The Third Jesus

The well-known author and lecturer on spiritual matters presents his views on who Jesus is. A student of the Christian Brothers in his native India, he considers Jesus as someone quite different from the two Jesuses known by most: the "sketchy, historical" Jesus (the first Jesus) and the Christ of the institutional Christian Church (the second Jesus). Chopra's Jesus, the third Jesus, is the savior who showed the world by his life and teachings the path to God-consciousness. Shishir Kurup, an American actor of Indian descent, gives a fine performance. His voice is melodic and soft, masculine and easy to listen to. Clear and expressive, he avoids the pitfall of preaching the text. Rather, he engages the listener in a conversation about this man, Jesus. M.T.F. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

April 28, 2008
Chopra brings a familiar calm, contemplative speaking style to the audio version of his latest title, which places the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in a broader spiritual context that synthesizes Eastern and Western concepts. Chopra begins his journey by making a case against traditional Christian notions that emphasize the institutional and dogmatic aspects of the Jesus identity. He then ushers in the “Third Jesus” as a figure who points individuals from all spiritual paths toward an ultimate “God consciousness.” He devotes a large chunk of the recording to outlining key statements and precepts of Jesus that provide invitations for connecting with deeper truths through meditation. Perhaps because of the abridgment process, some of the most salient points in Chopra's conclusion—especially his outsider's take on why liberal voices within established Christianity invariably find themselves losing the internal debate with more conservative elements—seem a little rushed. Yet audiences with eclectic religious interests will welcome Chopra's perspective as an opportunity for building further dialogue. Simultaneous release with the Harmony hardcover.

Spiritual leader Deepak Chopra writes that there are three versions of Jesus: the historical Jesus, the man who lived more than 2,000 years ago; the religious Jesus, represented by institutional religion; and the cosmic Jesus, the spiritual guide whose teaching offers us spiritual enlightenment. If this sounds a bit like Buddhism, that's because there are parallels between the religious movements. Chopra's voice has a gravity that matches the depth of his thoughts, but it takes a while for listeners who have not heard him before to get used to his accent. Also, his relatively flat reading combined with the complexity of his ideas requires a great deal of concentration. This is not a work for casual listeners. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine