Publisher's Synopsis
The existence of striking parallels between elements of the New Testament gospels and Buddhist texts has caused controversy among scholars and theologians in recent decades. In this book the authors of "The Jesus Conspiracy" explore the connections between Buddhist missionaries in the Holy Land and the origins of Christianity.;They trace the arrival of Buddhist missions in Alexandria, where they established a small community based on Buddhist principles. These missionaries, from the theravada school of Buddhism and known locally as therapeutae, influenced the Essenes and other Mediterranean religious communities, including that at Qumran. The evidence now indicates that Jesus may have been brought up by these therapeutae before continuing his education in other communities whose way of life had strong affinities with Buddhism.;Against this background it is hardly surprising to find extensive use of Buddhist material in the gospels, both in the narrative of Jesus's life and in his teachings, and the book makes a detailed comparison between older Buddhist material and the aphorisms of Jesus.
