Honzo April 1st, 2008
As I am going through part of of Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza’s book In Memory of Her I came across this nice, compact orienting passage of the various Jewish movements in Israel before 70CE and how the Jesus movement fit in with these other movements.
All these diverse Jewish renewal movements of the time were strongly concerned with how to realize in every aspect of life the obligations and hopes of Israel as the kingly and priestly people of God. … Some stressed and strongly utilized the cultic priestly traditions, some claimed prophetic authority, some reenacted the Exodus, and still others integrated wisdom teachings with an apocalyptic perspective. Regardless of differences in lifestyle and theological outlook, however, all these groups were united in their concern for the political existence and holiness of the elected people of Israel. the proclamation of the [kingdom] of God by Jesus and his movement shared this… However, the Jesus movement refused to define the holiness of God’s elected people in cultic terms, redefining it instead as the wholeness intended in creation. (Page 113)
Honzo March 19th, 2008
The latest Christian Carnival (CCXVI) is up over at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet. Check it out.
Christian Carnival CCXVI–At Crossroads Today
Here are some of the highlights:
John 18:1-4 - Getting Christological Perspective - A good post on the dangers of looking through scripture with a singular, forced perspective from Deep Bible Study. (Hint: the danger is heresy)
Why This Friday is so Good - As Good Friday approches, Brain Cramps for God looks 50 fifty reasons the Bible gives for Jesus’ coming to die. (We’ll forgive the use of Piper! 
)
A different view of Scripture by Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength - A “||” reading of scripture.
Honzo February 29th, 2008
This comes from my favorite blogger, April DeConick of The Forbidden Gospels Blog
The question of the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus is a fine example of this as we have discussed on this blog and others in the past. As a historian, this is not a historical event because dead bodies don’t rise. It is a faith event. Even the second century Valentinians seem to have understood this. What did the Valentinian teacher tell Rheginus about this? He said quite bluntly, “For, my child, ‘the dead shall rise!’ belongs to the domain of faith, not of argument.”
I don’t want to give it all away here, so go there: What has Athens to do with Jerusalem? My perspective
Honzo January 22nd, 2008
I would like to open up a free for all forum on the topic of the term myth and the ramifications the term has for biblical studies and theology.
Possible conversation starters:
- Can a myth be real? In what sense?
- How did the ancients see history? myth?
- When looking at texts that were written by the ancients, what perspective should we assume? Should we view the texts as they did, or should we approach the text in the same manner as we would one with similar features that was written today? (i.e. it looks like history, it is history)
- What unsaid connotations go along with the word myth? How does this impact
Is there a difference between myth as a technical term and myth as a popular concept? How does this distinction in the minds of the laity impact scholar’s and theologians use of the term?
- If myth, in its technical usage, is too problematic of a term for use with the laity, what can be done about it? New term? Better educated laity?
- Most importantly, what is at stake in using the term myth?
There are just some starter questions - feel free to address any or none of the points.