Jesus & Utopia

Focusing on ancient utopian thought, Mary Ann Beavis challenges prevailing views on the historical Jesus. She explores the Essene community and Philo's Therapeutae to argue that these utopian ideas explain the absence of explicit political themes in Jesus' teachings about the kingdom of God. This fresh perspective shifts the discourse on whether Jesus was an apocalyptic prophet or if his movement was politically motivated, suggesting instead a deeper connection to utopian ideals.