Quick Look
Some legends suggest Jesus travelled to the British Isles with Joseph of Arimathea. Gordon Strachan uncovers fascinating connections between the Celtic world and Mediterranean culture.
Description
The activities of Jesus before the start of his ministry at the age of thirty have been the subject of much speculation. Did he travel beyond the bounds of Palestine in his search for wisdom knowledge? Where did he acquire the great learning which amazed those who heard him preaching and enabled him to cross swords in debate with Scribes and Pharisees?
A number of legends suggest that Jesus travelled to the British Isles with Joseph of Arimathea, who worked in the tin trade. With these legends as his starting point, Gordon Strachan uncovers a fascinating network of connections between the Celtic world and Mediterranean culture and philosophy.
Taking the biblical image of Wisdom as the 'master craftsman', Strachan explores the deep layers of Mystery knowledge shared between the Judaic-Hellenic world and the northern Druids -- from the secret geometry of masons and builders, which Jesus would have encountered in his work as a craftsman in Palestine, to the Gematria or number coding of the Old and New Testaments.
Reviews
'A remarkable book. Jesus the Master Builder makes a significant contribution to research, suggesting connections between megalithic, Pythagorean and early Christian traditions. To convey the full picture of the ancient world that Strachan is able to weave together is beyond the scope of this review. Suffice to say that this book is required reading for anyone with an interest in traditional cosmology.'
-- Peter Westbrook, Cosmos
'Jesus the Master Builder kept me up all night. Few books have that power.'
-- Jonathan Glancey, The Guardian
'Admirable for its authenticity, clarity and intelligence.'
-- Matt Ewart, The Herald
'Will be seen as a work of singular significance.'
-- The Scotsman
'A fascinating exploration, drawing on a wide range of sources to make some exciting and potentially revolutionary connections. Well-written and truly eye-opening.'
-- Scientific and Medical Network Review
Author
Gordon Strachan (1934-2010) was a lecturer, church minister and independent thinker. He is the author of six books: The Pentecostal Theology of Edward Irving; Christ and the Cosmos (later republished as The Bible's Hidden Cosmology); Jesus the Master Builder; Chartres: Sacred Geometry, Sacred Space; The Return of Merlin; and Prophets of Nature. Gordon also featured in a documentary, And Did Those Feet, based on Jesus the Master Builder which screened at the BFI in London in 2010.
Links
This edition is now out of print, but a new edition (print to order) is available:
Jesus the Master Builder
Also by Gordon Strachan:
The Bible's Hidden Cosmology
Chartres: Sacred Geometry, Sacred Space
Prophets of Nature: Green Spirituality in Romantic Poetry and Painting
The Return of Merlin: Star Lore and the Patterns of History
