"Theology in a new code.”
—Dr. Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School
and author of When Jesus Came to Harvard
“A marvelous book. Jesus’ words and actions ring true, with a
contemporary feel. You’ll be torn between wanting to stop and
reflect on each chapter and continuing to read to see whether
Jesus will once again have to make the Ultimate Sacrifice.”
—B. C. Aronson, author of Grace and Love
“Reading The Eternal Messiah has rekindled a long term
interest in science fiction – a genre with no boundaries, which is
brilliantly exploited by the authors as we are drawn into a complex
world of intergalactic struggles and intrigue. The fascinating idea
that Jesus Christ enters into the mix and has been returning to
challenge evolution and to find out if the eternal truth has at last
been understood, adds a profound philosophic dimension to the
story. And what is the eternal truth? The only way to find out is
to read this enthralling book.”
—Robert Feather, author of The Secret
Initiation of Jesus at Qumran
“The Eternal Messiah is an intriguing blend of theology and
science fiction, highly recommended.”
— Midwest Book Review
“In The Eternal Messiah: Jesus Of K'Turia, W.R. Pursche and
Michael Gabriele dramatize the provocative idea that the
appearance of a Messiah is what transforms stagnant,
tradition-bound societies into vibrant and humane civilizations.
One does not have to be a believer to be intrigued and moved
by this well-told story: an excellent work of theological sci-fi.”
—Professor Richard E. Rubenstein, author of Thus Saith the
Lord, The Revolutionary Moral Vision of Isaiah and Jeremiah
“This book captured me and captivated me not only by the brilliance
of the authors, but by the Light of their Christ who touched my heart
and lifted my soul. Jesus is the Eternal Messiah, no matter where
He is. A personal spiritual experience.”
—Jeff Patnaude, author of Leading from the Maze:
A Personal Pathway to Leadership
“A rich, well-written story with compelling characters, taking you on
a journey of belief.”
—Dallas Hudgens, author of Season of Gene
“This new interpretation of the messianic Jesus uses plain talk to
illuminate complicated subjects such as faith, sacrifice and the road
to salvation. The Eternal Messiah is an imaginative primer for those
who want a deeper understanding of the true meaning of the message
of Jesus.”
—Dr. Judith O'Brien, author of
Way of the Mystic:Seeing through the Ark
“Bill Pursche and Michael Gabriele challenge us to think about
people’s thoughts about religion, their fears and insecurities, and
why religion has such a profound effect on the relationships between
people.”
—Rabbi Bruce Aft, Adjunct Professor,
Marymount University, Arlington, VA.
“An amazing tale that pushes one to the boundaries of what is
fiction and non-fiction. The Eternal Messiah is an interesting and
thought provoking read that is hard to put down.”
—Paul Rest, author of The Lost Gospel
of Mary the Mother of Jesus (forthcoming)
“An illuminating exploration of whether one single being can serve
as a catalyst to change the course of history and science. Whether
you believe such change comes from the messenger or the
message, here is an ambitious story of how a preacher with a
message of supreme humanity and sacrifice stirs hearts and
passions.”
—Sherri Waas Shunfenthal, author of
Sacred Voices: Women of Genesis Speak
“A refreshingly creative re-telling of the mission of Jesus.”
—Father Jerry Wooton, Parochial Vicar,
Holy Trinity Parish,Virginia
—Dr. Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School
and author of When Jesus Came to Harvard
“A marvelous book. Jesus’ words and actions ring true, with a
contemporary feel. You’ll be torn between wanting to stop and
reflect on each chapter and continuing to read to see whether
Jesus will once again have to make the Ultimate Sacrifice.”
—B. C. Aronson, author of Grace and Love
“Reading The Eternal Messiah has rekindled a long term
interest in science fiction – a genre with no boundaries, which is
brilliantly exploited by the authors as we are drawn into a complex
world of intergalactic struggles and intrigue. The fascinating idea
that Jesus Christ enters into the mix and has been returning to
challenge evolution and to find out if the eternal truth has at last
been understood, adds a profound philosophic dimension to the
story. And what is the eternal truth? The only way to find out is
to read this enthralling book.”
