Jesus' Copernican Revolution: The Revelation of Divine Mercy

Danaher (The Second Truth), philosophy professor at Nyack College, attempts to rediscover the revolutionary nature of Jesus' message by linking his words to scientific discovery. Like Copernicus or Newton, Danaher asserts, Jesus inaugurated a revolution in our perception of how the world works. All too often, he argues, Christians can water down Jesus' teachings by twisting them to support a private, convenient notion of justice in which righteousness is earned through adherence to doctrine. Danaher believes Jesus "does violence to our sacred prejudices" with his radical mercy that ignores received wisdom about consequences and rewards. Danaher provides concise overviews of medieval theories of atonement, and close readings of Gospel passages, especially parables, that helpfully illustrate Jesus' narrow but uplifting vision. His choice to structure the book thematically introduces a surprising amount of repetition and sometimes feels cursory in shorter chapters. In the best sections, Danaher exposes how American Christianity's devotion to wealth and the family runs counter to Jesus' strong warnings against both. This is a fresh look at some fundamentalist misconceptions of the message of Jesus. (Mar.)