Jesuism

Jesuism, also called Jesusism or Jesuanism, is the philosophy or teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and the adherence to them.

Jesuism considers Jesus as the supreme authority of Christianity. Within Jesuism, one seeks to restore Jesus' sayings to their original purity. This includes eradicating human interpolations of the Gospels and misconceptions revealed by recent archaeological research.

Jesuism is distinct from and sometimes opposed to mainstream directions. In particular, the term is often contrasted with the theology attributed to Paul of Tarsus and mainstream church dogma. While not being opposed to the Christian Bible or Church doctrine, Jesuism does not affirm their authority over the teachings of Jesus. As a philosophy, Owen Flanagan characterized Jesuism as naturalistic and rationalist, rejecting the conflict between faith and science.

Though not specifically associated with Jesuism, the red letter Bibles are one method of studying the teachings of Jesus. Another is the Jefferson Bible. Many New Testament scholars have tried to identify Jesus' authentic sayings and actions; Géza Vermes, in particular, in his The Authentic Gospel of Jesus identifies what elements of the synoptic gospels are attributable to Jesus.