Hi y'all - I have an urgent need to know more about your book Rick?? I'm sure everyone else would like to know too.
On Jan 18, 3:57 pm, Rick S <[email protected]> wrote: > One of my favorite of Bart Ehrman's works is "Jesus: Apocalyptic > Prophet of the New Millennium" I think all of these quotes can be > interpreted based on his observation of Jesus as an Apocalypticist (of > course I believe he didn't exist at all). Here is a brief synopsis > taken from a reviewer of his book on Amazon: > > Bart Ehrman conveys to us an historian's view of who Jesus was. His > conclusion is the same as that of the famous humanitarian doctor and > theologian, Albert Schweitzer, in the early years of the 20th century: > Jesus was an apocalyptic prophet, who was convinced that Doomsday was > about to arrive very soon, even in his own lifetime. The present age > was evil, and the imminent coming of the Kingdom of God would change > everything. Hence you must prepare yourself. Give away all your > possessions to the poor: a rich man has little chance of entering the > Kingdom of God. Everything will be turned upside down: the weak and > poor will prevail over the rich and mighty. Mend your ways: Love God > above everything! Love your neighbour as yourself! Love even your > enemy! > Apocalyptic ideas were common in Palestine 2000 years ago. And they > turn up, in various forms, throughout Christendom. Ehrman provides > illuminating examples from present-day America. However, the > apocalyptic interpretation of Jesus is rather out of favour with most > contemporary Christian scholars. But Ehrman can rely on solid > arguments. The first third of his book is an admirably clear > presentation of the way a professional historian goes about > constructing his picture of the past. He has to assess the date of his > sources, and analyse their relation to each other, their possible > bias, and their context. All this should be required reading for > people who think they must interpret their Bible literally. > > In most of the rest of the book Ehrman uses his critical apparatus for > discussing the Jesus figure of the Gospels and Acts. This leads him to > a conclusion which is very much in line with that of the majority of > modern Christian scholars. Regrettably, Ehrman's main point, Jesus' > apocalypticism, tends to recede into the background in this part of > the book. However, it is reasserted with some force in the final > chapters. > > As the product of a clear-sighted and well-informed liberal scholar, > this book has much to offer. Ehrman presents current scholarly opinion > clearly and fairly, and in a very readable style. In my opinion, > however, he could have been more controversial on some basic issues. I > am thinking especially of the case for considering the Gospel Jesus as > a deliberate and wholly mythical construction of the second-century > Christian church, which needed a Jesus figure which was both human and > spiritual, in its struggle with the Gnostics of their time. That is > the picture presented, with considerable supporting new evidence and > fresh arguments, in several recent books by George Wells, Timothy > Freke & Peter Gandy, Earl Doherty, and myself. But perhaps it is just > as well that Ehrman avoids scaring away readers of a less liberal turn > of mind than himself. They will certainly find much food for thought > in his book. I should also like to draw attention here to a recent > book by Michael > > Rick S > > On Jan 13, 11:06 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > this is a post from Clog on the Occam's site: > > > Hi y'all - yes, you heard correctly. We have been thinking of this > > subject as a topic for future discussion but I suppose we could > > equally well address it here. > > When engaged in a friendship with a Christian, I must admit to feeling > > something less than a second class citizen, and on occasions rather > > lucky to be alive at all. There is nothing interposed between my > > friendship with a Christian - I have nothing to hide, and I say what I > > believe quite openly - the Christian has nothing to fear from me. I do > > not feel that it can possibly be the same for a Christian, given his > > biblical instructions. God comes between a Christian and his friend - > > even his family! Here are a few examples for starters: > > > Matthew10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, > > and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their > > parents, and cause them to be put to death. > > > Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not > > worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not > > worthy of me. > > > Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or > > sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my > > name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit > > everlasting life. > > > Mark 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There > > is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or > > mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, > > > Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, > > and wife, and children,and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own > > life also, he cannot be my disciple. > > > Luke 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and > > kinfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to > > death. > > > Deuteronomy 13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or > > thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as > > thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve > > other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; > > 13:9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon > > him to put him to death, > > > Joshua 7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed > > thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he > > hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath > > wrought folly in Israel. > > > 2 Chronicles 15:13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of > > Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or > > woman. > > > Psalm 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as > > soon as they be born, speaking lies. > > 58:10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he > > shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. > > > Isaiah 9:19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land > > darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man > > shall spare his brother. > > 9:20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he > > shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they > > shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: > > > On Jan 13, 2:51 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > - Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - > > > > ....or, at least that was the gist of what you said to Steve W. if I > > > heard you correctly. > > > On Jan 13, 2:44 pm, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > Steve A., > > > > You said something about the Christian God commanding Christians not > > > > to be friends with wicked atheists? Do you have scripture or even an > > > > argument to back that up? > > > > Jason- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
