A historian open about faith?

The obvious first question that comes to mind is that of the need for such a book. What is there again that justified this new release? What can it bring and to whom? I am afraid that after reading also remains skeptical than before ... this book is not likely to move the borders of a iota! As usual for this kind of work he has great chances of interest only to people already convinced.

Jesus "historic figure" who can still deny it? But wanting to expand this character, try to give it more historical consistency, is that really what's important? It seems to me that much more interested the majority of potential readers of such books would be first if it was possible or feasible, the historical study of the passage of this character of the state of "Jewish prophet" the proclaimed state of "son of God" by a nascent religious community, and it would then, and especially the study of the original content of the message of this "messiah" on the one hand and on the other hand, the This content transformation process into a set of dogmas, and this in a historical and religious conflict environment.

That said, once the framework defined as such by the author of the "historical" Jesus, one can not escape a series of recurring questions when a book addresses this very sensitive issue: can we, as a historian, grant such importance to the canonical Gospels, and consider them as reliable historical sources, while many of these writers were only second-hand collectors, especially those editors were heavily involved in the various Christian communities very activists of the time? ... and why favor the gospel of John says over other while it is the latest? Are less reliable because others considered more "primitive"? On the other hand minimize the differences between these gospels, if only on the aspect of "continuity / rupture" with respect to Jewish religious law, and seem to surrender some rationalism due to any scientific approach when the key field the supernatural, is that it can actually give confidence to the reader? What to think what disturbed reader when he reads in an interview with the author ... "My book is a book of historian but a historian open on faith, the miracle"?

One of those books I therefore take care not to recommend for or against both the expectations of readers can be diverse ...