Bestseller, "Misquoting Jesus" [Archive]

David77

07-08-2007, 11:24 AM

Washington Post article "The Book of Bart".

In the Bestseller 'Misquoting Jesus,' Agnostic Author Bart Ehrman Picks Apart the Gospels That Made a Disbeliever Out of Him

By Neely Tucker
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 5, 2006; D01

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. "Where does faith reside? In the soul? The mind, the marrow of the bones?
In the long hours of the night, the voices of the evangelical preachers on the AM dial seem to know. Believe, they say. Then daylight comes and the listeners' questions fade.
Bart Ehrman is a sermon, a parable, but of what? He's a best-selling author, a New Testament expert and perhaps a cautionary tale: the fundamentalist scholar who peered so hard into the origins of Christianity that he lost his faith altogether."

Please read the rest of the article on the internet.

David77

07-08-2007, 11:24 AM

Naturist Mark

07-08-2007, 11:45 AM

This version of the link may work better: The Book of Bart (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/04/AR2006030401369.html)

Here's an NPR story on the same book: Bart Ehrman's 'Misquoting Jesus' (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5052156) including audio (http://www.npr.org/templates/dmg/dmg_wmref_em.php?id=5052159&type=1&date=14-Dec-2005&au=1&pid=70147750&random=6046462302&guid=00009904C400068B790A05A061626364&upf=Win32&mtype=WM&ssid=&topicName=Politics___Society&subtopicName=Religion&prgCode=FA&hubId=-1&thingId=5052156&tableModifier=)

-Mark

Mosquito_Bait

07-08-2007, 01:35 PM

Thank you for the links. I can understand exactly how the gentleman feels. There have been times in my life when I have wanted to become a true believer but I just couldn't bring myself to suspend common sense. I remain a steward of a church out of respect for the cultural heritage of my family but I am unable to bring myself to swallow the theology.

David77

07-08-2007, 10:51 PM

Mark,
Thank you for the links.

luvnaturism

07-09-2007, 06:02 AM

I read "Misquoting Jesus," and thought it was excellent. In fact I bought an extra copy to give to a friend; now I can't find my own copy because I loaned it to someone who didn't return it. However it would never have occurred to me to have concluded that the author is an agnostic. He lost his faith in the fundamentalist explanations, but one can still be a Christian without having to be able to answer all the questions; or while acknowledging the historical process by which the Bible came down to our time.

In the stream of Christian history the fundamentalists arrived only lately, and represent only a modest percentage of all Christians alive today. Some of us have found that when we gave up biblical literalism, with its rejection of common sense, the Bible didn't lose meaning. Rather, it became richer and more powerful in directing our own spiritual journeys.

There's another book right now that a friend just recommended to me: "Christianity for the Rest of Us." It explores how serious Christians can practice their faith without falling into the mistruthes of the religious right.

Boreas

07-09-2007, 08:55 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Some of us have found that when we gave up biblical literalism, with its rejection of common sense, the Bible didn't lose meaning. Rather, it became richer and more powerful in directing our own spiritual journeys. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That has been my experience.

I am reading Marcus Borg's "The Heart of Christianity" and have found it very confirming for me. It has answered some questions and has deepened my faith. I have also read a bunch of John Shelby Spong's work and though he can be a bit more abrasive, he also has helped me with some questions. Is he the author of Christianity for the Rest of Us?

Journeyman

07-09-2007, 09:10 AM

Along these lines is another excellent book called "The Pagan Christ" authored by a former Anglican (Episcopalian) minister and religion editor of the Toronto Star. For me, the book was and is personally life-changing.

http://www.tomharpur.com/books/books_thepaganchrist.asp

Boreas

07-09-2007, 09:42 AM

Hi Journeyman, I have also read that book and enjoyed it. I particularly liked his point that the bigger message of the Christ story is more important than the literal facts. I liked how he outlined how the same message has been presented over time in many myths and stories. Very powerful.

luvnaturism

07-09-2007, 10:39 AM

While we're recommending books one of the best ones out there right now is "A Generous Orthodoxy." Can't remember the author's name right now. A friend loaned it to me, and after reading just a few chapters I bought a copy to give to a different friend. Now I've purchased my own copy so I can read it again.

