Rethinking St. Paul: 10-27-08

Christians as well as Jews have a lot riding on scholarship that's trying to gain a new understanding of the Apostle Paul.

For Christians there are many issues, including whether the Paul they think they've understood for years is an accurate reflection of the real Paul or a centuries-old misreading.

For Jews, the primary issue is whether Paul should be used -- as he's often been used -- as a warrant for anti-Judaism. (See my longish essay about this subject under the "Check this out" headline on the right side of this page. And for a real scholar's look at all of this see the work of Mark Nanos of Kansas City.)

Whatever people are searching for when looking at Paul, the reality is that the academic world has been up to its eyeballs in Pauline scholarship for several decades, now. But not much of what's going on there has been getting to folks in the pews, either in churches or synagogues.

An effort to fix some of that was made this past weekend at a seminar sponsored in part by the Nazarene Theological Seminary of Kansas City, Emergent Village and Jacob's Well, a Midtown Kansas City church that is part of the Emergent (sometimes Emerging) Church Movement.

I was able to attend only the opening night session at which the main speaker was Mike Gorman (pictured here), professor of sacred scripture at the Ecumenical Institute of Theology of St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore. You can hear his remarks here. They run 40-some minutes and the sound is just a bit tinny, but you can make it out.

Apparently some of you are having trouble connecting to this link, though it seems to work for me. If it doesn't work for you, try going to http://billtammeus.typepad.com/my_weblog/files/reclaiming_paul.WMA 

Let me, however, give you just a few highlights from Gorman's talk:

* Paul either wrote or is somehow involved in most of the books of the New Testament, so it's impossible to be Christian without coming to terms with Paul.

* About 15 minutes into his talk, Gorman, from one of his books, gave a one-sentence description of Paul. Well, I say one sentence, but it was a Faulknerian sentence, and as Gorman himself noted when he had finished it, "I think that's longer than Philemon (one of the shorter books of the New Testament)" It might intrigue you to find that in the recording.

* As academics are rethinking Paul, folks in the Emergent Church Movement are rethinking church, so it's time this parallel activity crossed paths. Indeed, the modern study of Paul presents a great opportunity to reform itself.

* Paul is less a systematic theologian than someone trying to be pastoral and form communities.

* Increasingly scholars are appreciating the fact that Paul's gospel is not just about justification by faith alone but also about the inseparability of faith and love.

* * *

FINALLY THE POPE AIMS AT AFRICA

Pope Benedict XVI has announced he will be making his first trip to Africa next year. That news caught me a little by surprise. It's hard to imagine that he wouldn't have been to that continent yet as pope, given thehistory of the religion there and how Christianity has been sweeping across Africa in recent years. Of course, in a world with more than a billion Catholics, the pope can't be with all of them everywhere.

* * *

P.S.: It's not much of a surprise, but Sen. Barack Obama seems to be gaining among Jewish voters and appears to be within striking distance of gaining the votes of 80 percent of them. Anyone know the Hebrew word for landslide?

To read my latest Kansas City Star work, click here.

Comments

[Patricia]

You can find anything on the net. Below courtesy of Answers.com

: )

landslide (victory)

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מפולת אדמה, ניצחון סוחף/מוחץ‬

[Patricia]

I'm getting an error on the audio link, Bill, although it copies to the address window quite well.

Thank you for the info on the conference.

[Joe Barone]

I have come to terms with Paul. He's welcome to his opinion and I'm welcome to mine.

[Patricia]

P.S. You know how I just loooooooove St. Paul.

Just to add a different perspective to St. Paul. This is a commentary on a re-write of the Bible from a Feminist perspective. St. Paul is St. Paulina. Jesus is Julia.......

http://feministbible.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/1corinthians11/

[Joe Barone]

Talking about the number of Christians in Africa made me think of something which is only tangentially on the subject, but . . . According to the web sites I looked up, one-third of the world's people are Christian. The other two thirds belong to some other religion or no religion at all.

Christianity has more than any other single religion and Islam is second.

I could be wrong. I didn't do extensive research, but if I am wrong, I suspect someone will let me know.

