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Canon William (Bill) Broad

How concepts of the 'Divinity' of Alexander the Great inform our understanding of the Divinity of Jesus in the Department of Theology and Religion

Abstract

I am a seventy one year old Priest in the C.of E., who after 40 years in Prison and Parish Ministry, decided on retirement to examine what I actually believed. Rejecting ninety percent of Church dogma and doctrine, I began to find out whether it was possible to approach the human Jesus without having to believe that he ever was a metaphysical being with a divine nature. Having no degree, I did a year's access course before completing a two year MATR, graduating in 2008.My approach has been to treat Jesus as a hero in the Greek sense and to discover whether his soubriquet 'Son of God' might not lead to a comparison of certain aspects of the story of Jesus with those of such figures as Alexander the Great. Under the title: 'Truly this man was "Son of God"; might this not have been said of Alexander?', I am two thirds of my way through a Master of Letters degree and hope to complete in May 2012.

Title

Truly this man was 'Son of God'; might this not have been said of Alexander the Great?