—Robert Feather, author of The Secret
Initiation of Jesus at Qumran
“The Eternal Messiah is an intriguing blend of theology and
science fiction, highly recommended.”
— Midwest Book Review
“In The Eternal Messiah: Jesus Of K'Turia, W.R. Pursche and
Michael Gabriele dramatize the provocative idea that the
appearance of a Messiah is what transforms stagnant,
tradition-bound societies into vibrant and humane civilizations.
One does not have to be a believer to be intrigued and moved
by this well-told story: an excellent work of theological sci-fi.”
—Professor Richard E. Rubenstein, author of Thus Saith the
Lord, The Revolutionary Moral Vision of Isaiah and Jeremiah
“This book captured me and captivated me not only by the brilliance
of the authors, but by the Light of their Christ who touched my heart
and lifted my soul. Jesus is the Eternal Messiah, no matter where
He is. A personal spiritual experience.”
—Jeff Patnaude, author of Leading from the Maze:
A Personal Pathway to Leadership
“A rich, well-written story with compelling characters, taking you on
a journey of belief.”
—Dallas Hudgens, author of Season of Gene
“This new interpretation of the messianic Jesus uses plain talk to
illuminate complicated subjects such as faith, sacrifice and the road
to salvation. The Eternal Messiah is an imaginative primer for those
who want a deeper understanding of the true meaning of the message
of Jesus.”
—Dr. Judith O'Brien, author of
Way of the Mystic:Seeing through the Ark
“Bill Pursche and Michael Gabriele challenge us to think about
people’s thoughts about religion, their fears and insecurities, and
why religion has such a profound effect on the relationships between
people.”
—Rabbi Bruce Aft, Adjunct Professor,
Marymount University, Arlington, VA.
“An amazing tale that pushes one to the boundaries of what is
fiction and non-fiction. The Eternal Messiah is an interesting and
thought provoking read that is hard to put down.”
—Paul Rest, author of The Lost Gospel
of Mary the Mother of Jesus (forthcoming)
“An illuminating exploration of whether one single being can serve
as a catalyst to change the course of history and science. Whether
you believe such change comes from the messenger or the
message, here is an ambitious story of how a preacher with a
message of supreme humanity and sacrifice stirs hearts and
passions.”
—Sherri Waas Shunfenthal, author of
Sacred Voices: Women of Genesis Speak
“A refreshingly creative re-telling of the mission of Jesus.”
—Father Jerry Wooton, Parochial Vicar,
Holy Trinity Parish,Virginia
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| THE ETERNAL MESSIAH: Jesus of K'Turia |
| by W. R. Pursche & Michael Gabriele |
- What happens if Jesus is discovered on another planet?
The Eternal Messiah: Jesus of K’Turia
Authors: W. R. Pursche and Michael Gabriele
The premise of this ambitious and fascinating book – the discovery of Jesus on another planet – is one of those that immediately
makes you wonder: Why didn't someone think of this before? Even if you are not a Christian, certainly the question of whether the
concept of a "universal God" applies to more than just our planet is certainly an intriguing one. Remarkably, this idea is wrapped
within a gripping story that is totally devoid of proselytism.
The book begins in the future, where a scientific research vessel has been commandeered by the military to take part in a secret
military mission for a group called the League. Captain Win, a non-human who is in charge of the ship, is not very happy with this
arrangement. On top of not being very good at taking orders (especially ones shrouded in secrecy) he has joined the League to
escape the dreadful memories of his home world, where his lifelong mate lost her life. This devastating loss has also kept Win
from consummating his spiritual nirvana, the goal of everyone on his planet. With no mate, no heaven, and very little interest in
anything, Win is hiding out in the minutiae of science.
Win is told by a League agent that his mission is to go to a planet called K'Turia to quietly search for a missing cargo freighter.
The freighter is carrying weapons, which if discovered by the League's enemies, could start a galactic war. The search for the
weapons is so important that even non-military ships like Win's must help out – and their scientific status will supposedly help keep
their mission a little less obvious.
