“Christopher McMahon’’s Understanding Jesus: Christology from Emmaus to Today is a compelling exploration of the salvific effects of Christ’’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection designed to engage readers and take them on the journey that began with Emmaus and continues today. It is a refreshingly direct Christological overview in which McMahon allows the debates, concerns, and questions, not only of scholars but also of the faithful, to emerge from the texts and then to be addressed in a balanced and thoughtful manner.

“Proceeding from a low-ascending Christology, the journey begins with a clear and accessible consideration of the quest for the historical Jesus. Along the way, the reader is introduced to important persons of interest whose contributions to the Christological conversation are significant. McMahon is skilled at introducing insights and applications, such as John Meier’’s criteria for historical Jesus research, and then applying them directly when interpreting the meaning of scriptural passages. Such application is critical for a student reader of the text.

“McMahon offers crisp summaries, poignant questions for discussion and reflection, helpful charts, and sidebars, which serve as pedagogical tools. The book’’s open and inclusive approach invites readers from any background or perspective to make the journey and to encounter the richness and impact of Christ’’s life in the world.”

“Understanding Jesus builds an important bridge between contemporary theological scholarship and the undergraduate classroom. With its explanation of the successive quests for “the historical Jesus,” this book provides a learned and comprehensive antidote to conspiracy claims about Jesus of Nazareth that today’s university students encounter in popular media. The author helps students make sense of an often-bewildering array of scholarly voices in clearly explaining both the promises and the limits of what historical research can credibly affirm about Jesus.

“With its fair-minded treatment of contrasting positions in Christology, Understanding Jesus walks readers through centuries of textual and doctrinal developments from a perspective that is simultaneously Catholic and ecumenical, and appreciative of the contributions of Christian theologians from around the globe.

“Christopher McMahon’’s accessible prose is supplemented with helpful charts, questions for reflection, topical bibliographies, and a glossary. Faculty members in New Testament studies and contemporary systematic theology who are searching for a balanced textbook that fairly represents the current academic consensus about the early Jesus movement will find in Understanding Jesus a high-quality source that meets their teaching needs for a diverse array of classroom settings.”

“Erin Brigham provides an accessible introduction to the riches of the Catholic social tradition for twenty-first-century students.  .  .  .  The reflection questions, summaries, and vignettes in each chapter situate Catholic social teaching as a living tradition  .  .  .  [and encourage students]  to reflect upon the assumptions and values that influence their interpretations of social issues and their practices of responsible action.”

“Erin Brigham’’s See, Judge, Act is an invaluable resource for professors committed to service learning, professors who teach Catholic social thought, and anyone concerned about pressing social issues. Brigham applies key principles in Catholic social thought (dignity of the human person, call to family, community and participation, dignity of work and the rights of workers, option for the poor, solidarity, care for creation, rights and responsibilities) to contemporary concerns. Vignettes show how students grapple with racism and white privilege, immigration, unemployment, living wage and workers’ rights, poverty and economic justice, war and peacemaking, climate change, environmental racism, and other issues in service activities. I am incredibly grateful for See, Judge, Act and will use it in my classes!”

“Erin Brigham provides an invaluable tool for connecting the lived and scholarly traditions of Catholic social teaching with a service-learning pedagogy that concretely engages urgent signs of the times. She deftly surfaces reflective and interpretive components of social analysis to help students not only bridge insights from the Catholic tradition with contemporary justice issues but also reexamine their perceptions and convictions in light of community encounters. Her treatment of Catholic social theory and praxis remains accessible without sacrificing depth. The embedded reflection questions will support educators as they navigate this demanding yet indispensable pedagogy. This text would work effectively not only in the undergraduate classroom but also for staff and faculty development or with community partners.”