James, Camel Knees

Ken Smith, the author believes in Christian biographical novels. Working from Biblical passage to Biblical passage the story is told revealing culture, thoughts and feelings that dominated the lives of Biblical persons. James, the brother of Jesus is a fascinating person, a real person. Perhaps this story is the how, when, where and why of the fact that James was the titular head of the church of the Way in Jerusalem, the mother church of the Christian faith. With Peter and John, James is reputed, by Paul the Apostle to be one of the three pillars of the early church. He plays a fascinating part in the life of Jesus, the Messiah. Where others had to overcome a distance from Jesus to accept him as lord, James had to overcome a familial closeness to see Jesus as more than an older brother, or a good provider, or a skilled craftsman, or a first son, to know Jesus as the Messiah. With James, experience life in Jesus’ family, the changes that were necessary as the teachings of Jesus became more than the creed of the early church. Walk with James through the early formation and controversies of the followers of the Way, that would become the Christian church. 3