This background, which seems a bit unrelated to the Jesus story, does become important later. Along on the mission to K'Turia is
a human scientist named Prentiss. A specialist on cultural development, she has developed a rather controversial theory – that
the advancement of a culture is affected not only by religion, but specifically, by the appearance of a "messiah." In this future time,
the "religion versus science" debate continues even as it exists today, with the same level of thinly veiled antagonism. Many of the
scientists refuse to accept the idea of religion – or more specifically, of God – in their theories of advancement and evolution.
There are scientists who are 'believers' but they walk the thin line of keeping their science and religion separate.
Prentiss has tried to do this, and believes her theory is well supported by facts. Specifically, her concept is that religion is a truly
universal construct. But on some worlds, religion becomes so rule-based that it stifles development – the people live their lives in
such a regimented way that they cannot grow technologically. At this point a 'catalyst' appears, in the form of a messiah, and the
messiah frees the people and allows them to question and to grow.
Prentiss attempts to keep her theory 'scientific', but her peers – and her bosses – will have none of it, seeing it as an attempt to
claim that only God can create advancement. They demote her, and she ends up on Win's small ship, the equivalent of scientific
Siberia. But when the mission brings the ship to the religious world of K'Turia, Win brings her along as a specialist to help him deal
with the local populace.
Prentiss actually wants no part of this; she is trying to lie low in order to regain her reputation, but she is torn between that goal
and wanting to keep the crew from contaminating the rather primitive culture of K'Turia. Her dilemma becomes more pronounced
when, soon after arriving on K'Turia, they are immediately recognized as strangers by an old man, who nonetheless offers to help
them, because he believes they are pilgrims, come to see "Jesus."
Prentiss thinks she has found the final proof of her theory – the K'Turians should know nothing about Jesus. Therefore some sort
of universal entity must exist, and this Jesus must be the messiah catalyst called for in her theory, especially since K'Turia is a
textbook case of a culture controlled by a rigid religion.
Win is not so sure, and the old man doesn't recognize the word "Christ" at all. The League agent thinks they are nuts, that Jesus
must be an imposter, and orders them to get on with finding the freighter.
The rest of the story is about the race to find the freighter, while at the same time witnessing Jesus of K'Turia as he preaches, all
while the crew (and Jesus) fight to stay out of the way of the priests (who are threatened by Jesus and his teachings) and the
Lemians, the enemies of the League. In the background are the Rheans, a mysterious race of beings who are testing the League
to see if they deserve to enter into a Rhean alliance – and the test has something to do with how the crew deals with Jesus.
The key characters have their own demons and complexities, and what makes the book work so well is how they are affected by a
spiritual message. From that perspective it would not matter if the preacher was not "Jesus" but of course this adds another
interesting series of twists.
The message of Jesus of K'Turia is not a simple retelling of the New Testament, yet it is one that most Christians (as well as those
of many other religions) will probably be comfortable with. There is an underlying theme of the power of faith, and this is what
affects Win the most. And Prentiss is forced to make a choice between her desire for a material goal (esteem) and her belief – the
same choice central to many religions.
Unlike many other religious fiction books, this one does not resort to depictions of extreme evil in order to exemplify goodness. Nor
does it rely on the colloquialism of The Shack. It does pose a similar interesting question though: if Jesus did appear, what words
would he use to bring his message?
This is not hard science fiction in the form of Arthur C. Clark or Orson Scott Card. In fact the science fiction elements are
downplayed to a great extent, although the cultural differences of the characters plays an important part in the story. In the end
the book is not about the science, or the galactic war, but rather about how people in a different time and place respond to a
powerful spiritual message. It is about a search, for explanation of the unexplained universal truths, of faith, of belief. In this
regard it is a rousing success; not only in the message, but in forcing us to think about how we would respond if one of our
personal spiritual guides – or our personal view of God – appeared before us in the flesh. No matter what you believe, or who you
believe in, the very idea is enough to grab hold of you and make you really think.
