The Nondual Jesus

“The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.” As familiar as this teaching may be to many Christians, the heart of its meaning can be much more elusive. In this lesson we will consider the basic historical context in which Jesus lived and out of which his teachings arose. We will explore the relationship between the Kingdom of Heaven as Jesus taught it and nondual consciousness, an awareness that sees no separation—not between God and humans, not between humans and humans. An understanding of this awareness will form the foundation for our further explorations in the course.

Upon completion of this lesson you will be able to:

• Describe the basic historical context in which Jesus lived and taught
• Distinguish between the Nag Hammadi Codex and the Dead Sea Scrolls
• Define gnostic and explain why it applies to Jesus
• Define nondual consciousness and explain how it relates to the teachings of Jesus
• Define metanoia
• Describe how teachings such as the Beatitudes and the parables can be seen as radical calls to the transformation of consciousness