This books shows how the various Christian traditions (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Fundamentalist, Presbyterian, etc., etc., you name it) each make valuable contributions to the whole family. It also shows the commonalities that exist between traditions that would seem to be widely at variance with each other.

My favorite quote: "The greatest sin of the Christian church is the need to be right."

Rabid_Clam

07-10-2007, 02:19 AM

There are many who profess to be right. But actually every one is wrong, some more than others. Many preachers and clergy come up with terms out of their head and preach that claiming it to be the truth and gospel.

We actually do not know what is the truth. We can only search within our selves and then make a best judgement on what is what we feel to be right and then go forward from there.

There is allot of advice to take into consideration, the bible has allot of good advise as does a countlss number of other books. But the final judgement on what is right and what is wrong resides with you and only you. It is your decision to make.

Boreas

07-10-2007, 05:43 AM

Rabid, the authors cited in this thread did not pull their information out of their heads. They are scholars who have spent their lives studying the bible and reading. They have come to their views through informed study. That does not make them right or wrong.

You are right that some preachers do preach based soley on their own views and minimal study. They are (in my opinion) very dangerous.

Journeyman

07-10-2007, 05:51 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Still_Boreas:
Rabid, the authors cited in this thread did not pull their information out of their heads. They are scholars who have spent their lives studying the bible and reading. They have come to their views through informed study. That does not make them right or wrong. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thank you, Still! I couldn't have said it better myself. I mentioned Tom Harpur's book for me was life-changing in that his intensive research and analysis simply verified feelings or misgivings I have had about Christianity for several years.

luvnaturism

07-10-2007, 09:00 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Still_Boreas:
Is he [Spong] the author of Christianity for the Rest of Us? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry...I missed this question earlier. No, "Christianity for the Rest of Us" was written by Diana Butler Bass. You're right in saying that Bishop Spong can be "a bit more abrasive." Many would say that he's more than a bit abrasive. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/happy.gif

Boreas

07-10-2007, 05:26 PM

I think it is time for me to re-read Harpur....or even read something else of his. It was very thought provoking and somewhat life-changing. I just have to finish reading some books related to my work first. I have been teaching, and some of the stuff I have been reading fits with Marcus Borg's Heart of Christianity. It has also lead me to want to read other things that may be considered radical or anti-oppressive.

luvnaturism, thanks. I think Spong has a book that has a similar title. While I do believe he is abrasive, I think that is important to an extent. Anything that gets us thinking and talking is good. Sometimes we need to get a little angry to think and talk. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/eusa_dance.gif

David77

07-10-2007, 06:12 PM

Still,
John Shelby Sprong's book, "Jesus for The Non-Religious" may be the book that you are thinking of with a similar name.

I like one reviewers statement as follows,
"The true message of Jesus is not unique to Jesus nor does it require the authority of Jesus. In addition to Christians, it can be embraced by freethinkers, humanists, agnostics, atheists, and most faith traditions. But if Christianity is to survive in our modern world, this book could restore its wisdom and relevance".

There is such a thing as "atheistic christianity", it is said in some writings.

luvnaturism

07-10-2007, 06:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by David77:

There is such a thing as "atheistic christianity", it is said in some writings. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm not sure what that means, or what it would look like. However it reminded me that in the 1960s I read a life-changing book called "The Christian Agnostic." The author was Leslie Weatherhead, the famous English Baptist pastor of the WWII and following era.

The book explores a series of major religious questions for which no settled answers are available, in the process affirming that it's not only OK but necessary for Christians not to have all the answers. The book helped me understand that answers come and go, but a good question serves forever. Since that time I've been more concerned with asking the right questions than with having the right answers.

Boreas

07-10-2007, 06:43 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">John Shelby Sprong's book, "Jesus for The Non-Religious" may be the book that you are thinking of with a similar name. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep, that would be the one.

Thanks