Who is Jesus? What Is he like? How has he been percelved and portrayed over the centurles? Have missionaries and others through out history betrayed as well as portrayed Jesus? In this provocative study Anton Wessels explores the manner in which Jesus has been Introduced to and received by various non-European cultures.

After an introductory sketch showing how European art through the centuries has mirrored several changing images of Jesus-youth- ful shepherd, triumphant conqueror, man of sorrows, and so on Wessels looks at some of the many other, non-European cultural- historical images of Jesus.

Emphasizing that Jesus was a Jew, Wessels first discusses various Jewish perspectives on Jesus. He moves on to develop the unique Muslim image of Jesus a perspective that over time has been maintained quite apart from any Christian influence. The "Spanish Christ." Introduced to the Indians of the New World by Christopher ("the Christ-bearer") Columbus and Francisco Pizarro, emphasized Jesus' suffering and death at the expense of his life and resurrection: In partial reaction to this image arose the liberating Christ as devel- oped by liberation theologians. Wessels also explores black African Images and Asiatic perceptions of Christ the latter including dis- cussion of how Jesus is related to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taolsm.

Against the background of this review of representative past and present images of Jesus, Wessels addresses a number of urgent questions: What is the relation of Jesus Christ to the various cultures of the world? How do the various cultural images examined relate to the New Testament? Is Jesus only the redeemer of humankind or its liberator as well? What is the relation between knowing Jesus Christ and following his way?

Images of Jesus offers compelling reading for both academic and general readers. Suitable for background information on church his tory and missions, the book will also provide many provocative Insights for adult discussion groups.