[Dolores Lear]

Paul had trouble with Celibacy, but wrote:
Romans 5:12. KJV. "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"

The Jewish Male Celibate teachings of John the Baptist, and his cousin Jesus, are similar to the Lifestyle of the Jewish Essenes Dead Sea Scrolls.

Equality in Resources, Individuals Not Owning Property, A separate Monetary Sum for All, was practiced. That is not the Lifestyle of Jesus Christians today.

Result: Haves and Havenots has been the Lifestyle, ever since Asexual Adam seeded Eve his Clone Sister, and they reproduced Misbred Children.

Paradise was Lost. The Inherited Heterosexual Sin for Males, has Reproduced Inequality, Inhumanity, Greed, and Humans Killing Each Other ever since.

The Rich get Richer and the Poor get Poorer. The 'Trickle Down' Lifestyle of Capitalism and Charity does not work. How many more millionaires and billionaires are there today?

How many starving and homeless humans get missed? How far does Secular, Religious, Celebrity, and Government Charity, the Crumbs from the Rich Man's table, reach?

The Charity Money, goes through many organizations, for salaries and expenses, before it reaches the starving and homeless.

Why was Celibacy of the Male a requirement in the past? Why are there Celibate Monks in all religions?

Know that the Truth of 'Eternal Physical Life After Birth', is High Tech Science Equal Male and Female Clone Reproduction.

This Truth will set you Free from the Original Sin, of Male Unequal Heterosexual Misbred Reproduction, Killing and Death.

The Religious Male and Female Gods, our High Tech Purebred Humans, are Our Human Ancestors. They do have Free Will, and Eternal Physical Life After Birth, on Planets and in Spaceships.

[KCFreeThinkers.org]

A very interesting piece on "psychology" of religion...

May your god go with you
by Guardian, David Shariatmadari
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/24/religion-psychology

Understanding why people are religious isn't hard, and it has little to do with the existence of God.

"Why do intelligent people believe this garbage?" In What Should I Believe?, Rowe gives an answer, though with less of a blanket judgment as to the rubbishness or otherwise of the religious outlook. In fact, her explanation could be used to understand any form of belief.

She starts from the premise that our greatest fear is annihilation, not physical death, necessarily, but annihilation as a person. It is the desire to avoid this that motivates us throughout our lives. For some, religion is the answer, because it tends to suggest quite straightforwardly that life carries on after death.

[KCFreeThinkers.org]

1 MLN + OBAMA ELECTION NIGHT BASH IN CHICAGO - win or lose, rain or shine.

I am thinking about making a sign

KC Atheists for Obama!
www.KCFreeThinkers.org

I wonder if this will catch some attention of CNN in Chicago that day?

There are 3 people who would like to go (we most likely will drive in my Honda Civic Hybrid from Overland Park, KS area or can pick you up if you are on MO side close to I-35, 435 or I-70, let me know. 8 hours driving stratight vs. 3-4 hours of flying preparations & flying).

Some details are being worked out if there will be actually admissions tickets or not (no word on it yet), so if someone hears anything about it, please, e-mail kcfreethinkers@gmail.com.

I have a feeling there will be no tickets as for an event of this kind people will come from all over the country and issueing admission tickets maybe not the best logistical way of doing it. But we'll see. We plan on leaving 4-5 a.m. November 4th (so vote by absentee balot in KS or MO) and will try to get a good spot. I'll have wi-fi router in my car and two laptops, but feel free to bring yours, we will know more about hotel and our return scheudle on the way. We may leave Chicago the same night after the Bash (midnight or so) drive for 1-2 hours outside and find a hotel while driving on the Net.

KANSAS CITY ELECTION NIGHT BASH - if anyone is willing to host one in their home, please, let me know with your address so I can post it as most likely we'll be going to Chicago - e-mail me at kcfreethinkers@gmail.com There will be people who will want to come to the local KC party as I have already gotten some e-mails on it. I will host December New Years/Winter Solstice city wide party no problems.

