing) angle, this is actually a well-researched look at the Jerusalem followers of Jesus and what became of them. Paul’s mission to the Gentiles eventually overshadowed the Jewish Christian element of the church, but as Bütz explains, this contingent did not simply disappear. He carefully follows groups known as the Nazarenes and the Ebionites and explains the effect they had on later permutations of Christianity, and he makes the case for a heavy Jewish Christian effect on Islam. The book goes further afield as it tries to trace this influence on groups such as the Knights Templar and Freemasons, which Bütz claims affected America’s Founding Fathers as they shaped the country. Bütz uses ancient writings, such as the Gospels of James and Hebrews, to make his case. Though it’s easy to differ with some of his conclusions (and his tendency to go along with fringe historians), this is a fascinating read for seekers of the historical Jesus. --Ilene Cooper