Re-Writing Jesus: Christ in 20th-Century Fiction and Film - Critical

In this review of Re-Writing Jesus: Christ in 20th-Century Fiction and Film, the reviewer finds a thoughtful, scholarly examination of how the figure of Jesus is reshaped in modern storytelling. This book is for readers who want a focused, literary-historical perspective on the cultural afterlife of Christ rather than a devotional or theological manual. Graham Holderness traces a clear through-line: the paradox of Christ's dual nature made him uniquely amenable to artistic representation, and the twentieth century's fiction and film often presented a Jesus more familiar to the public than the biblical account.

Key Features

• Historical focus: Holderness situates portrayals of Jesus within twentieth-century cultural shifts, helping readers understand why modern artists reimagine the figure.
• Thematic analysis: The book explains how the paradox of Christ's divinity and mortality enabled diverse fictional and cinematic reinterpretations.
• Cross-medium approach: By covering both fiction and film, the work offers readers comparative insight into how different media shape the same religious figure.
• Accessible scholarship: The prose aims to be readable for non-specialists while remaining grounded in critical methods suitable for students and critics.
• Focus on popular culture: Emphasis on how twentieth-century popular representations sometimes eclipsed New Testament images, which clarifies modern reception of Christ.

Who It's For

Re-Writing Jesus will appeal to students of literature, film studies scholars, and readers interested in religion's role in popular culture; it suits those who want interpretive frameworks linking theology and artistic practice. The book is useful for classroom discussion or for anyone researching the cultural afterlife of biblical figures.

Readers seeking a devotional guide, a comprehensive theological treatise, or a broad world history of Christianity should look elsewhere, since the book remains centered on twentieth-century Western fiction and film and emphasizes critical interpretation over doctrinal exposition.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear concentration on the twentieth century gives the book focused scope and useful depth for that era.
• Combining fiction and film makes the analysis valuable for scholars across media studies.
• Accessible critical style allows informed readers outside specialist theology to engage with complex ideas.

Cons

• Limited geographical and chronological scope means readers wanting a global or pre-20th-century view will need supplementary texts.

Specifications

Title	Re-Writing Jesus: Christ in 20th-Century Fiction and Film
Author	Graham Holderness
Subject focus	Modern portrayals of Jesus in fiction and film
Primary theme	Christ's dual nature as a vehicle for artistic representation
Century covered	20th Century
Approach	Literary and film criticism

Our Verdict

For readers and students interested in how the figure of Jesus migrated into modern stories and screens, Graham Holderness offers a focused, well-argued study that connects theological paradox to artistic practice. It represents good value as a targeted critical resource, especially for courses or research on religion in twentieth-century culture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book cover film as well as literature?
Yes. Holderness explicitly examines both fiction and film to show how different media reshape the figure of Jesus.

Is this book suitable for non-academic readers?
Yes. The writing aims to be accessible, though some familiarity with literary or film criticism helps.

Does it treat Jesus from a theological or devotional angle?
The emphasis is on cultural and critical interpretation rather than devotional theology, focusing on twentieth-century representations.