In this book Raymund Schwager surveys the church's christological tradition and proposes an understanding of Jesus that is informed by a conversation with the great theologians and leaders of the past and influenced by two contemporary pioneers in Christian thought: Hans Urs von Balthasar, known for his ""theodramatic"" approach, and Rene Girard, widely recognized for his mimetic scapegoat theory. The result is both a convincing scholarly picture of Jesus in relation to his Jewish historical context and to the beginnings of the Christian community and a coherent message of Jesus as God's word of salvation to humankind.