The greatest story ever told?

“The Messiah of Morris Avenue” is hands-down the best book of 2006. If you are familiar with Tony Hendrix only as the editor of “National Lampoon” or as Ian Faith in “This Is Spinal Tap,” then you are missing an entirely different side of this man.

As the story begins, it is the second decade of the second millennium. There is no longer a separation of church and state, and Christianity is the law of the land. Anything deemed to be vulgar or un-Christian-like is strictly prohibited, and in many cases is punishable by death.

Seasoned and jaded reporter Johnny Greco is subjected to a life of mundane “news coverage” that consists of covering the Academy Awards from Grauman’s Christian Theater in Holywood, Calif., with Reverend James Sabbath, the spiritual adviser to the president of the United States, presiding over the ceremony. Greco yearns to be able to report a “real story,” but the current government suppresses such information and punishes anyone who would do otherwise.

He has resigned himself to a meaningless life of fluff pieces and pandering, when he gets wind of a real news story: A young man in New Jersey has proclaimed himself to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. Greco is used to dealing with such crackpots who think they are the Lord, but something about this man makes him want to know more.

He begins an investigative piece that will lead him to discover the passion of faith, the joy of miracles and the inspiration that one man can bring to many. And in doing so, Hendrix manages to instill these lasting emotions in his readers.

Much like his nonfiction book, “Father Joe,” swept across America to numerous kudos, so should “Messiah.” It needs to be at the top of everyone’s Must Read list.