Jesus, the first rebel with a cause, and John, the first terrorist. Man oh man my vision of the holy family was surely rocked this week. I have decided from here on out per Professor Sillimans request I will block off what I have learned growing up about the holy family, and open my mind to this new historical information.
But before I completely block out what I've learned I really want to know how the history of Jesus went from the first rebel with a cause to an entire religion based around him and his family.
Professor Silliman was talking about how the stories were created because he was so important. Which I understand, but there have been other inspiring figures in history aka Gandhi, and there is not entire religions based on him. Hopefully we go into this the further we get into Crossan's book!
Haha, I know exactly what you're going through. It's hard to believe that Jesus, a man whom I was taught was peaceful and loving and serene was actually a revolutionary. Until Prof. Silliman mentioned it, I had no idea that Jesus and John were considered opposites.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, why is it that Jesus is one of the few figures of Christianity? If he knew there was a religion and churches made in his name, he might be taken aback. My views on this man are completely changed, but you're right, we must keep an open mind.
Crossan speaks of three layers: historical (what Jesus did and said), transmissional (what his followers said after his death), and redactional (how the many gospel accounts were written and edited). We look through these strata as though we were looking backwards through a telescope, trying to discern the first. What makes this even more difficult is the subsequent history of institutional Christianities, which add several of their own dense layers.
ReplyDeleteJesus was not, of course, founding a religion, and it was partly historical accident that one got built around him (in large measure due to Paul, who never met him and had his own, apocalyptic agenda). Gandhi wasn't founding a religion, either, but since he only died last week as it were (1947), it is still possible. Unlikely, though, because as inspiring as he was to millions of people, he was really all about thinking for yourself, and his followers have not hesitated to do just that, quite properly preventing the formation of Gandhi cults. I have met and interviewed a number of people who worked with Gandhi, and all of them were quick to insist that their adherence to Gandhi's work and thought was anything but doctrinaire.
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