Being the first book ever published under the Newt List label, The Philosophy of Jesus definitely holds a special place in my affections. The manner in which Ernest Holmes examines the historical Jesus and applies Jesus' life-affirming philosophy to today's spiritual ideas has always inspired me, so I am thrilled that the book continues to be Newt List's best selling title.
I'm equally pleased that the reviews on Amazon.com have been so favorable—a solid 5 stars! The responses that readers write about The Philosophy of Jesus are a tribute to the powerful ideas in this book and how these ideas influence others.
It frequently surprises me, though, that people seldom if ever mention that they appreciate the gender-neutral language used in all Newt List books. When I worked at Science of Mind Publishing, the most common complaint we heard from readers was Ernest Holmes' use of masculine language, for example when referring to God as "Him" or the idea of people as "man." Holmes' philosophy was so all inclusive, they said, that the use of masculine forms felt antithetical to his ideas.
But I think the reason people don't comment more on the gender-neutral language is because they don't even notice it! Though I take this as a complement to the intensive process of editing we do here at Newt List, I also believe that gender-inclusive language is actually more accurate and, when edited well, more seamless to the reader. Though "man does not live by bread alone," neither does woman! Making language apply accurately allows us the opportunity to move more deeply into the text and ideas therein, which is always a good thing and, I believe, every good author's intention.
If you'd like to see what people are saying about The Philosophy of Jesus, check out the Amazon.com page here. Plus if you scroll further down, you can see the popular passages in the book that readers highlight as they read.
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