A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus

In this book, John P. Meier grapples with the question of who Jesus was by imagining a consensus document among historians from different religious backgrounds.

Meier's work represents the first full-scale, scientifically grounded treatment of the 'historical Jesus' by an American Catholic biblical scholar.

The book addresses various questions about Jesus' life, such as his virgin birth, family, literacy, and language skills, using fragmentary sources and indirect arguments.

The resulting portrait is incomplete and sometimes speculative but serves as a foundation for ecumenical dialogue and further research.