Why is Jesus Christ perceived so differently by people who all call themselves Christians? And what do we know today about this charismatic first-century Jewish teacher who came to be viewed as God incarnate in the Christian tradition? Today, many people have close ties to Jesus Christ's person, life, and message - yet they have no connection with any Christian church. Jesus Christ: The Love and Wisdom of a First-Century Mystic takes both churched and un-churched readers on a journey into the core of Jesus' timeless teachings on love and wisdom. Of all the mystic pioneers of humanity, Jesus may well be one of the most daring and demanding, who opened up a revolutionary new path based on love in action, radical inner transformation, and an alternative social vision. "A fine, reverent, and bold exploration of Jesus' teachings for both churched and un-churched readers"- Brother David Steindl-Rast, OSB