go: chapter 1: the jesuses i have known, part one

as i return to my interaction with bdm's generous orthodoxy, i come to his second introductory chapter in which he focuses on the seven jesuses he has met throughout his life. each jesus comes from a different christian tradition. while i found some value in bdm's discussion of what he learned from these different takes on jesus, such an understanding is, of course, fraught with difficulties and dangers. can evangelicals learn from other traditions (and other religions)? i would tend to say yes--with some reservations and qualifications to be certain (as an aside, one evangelical who has dealt with this topic fairly well is gerald mcdermott, especially in his can evangelicals learn from world religions?). those reservations and qualifications, however, perhaps move the benefits of such thinking beyond the limits of the blogosphere.
so, instead of such a discussion, i'd like to spend the next few entries semi-imitating bdm and think about the jesuses i have known. to do so, i'd prefer to investigate what jesus said about himself, rather than dance around caveats to understand what others have said about him. for, while i agree with bdm that "Christians of each tradition bring their distinctive and wonderful gifts to the table" (go, 67), i also think the feast of gracious orthodoxy must begin with the spritual food that christ himself provides. let's eat.