The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence

by John E. (John Eleazer) Remsburg

"The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence" by John E. Remsburg is an analytical work that critiques the historical basis for the existence of Jesus Christ, likely written in the late 19th century. The book addresses the claims of Jesus's divinity and the authenticity of biblical accounts, challenging the traditional views held by orthodox Christianity. The primary focus is the consideration of whether the Christ outlined in the New Testament is a fabrication, drawing on historical, literary, and philosophical arguments to support its conclusions. The opening of the book sets the tone for its critical examination, beginning with powerful quotations from influential thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Thomas Carlyle, asserting the need to question the existence of Christ. It lays the groundwork for Remsburg's argument that while a historical figure named Jesus may have existed, the supernatural Christ of Christian doctrine, associated with divine miracles and authority, is a mythological construct. The introduction presents a series of key points that will be elaborated throughout the text: the absence of robust historical documentation from contemporary sources, discrepancies in the gospel narratives, and the claim that later developments in Christianity transformed a possible historical figure into a legendary one surrounded by miraculous tales.