The Four Gospels: their Essence and Spiritual Background

In this insightful book, Christopher Rau explores the spiritual experiences that are found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Rau presents the results of five decades of his research, demonstrating the distinct structure of each of the four canonical Gospels. Through clear analysis he highlights the particular stylistic features of each composition, which in turn reveal the meaning and goal of each gospel. Rau draws on the special features of each gospel to explain how their spiritual richness can only be understood by also considering pre-Christian religions. This is because, he argues, each evangelist describes the incarnation of the Son of God from the perspective of his own mystery religion. This is a fascinating book which aids a deeper study and appreciation of the Gospels.

In this insightful book, Christopher Rau explores the spiritual experiences that are found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Rau presents the results of five decades of his research, demonstrating the distinct structure of each of the four canonical Gospels. Through clear analysis he highlights the particular stylistic features of each composition, which in turn reveal the meaning and goal of each gospel. Rau draws on the special features of each gospel to explain how their spiritual richness can only be understood by also considering pre-Christian religions. This is because, he argues, each evangelist describes the incarnation of the Son of God from the perspective of his own mystery religion. This is a fascinating book which aids a deeper study and appreciation of the Gospels.