Marcus J. Borg is one of the founders of the “New Paradigm” of Christianity where study of the bible is done through the lens of the first century Christians. This approach yields a rich metaphorical context where “setting biblical passages in their ancient context makes them come alive. It enables us to see meanings in these ancient text that would otherwise be hidden from sight”.
Continue reading…
Category: Theology and Philosophy
The Reformation by Peter Marshall
I read this book for two reasons. The secondary reason was because my Western Civilization (in the 1970’s we still focused primarily on Western history) professor at the College of Idaho – Franklin Specht – made the Reformation come alive. There I was, my first year in college, wet behind the years at 18, having no real idea of how history shaped our culture or why I should care. Thanks to Professor Specht, I learned about impacts of events like the Reformation and the French Revolution.
Reading: The Final Days of Jesus by Mark D. Smith
SubTitle: The Thrill of Defeat, The Agony of Victory: A Classical Historian Explores Jesus’s Arrest, Trial, and Execution Rating:★★★★ Finished: March 21, 2018 [Image from Amazon] As the subtitle explains, this book is an historical view of Jesus’ death, not a theological one. “… this book differs from other books.… Continue reading Reading: The Final Days of Jesus by Mark D. Smith
Book Report: Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy
Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy: A Journey into a New Christianity Through the Doorway of Matthew’s Gospel by John Shelby Spong My rating: 4 of 5 stars John Shelby Spong argues that a literal reading of the New Testament – specifically Matthew – is an error that developed after the Christ movement left the Jewish… Continue reading Book Report: Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy
Book Report: How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian. By John Dominic Crosson
How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian: Struggling with Divine Violence from Genesis Through Revelation by John Dominic Crossan My rating: 5 of 5 stars Justice v Judgement Justice v Judgement I am a Christian; however, I have struggled most of my adult life with the dichotomy of God as described in… Continue reading Book Report: How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian. By John Dominic Crosson