The Gospel of Simon - by John Smelcer (Paperback)

About the Book

A retelling of a familiar story in the voice of Simon of Cyrene, who helped carry the cross for Jesus

Book Synopsis

"In a world where the media relentlessly enflames fear and hatred, here is a quiet voice espousing the triumph of love and peace." --Archbishop Desmond Tutu

"This book shows the many similarities between Buddhism and Christianity, such as the practices of compassion, love, contemplation, and tolerance." --The Dalai Lama

"This may be exactly the way it happened. A tour de force." --Tom O'Horgan, director of Jesus Christ Superstar

"May this book bring a lot of benefit to people who read it." --Thich Nhat Hanh, Love in Action

"A book that reminds us again and again of Jesus' gospel of love." --Saul Bellow

2,000 years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher was condemned to crucifixion. A man named Simon, from Cyrene, was compelled to help Jesus carry the heavy cross. What did he and Jesus talk about? Eager to learn more about this "rabbi," Simon returned to Jerusalem the next day. What he learned changed his life, and gave his descendants an incredible secret.

John Smelcer is the author of over fifty books, many translated and published worldwide. With Russian Orthodox Archbishop Benjamin, John contributed to the revised map of global Christianity in the tenth edition of Living Religions (Mary Pat Fisher, Ed.), and with the Dalai Lama, he coauthored a poem on compassion. Dr. Smelcer's education includes postdoctoral studies at Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard, where he studied Buddhism, Islam and Sufism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity, including the historical Jesus of Nazareth.

Review Quotes

"This slim volume is more of a message wrapped in the trappings of story. None of it is anything unfamiliar to anyone who has read the New Testament or any number of inspirational religious texts, but it is a much-needed reminder of love and hope for an uncertain and increasingly violent world. If you are looking to find out who Simon might have been and experience his life, you will be disappointed. However, if you need inspiration, you just might find it within these pages." Historical Novel Society

"The book's simple and eloquent prose invites the reader to read it deeply with an open mind and heart.... For me as a social justice activist and scholar, what moved me the most is Smelcer's emphasis, with much simplicity, on how our spirituality or faith can be a force for justice in the world.... The Gospel of Simon is a spiritual gift, and I am grateful to John Smelcer for writing it." -- Tikkun, review by Victor Narro

"John Smelcer generates a contrapuntal dialog as witness to the untold story of Simon.... Smelcer's tale does not come across as sermonizing, but as an internal dialog wherein he finds himself asking and answering -- without being disingenuous -- the same questions even the most devout will ask of themselves.... Smelcer makes no claim that Christianity is the only way to heaven, which leaves the doors open to a place for all the world's major religions. Thus the great number of religious leaders and thinkers who have read and offered their comments about the book and its civility.... In showing us a man who answered the call, [Smelcer] also shows us there is a righteous, if not religious, path forward, if only we allow ourselves to take it." -- Ragazine

"Smelcer's skillful use of narrative gradually builds in readers a sense of the life-altering understanding and new confidence Simon gains. Smelcer's dialogue in this narrative mirrors the markers of disunity disrupting many facets of our contemporary lives.... This type of book is overdue in Christian literature, and presents a life-changing narrative for those who've lost their faith, for those who are disgusted with the religious attitudes of some, or those who are looking for an encounter with something or someone greater than themselves." -- Alaska Dispatch News

About the Author

John Smelcer, Ph.D., is the author of over fifty books, many translated and published worldwide. His bestselling book of mythology, The Raven and the Totem, includes a foreword by Joseph Campbell (The Power of Myth). With Russian Orthodox Archbishop Benjamin, John contributed to the revised map of global Christianity in the 10th edition of Living Religions (Mary Pat Fisher, Ed.). With the Dalai Lama, John co-authored a poem on compassion. He is currently writing a book about how war corrupts and unhinges conscience. Dr. Smelcer's education includes postdoctoral studies at Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard, where he studied Buddhism, Islam and Sufism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity, including the historical Jesus of Nazareth.