On February 9-10, 1996, six internationally known Jesus scholars participated in the first national symposium to commemorate the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus. Talking about the historical, religious, and cultural significance of Jesus, these scholars drew mass media attention and inspired a phenomenally successful follow-up discussion group on the Internet. makes the symposium available to those seeking an introduction to the controversial historical study of Jesus and Christian origins and to those wishing to examine the intricacies of this New Testament scholarship more carefully.In addition to the papers presented by Marcus J. Borg, John Dominic Crossan, Alan F. Segal, Harvey Cox, Karen Jo Torjesen, and Huston Smith, this book includes questions from the symposium as well as a concluding chapter that introduces the historical study of Jesus and Christian origins to the newly curious. Readers will appreciate the wide range of perspectives offered, from historical Jesus scholarship to Jewish studies, early Christian history, world religions, and religion and culture. Written for a general audience, the book will be useful in both academic and church settings for those wanting to know what the academy is saying about Jesus.