‘Did Jesus really exist?’

May 25, 2020 in Featured News, News

What exactly do Christians believe? What are the most basic and essential aspects of Christianity? Did Jesus really exist?

A new book published by Messenger Publications addresses these and other fundamental questions of faith. Did Jesus Really Exist? and 51 Other Questions by Nikolaas Sintobin SJ provides a succinct overview of the Christian faith with the author answering questions from a theological perspective but with a light touch.

Nikolaas Sintobin SJ is a spiritual director working in online ministry. He joined the Jesuits in 1989 following a short career as a lawyer. He studied in Brussels, Paris, and Santiago in Chile, specialising in Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy. He says his work is about sharing the Gospel in a secular and multi-religious culture, and it is against this backdrop that he has written his latest book.

Did Jesus Really Exist? is written for a contemporary audience, he says, adding that “Each question is answered without jargon and in under two minutes – the average time a user spends on a website. Answers are followed by questions relating to the subject under discussion and the reader can work on them individually or together with others.”

The book features an appendix of common words such as ‘prayer’, ‘heaven’, ‘Easter’, ‘sin’, is helpful for those who want to engage in further reflection and understanding of the Christian faith.

“Also the book is ideal for young people,” says Nikolaas, “or for those who would like to refresh or deepen their faith knowledge, or for non-Christians interested in discovering the basics of Christian faith. I focus on questions that arise in the everyday faith life of ordinary people. Questions like ‘what do people do in heaven? Does suffering make sense? Are other religions wrong?”

The author answers these questions in a clear, direct, and accessible manner. But there is a theological depth underpinning what he writes which makes this book an important resource regarding fundamental questions of Christian belief.

Did Jesus Really Exist? and 51 Other Questions by Nikolaas Sintobin SJ is published in Ireland and the UK by Messenger Publications. Priced at €12.95/£11.95