“The Fractured Kingdom” by Fielding faculty emeritus Jean-Pierre Isbouts wins the Excellence in Historical Non-Fiction Award

SANTA BARBARA- “The Fractured Kingdom,” a hardcover written by Fielding’s Jean-Pierre Isbouts and published in 2024 by Morehouse Publishing ($20.97), has won the 2025 Excellence in Historical Non-Fiction Award.

In the book, Dr. Isbouts argues that modern Christianity in America has been torn asunder by widely diverging doctrinal differences and the fault lines of our culture wars. He also shows that, though few may realize it today, Jesus’s ministry unfolded in a social and political crisis very similar to the one we face today. In fact, the truly catastrophic social conditions in early 1st century Galilee, mainly as the result of Herodian exploitation, ensured that Jesus’ reimagining of the three quintessential virtues of the Torah – social justice, compassion toward one another, and an abiding love of God –attracted a wide following.

The Fractured Kingdom takes readers on an exhilarating tour of the historical Jesus and shows us why the Lord’s Prayer, the only doctrine Christians agree on, might be our last hope for forging a more equal, compassionate, and loving society. It is particularly relevant today when members of Congress who identify as Christian seek to reduce or abolish Medicaid, food stamps, USAID, and other programs for the poor, at home and abroad. This runs counter to Jesus’ teachings as articulated in his famous Sermon on the Mount.

“I believe this is a book for all of us who call ourselves Christians, regardless of what branch of the Church we call home, “writes Randolph M. Hollerith, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral. And Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, says, “Readers will find a foundation for healing and wholeness in these pages.”

“The Fractured Kingdom” is an outflow of a 15-episode TV series, “The Search for the Historical Jesus,” that Isbouts wrote and directed for The Great Courses (thegreatcoursesplus.com). The series is also available on Amazon Prime Video.