Slide
Aes Dana © Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Why review this Book?
It has to be said that books about the life of Jesus do not normally feature highly on my ‘must read’ list.
However, I made an exception when I heard a rumour that this book places Jesus not only in Britain, but in person at Stonehenge, and that it has been written by Dennis Price.
Dennis spent over ten years living within a few miles of Stonehenge, visiting the temple as many as three times a week, including private visits courtesy of English Heritage, and he also attended all the open Solstice celebrations during this time. Not only that, but he spent four years working for Wessex Archaeology with some of the foremost experts on Stonehenge.
He worked on the A303 Stonehenge Test Pit Project and he was closely involved with the discovery in 2002 of the King of Stonehenge, or Amesbury Archer, and the 2003 discovery of the Boscombe Bowmen. He’s done a lot else besides in connection with Stonehenge, he’s often to be seen talking with the archaeologists in charge of the excavations of the Stonehenge Riverside Project and he runs the Eternal Idol site, reporting on and providing original information on Stonehenge – in turn, receiving regular write-ups in the international media.
So, I was determined to get hold of a copy of his book ahead of its release and Dennis’s publishers, Hay House, kindly sent me a review copy.
Approach:
Dennis approaches his research in highly original way, treating this as a 2,000 year old ‘missing persons’ case. His method and thinking are meticulous, and yet this book is not just totally readable but engrossing and manages to avoid being dry or technical.
With the instincts of a blood hound, Dennis tracks down fascinating clues in the new testament that make very compelling evidence once they’re identified, pieced together and placed into context, so you will wonder at how you had never noticed them before. Next, he explores the landscape and features of the West of England, bringing into play many archaeological insights about the region in which the legends place Jesus.
Finally, he profiles the prominent individuals and groups who may hold value in this search for the truth. It all paints an intriguing and insightful picture of what Jesus might have been like during his formative years, but I’m left wondering why no archaeologist or churchman has properly investigated this subject before?
Style:
The book has an easy flow to the narrative, making it accessible to any reader. A clear differentiation is made between plain facts, archaeological conclusions, assumptions based on circumstantial evidence and personal opinions, and some of these opinions, I admit, made painful reading for me and some I would question. However, no attempt is made to hide supposition within more solid points to justify a theory. He does not choose to use hidden or disputed sources and the integrity of this approach makes the conclusions of the book all the more convincing.
Implications:
Considering Dennis’s obvious impartiality and the high quality of the mass of evidence he presents, some of which shows certain archaeologists in a very poor light, the many implications of this book are simply staggering.
I fully expect that this book will be the start of much healthy debate amongst Christians and scholars. Perhaps this will be the inspiration for further research and more books on the subject. Who knows? We may see a documentary, a historical drama or even a movie about the life of the young Jesus set in ancient Britain before long...that would be a new take on things!
But there are other implications: I anticipate seeing many more Christians appearing at some of the ‘Pagan’ Sites mentioned in this book. I am not sure how welcome that development will be, given that they have already taken so many of our sacred places and stuck churches and shrines upon them over the centuries.
The most beneficial of the possible impacts of this book is that Christians may now have to reconsider their prejudice against pagans (after all, it now seems beyond any reasonable doubt that we hosted Jesus in our pagan land for many years) and equally many Pagans will need to reassess their outlook towards Christianity, given that the ancestors so clearly accepted its founder among them.
Above, Dennis talks about his new book
Conclusion:
To Celtic Pagans, Albion (Britain) has always been a sacred and enchanted land. After this book is released and its evidence considered, I believe that many others will look at Britain as very sacred, if only for the reason that in all probability it has their saviour’s footprints all over it.
What do I think of it?
Quite simply, this is one of the most exciting books I have read in decades; rarely is a book published that has the potential to be world changing for many people, but I honestly believe that this is one such book.
As a Stonehenge Druid, I’ve always been interested in stories of ancient Britain and I had vaguely heard of the legends of Jesus visiting Britain ‘in ancient times’, as described in William Blake’s poem ‘Jerusalem.’ I had never heard of any serious investigation into these legends, though, and I suppose I had dismissed them as unlikely.
However, this book is very well researched and the incredible case is presented so meticulously that the burden of proof has shifted dramatically - now those who would contest the idea that Jesus spent up to eighteen years in Britain must prove otherwise.
Even as a non Christian and a Druid, I acknowledge that Jesus was one of the greatest spiritual leaders ever to have lived – he’s the central figure in Christianity and the second most revered prophet in Islam, the world’s two major religions.
I feel enormously proud to think that this amazing man probably met with our direct ancestors when they were in their prime as a free and courageous people (who had twice defeated the legions of the hated Caesar), and that the young Jesus was readily given hospitality, friendship and sanctuary from the threat he faced from the Romans occupying his homeland when he was a stranger and a guest in our green and pleasant land.
Below: Video of Dennis Price talking about his book which we filmed 6th Nov 09