New Year 2012: Jesus

Having launched the Isaac Ishmael Initiative last year, I have found the profound need for a broader, deeper, and richer understanding of Jesus - the Christ. For me 2012 will be devoted to much more reflection, prayer, and reading on Jesus.
       I am starting with N.T. Wright's new book, Simply Jesus, which I realize is anything but "simple." I am reading Wright first for what is hopefully a straightforward reason - he studies both Jesus in the Gospel accounts as well as the Christ of the Pauline epistles. And he seeks to be integrative.
       In this first week of the year I am developing a plan for this study. Three books of the Bible will be my primary in my study - Isaiah, the gospel of Mark, and Paul's letter to the Ephesians. I have selected these books for specific reasons which I will explain in other blog posts.
       There are thousands of books written about Jesus, from many perspectives and angles. I hope to read 12 of them only - one per month. I have not selected the 12 yet; I am waiting until I finish Wright's book to decide on the rest (although I have a pretty good idea of most of the ones I will read).
       This study is enormously important to me because of my interest in relating to Jews and Muslims; for both groups Jesus is THE stumbling block and so the temptation is to avoid him. But we cannot and must not relegate Jesus to anything less than he is - Lord, Messiah, King of kings, having inaugurated His Kingdom.
       And so my quest begins!