The Third Jesus by Deepak Chopra, 2008

No, don’t run; it’s okay, I promise. This compelling book, more of a guide then an explicit impetus for circumvention of religion, is based on an observation of Chopra’s: there is a historical Jesus, the actual man; the theological Jesus, the Son of God; and the mystical Jesus, a teacher of wisdom and enlightenment. Chopra eschews the potentially maddening controversy of soteriological debate and focuses solely on the teachings of Jesus as contained in the Gospels, and also to some extent in the most ancient “heretical” Gnostic Gospels. The basis of Chopra’s argument is that Jesus is bigger than Christianity, and so he approaches what little we know of Jesus from the perspective of a person seeking comfort, meaning, and peace. In this, Chopra clearly shows his Indian background, drawing on his familiarity with meditation and wisdom traditions.
For a Westerner who is unfamiliar with religious pluralism, Chopra’s views may be confusing or even frightening, but as with any look at such a controversial subject, a certain ability to let go of judgment is necessary. Instead, taking the book for what it is – an approach to the teachings of Jesus that neither attacks nor affirms Christianity, but rather claims that religion has stopped short of them – results in a close look at the strange familiarity possessed by this homeless rabbi who was executed as a criminal two millennia ago.