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The Unvarnished Jesus

The Beauty of Christ and His Ugly Rivals

Samuel G Parkison author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Christian Focus Publications Ltd

Publishing:14th Jan '25

£14.99

This title is due to be published on 14th January, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

The Unvarnished Jesus cover

Powerful, trustworthy… beautiful?

Samuel G. Parkison makes a startling claim: Jesus is the most beautiful man to ever exist. His defence is theoretical and experiential: he knows him to be ultimate beauty and he has experienced him to be so.

Deconstructing cultural notions that beauty is subjective or sentimental, Parkison constructs an impressive picture of God’s breathtaking beauty. On this firm foundation, the only building to rise is one that testifies to Jesus, the God–man, as the most beautiful man that ever lived.

There’s beauty on every page of Jesus’ story. From before time, the beautiful foreknowledge of the Father prepared for the beauty of the incarnation. From this beautiful birth came a ministry brimming with beauty, and a death that overflowed with it. This beautiful sunset is followed by a resurrection sunrise: the beautiful declaration that salvation is secure. Having ascended, with beauty unbound, he now reigns forever as our ceaseless intercessor.

Through the pages of this journey, the unvarnished Jesus radiates with a true beauty like nothing and no one else. His rivals, the lesser versions, knockoffs and dupes, are ugly in comparison to the beautiful Jesus of the Holy Scriptures. He is the only one through whom satisfaction and communion with God, the ultimate beauty we’re wired to desire, is found.

This is a beauty that everyone needs to know and experience. With sidebars and a glossary to distil complex terms, readers are invited to delve deeper into the beauty of Jesus. There’s beauty in the big words, and it’s within the grasp of every reader.

So, put the proposition to the test. Read and revel in Jesus; he’s beautiful.  

… convincingly shows how vital affirming the beauty of Christ is for both theology and the Christian life. Readers would do well to give this book a slow read and marvel at the beauty of the Lord.

-- Ronni Kurtz (Assistant Professor of Theology, Cedarville University, Ohio; author, ‘Fruitful Theology: How the Life of the Mind Leads to the Life of the Soul’)

Both highly accessible and unabashedly deep, this is a must–have resource on the beauty of our Savior.

-- Harrison Perkins (Pastor, Oakland Hills Community Church (OPC), Farmington Hills, Michigan; author, ‘Righteous by Design: Covenantal Merit and Adam’s Original Integrity’)

More than once, I put down this book mid–sentence in awe of all the beauty Christ has given me to behold.

-- Matthew Barrett (Associate Professor of Christian Theology, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri )

… Parkison’s work trains our taste so that we properly value what, or Whom, is objectively Beautiful.

-- James R. Wood (Assistant Professor of Religion and Theology, Redeemer University, Ancaster, Ontario)

… accessible and deep, precise and gentle. ‘The Unvarnished Jesus’ will serve as an antidote to spiritual lethargy and inspire anew your worship of our glorious Christ.

-- Gloria Furman (Author, ‘A Tale of Two Kings’ and ‘Labor with Hope’)

In a world that doesn’t recognize true Beauty, Parkison offers much needed corrective lenses, helping us savor the excellence of Christ.

-- John Folmar (Senior Pastor, United Christian Church of Dubai)

Page after page, I smiled from ear to ear. … This is theology at its best, fueling serious joy.

-- David Mathis (Executive Editor, desiringGod.org; Pastor, Cities Church, Minneapolis/St P

ISBN: 9781527112223

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 395g

224 pages