The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

by Thomas Jefferson, Introduction by Forrest Church
171 Pages

"We must reduce our volume to the simple evangelists, select, even from them, the very words only of Jesus. There will be remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man." - Thomas Jefferson

Featuring an introduction by Forrest Church, this reissue of The Jefferson Bible offers extraordinary insight into the logic of Thomas Jefferson and the Gospel of Jesus. Working in the White House in 1804, Jefferson set out to edit the Gospels in order to uncover the essence of true religion in the simple story of the life of Jesus. Jefferson was convinced that the authentic message of Jesus could be found only by extracting from the Gospels Jesus' message of absolute love and service, rather than the miracle of the Annunciation, Virgin Birth, or even the Resurrection. Completed in 1819, this little book is the remarkable result of Jefferson's efforts.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was the third president of the United States, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the founder of the University of Virginia. Among his proudest achievements was his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, passed by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1786, which became the first law of its kind in the United States. Also a noted architect and naturalist, Jefferson designed and built his home, Monticello, near Charlottesville, Virginia.

User reviews

The Jefferson Bible Delivers Morals Without the Need for Divine Intervention

By Kiku Harrington, Seattle, WA

Have you ever wondered how much different the New Testament of the bible would be if it had not included Miracles and Resurrections? This was apparently on the mind of Thomas Jefferson as he edited his own version of the gospels, excluding much of the supernatural portions of Jesus' life. What resulted was, as Jefferson referred to it, The Life and Morals Of Jesus of Nazareth. The version I ordered from the Universal Life Church is a great hardbound edition of The Life and Morals Of Jesus of Nazareth, but with an insightful introductory essay from Forrest Church. While this version may seem controversial to some Christians, I believe it just puts the emphasis on his teachings, making him more human and therefore more relatable to our everyday life. I would recommend this book to any Christian or anyone who has ever expressed doubt in Christ and his teachings.