ARE YOU Y2KTB COMPLIANT?
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= Theologically and Biblically) |
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Four years ago a seminar was held in Corvallis called, Jesus@2000(Jesus
at 2000). This was more or less 2,000 years after his assumed
birth date. (Which sort of makes New Year's less apocalyptic than some
had hoped). |
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Now, in February, a similar seminar is scheduled which is called, God@2000.
Of course it's not God's birthday, but some ideas about God at this time
in history. An impressive array of speakers is on the menu, from Marcus
Borg to Desmond Tutu, along with representatives of a variety of religious
faiths. |
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It is a fact that the basis of modern biblical scholarship was actually
known in the last part of the 1900’s. The amazing thing is that the whole
20th century went by without the average lay person having a clue about
what is generally known by biblical scholars. Literalism and fundamentalism
remain the most common understandings of biblical material. The literal
understanding of the Bible has become more common as fewer people go to
church. Biblical illiteracy lends itself to a sort of mystical understanding
of the Bible in a literal way. Since the fundamentalists dominate radio
and television religious broadcasts, what else do people have to go by?
The result is a 19th century biblical understanding. |
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This leads to a similar understanding of Jesus. He is portrayed as a superhuman
figure that performs miracles and wonders that prove his divinity. While
scholars agree that Jesus was historical, apparently charismatic, a spiritual
teacher and healer, they also generally agree that most of the major things
people believe about him did not happen historically. I refer to the stories
of his virgin birth, physical resurrection and physical ascension, not
to mention some of the “lesser” miracles. Legend and metaphor have been
turned into history by literal thinking western minds. Again, this understanding
is not at all modern. It is just not widely taught or known among lay people. |
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What about God? During the 20th century our view of the immensity of the
universe has expanded beyond imagination. Subsequently, the idea of God
has also expanded. The whole idea of a God “out there” is long gone, as
is the idea of a heaven “up there.” The idea of a person God is gone, as
well as the idea of an intervening kind of God that responds to specific
requests. Well, I shouldn't say, “gone,” because these ideas are still
around. The fact is that anyone who thinks for even a little while can
realize that this notion of God is outdated. If there is to be any use
of the name “God” at all, the meaning of “God” must be expanded. |
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To become Y2KTB compliant, one must face up to the facts. To be intentionally
compliant, one should read a few little books and get up to speed. In our
time we have the work of Marcus Borg and the Jesus Seminar. A Y2KTB compliant
person will be familiar with “The 5 Gospels – The Authentic Words of Jesus,”
and probably the “Acts of Jesus” as well. While others deal with the subject,
Borg’s little books, “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time,” and “The
God We Never Knew,” should be a start. |
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This journey into the 21st century is all the more important for people
coming out of mainline Christian traditions—and for all Christians, for
that matter—because this is a pluralistic world with great spiritual movements
intersecting. The 21st century should see a recognition of commonality
in the human spirit like never before—if we're Y2KTB compliant. |
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—
Art
Morgan, Dec. 1999
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