In A
Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus, Bruce Fisk comments on the immense task of
trying to prove or disprove religious historicity through the adventures of
Norm. Norm is a fictional college graduate on a mission to discover the
parallels of ancient Jesus and the modern Christian faith by travelling to the
Holy Land. His pilgrimage is partially based on the knowledge and experiences
that Fisk gained on his own journey to the Middle East. As a student preparing
to make a similar voyage, I have found this book to be an excellent preparatory
reading. Norm’s relatable character bridges the gap between surreal occurrences
and real life events, helping me to connect with the emotions and experiences
he is taking in. Additionally, the questions Norm asks and the pursuit of
answers (which often show themselves in the form of more questions) he
undertakes have guided my reading, allowing me to use his points of interest and deepest questions to
create my own conclusions on the historicity of Jesus and the realities of his
timeline.
Norm is repeatedly faced with real
world parallels and events that bring the accuracy of Jesus’ miracles and
timeline into question. He uses the similarities and contradictions of the Gospels to attempt to
paint a single image of Jesus’ character, but finds that the four books each show
a different aspect of his life and being. As such, there is no one portrait of
the “historical Jesus” that Norm is searching for, but instead multiple
different pieces of a puzzle that fit together (perhaps unexpectedly). Norm tasks himself with finding the elusive corner pieces upon which to build the foundation of his understanding.
The region Norm travels is littered
with history and faith, and entire markets (especially for tourism) are built on linking the two aspects
of the land together. Often times, he visits sites that are directly connected
to a religion, and centuries of archaeology have proven the validity of those links
to the past. In other instances, the actual location of ancient sites is
unknown. Norm is forced to make his own theories or take advice from local
speculation to continue his quest to visit the sites where the historical Jesus
visited. This is the most uncertain, yet most fulfilling part of his journey,
and I hope to be able to understand his excitement as I take a similar path
through the Holy Land.
The reading has kindled my passion for history and I
hope to be able to apprehend the notion that thousands of years of history have
shaped the land that will be under my very feet. I desire to experience the
emotions and feelings that influenced Norm’s travels most, and begin to create
my own understanding of the connections between the Jesus of faith and the
Jesus of history.
Fisk’s choice of title is very accurate: much like a
travel guide that you can buy at an airport or bookstore, this book is a guide
to discovering one’s faith and placing it in historical context. Norm’s
questions changed my understanding of the parallels between modern and
historical conflicts in the Holy Land. Additionally, my perspective on
religious historicity has been reshaped by the answers I have found for myself
while reading this book. Even if this wasn’t your choice of reading to complete
for the curriculum, I would still recommend that you pick it up for your own
enjoyment (and possibly enlightenment) outside of class!
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