[KCFreeThinkers.org]

For all freethinking KC wide activities visit http://www.KCFreeThinkers.org/calendar.htm

Tuesday, October 28, 2008
* Time: 7:00 p.m.
Event: Miami County, Kansas, Freethinkers October Meetup
Sponsoring Organization: Miami/Lynn County, Kansas, Freethinkers Meetup Group
Place: Arby's Restaurant, S Hedge Ln, Paola, KS 66071
Link: http://atheists.meetup.com/733/

Wednesday, Oct 29 - 8 a.m. we are having a freethinking breakfast at IHOP in Olathe (119th & Strang Line). We are extending invitations to "Bill Tammeus Bloggers" as well as well as Bill himself. A contributor to KC Star Faith Walk Section Chuck Lunney may be there (he was there 2 weeks ago). Cole will be there and maybe a couple of other freethinkers.. I am expecting another Christian to come and also an ex Minister who is an atheist now.

Thursday, October 30, 2008
* Time: 9:30 a.m.
Event: Lutheran Bible Study
Sponsoring Organization: www.KCFreeThinkers.org
Place: contact kcfreethinkers@gmail.com for directions and address
Additional Information: This week we'll be reading Acts 20-23.

Saturday, November 1, 2008
* Time: 6:30 p.m.
Event: City Wide Family Friendly Halloween Bash
Place: Home of Jo Ann & Dave (Spooney Central)
Link: http://www.heartlandhumanists.org; for more information, call 913-271-1250.
Additional Information: Jo Ann and Dave will once again host a Halloween Bash. It will be held at Spooney Central, is open to spooks of all ages with costumes strongly encouraged but not required. Feel free to bring finger food or beverages.

Sunday, Nov 2nd Community of Reason - "Confessions of a Whistle Blower" William K. Black, Associate Professor of Economics and Law, UMKC and Executive Director of the Institute for Fraud Prevention Dr. Black is the author of "The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One". Dr. Black carried out a courageous battle against corruption as a federal regulator. He will share some of those experiences.

[Chuck Lunney]

I don't go around accusing all theists of being in complete lockstep and singleminded solidarity on any issue, and I resent the implications that have been spewed about me on the KC Star's Faithwalk comments section (http://www.kansascity.com/656/index.html) recently trying to link me to the actions of KC Freethinker here.

This is my first post here (and probably my last), but I was challenged by the theists over on the Star's comments section to post a "denunciation" of KC Freethinker's tactics (ridicule, ad hominem, etc). I personally refuse to use such tactics, because it takes away from the dialogue and sets up a hostility and anger that prevents communication. I think he is wrong to be acting that way, but I have no control or input into what he says or does.

I'm not, nor have I ever been, a member of the Heartland Humanists or any other Kansas City based atheist/secularist/humanist organizations. Anyone who claims I am had better check the records -- because such a claim is a deliberate lie and spreading such fallicious rumors is "bearing false witness" (I think the Bible has something to say about such actions).

KC Freethinker has the Constitutionally guaranteed freedom to express his views and opinions, and I have no intention of stopping him or trying to get him to change his ways here. I am not a regular posts (as mentioned above) and I will not be in the future.

Good luck to all of you who are attacking me and other atheists (namecalling, insults and scare tactics are not the realm of the intellectual -- that's what petty tyrants and vicious bullies use).

[Goldstein Squad Member]

I am not sure my last post went thru, but I was telling Chuck that I liked his star column but that he was a little superficial in his assumptions...although admittedly space was restricted.

And I agree that name calling and insults are the mark of the petty tyrant and vicious bully; is he aware that those are the very tactics that KCFreethinker has often used?

But I don't know who is saying KCFreethinker does not have Constitutional rights; just keep in mind that Bill has a right to moderate his blog...even a newspaper does not publish every letter, and certainly not those that demean racial or religious groups like Jews and Christians.

[RichB]

I appreciate this work on Paul. I was always taught in seminary that the Gospels were all dependent on Paul's gospel. This was a controversial view, however. I bought it, as I see the central tenet of Paul to be the central one in the Gospels.

That tenet is expressed in the dispute between Peter and Paul (Galatians 2), that no one is "marked" whether he or she should be at the table. This is reflected in the sublime paradox of the crucifixion: the one condemned by the Jews and Gentiles is the King of Glory. Jesus was "marked" for exclusion, but was still accepted by God. This shows that God is "above the law."

Also, regarding faith and love, I particularly like Paul's stance on fasting in this regard. The reason why you fast is because you might offend someone else (1 Cor 8:13). If we took that stance on more issues in our lives, we would have more peace.