Since Matthew, Mark, Luke and John first wrote it down, the story has been retold by many a brash biographer (notably: Ernest Renan, George Moore, Emil Ludwig). But the original Gospel story still stands four-square against all comers. Undaunted by the experience of his predecessors,* Columbia's Professor Emeritus John Erskine, who has already tried his hand at fiddling with Greek myths where Homer nodded (The Private Life of Helen of Troy, Penelope's Man), last week came forward with a new version of the Gospel story (The Human Life of Jesus; Morrow; $3).
At the outset, Professor Erskine phrases his own belief with...