I'm interested in any feedback/opinions on the Jesus Seminar. I've run into a lot of their mentality in the pulpit at times in RC parishes and bible study classes/schools.

I attend both RC and BC liturgies and the Jesus Seminar's teachings seem as though they haven't infiltrated the Eastern rite(s) of the church. Is this a correct assumption?

A sinner undeserving of His Grace,
Walter Metrick

Walt,

The Jesus Seminar began with at least 200 biblical scholars, but when its agenda was made more manifest, more than half of the original members left. The JS is actually the brainchild of Robert Funk. The purpose is obviously to reject anything from orthodox/catholic Christianity. Anything that two or more agree on they usually announce that a "scholarly consensus" was reached. This happens if they are not meeting at some hotel voting on what Jesus "really" said by using color-coded ping pong balls. They are into the "hypothetical" Q document and the Gospel of Thomas. They rely on the media to push their conclusions. The media, which doesn't have a love for orthodox/catholic Christianity gobbles up their pronouncements like wild-fire. According to some, Jesus was actually eaten by dogs.

[ 07-19-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

Dear Walt,

Some additional information.

The Jesus seminar became popular in the 1980's as a way to counter the influence of the "Moral Majority"/Christian right (remember Jerry Falwell?). The seminar's real agenda is to debunk the Bible so it can not be used as a reason to oppose progressive social and political changes. I read somewhere that one of its members wants people to give up the archaic superstition of "God" & religion. It is a shame that more people don't know this. I have met some educated Christians who think that the Jesus seminar is composed of reputable biblical scholars. It is just not so, in fact there are many members who have no theological background - they just are adverse to religion in general, Christianity in particular. Even in the theology school I attend, which is pretty liberal, the scripture profs. have a dim view of the seminar - saying that it applies dubious methods at odds which the field of biblical studies today.

Oh, BTW I heard that the Jesus seminar is now preparing a critique of Acts. What did Paul REALLY say??

Pax

Benedictine

[ 07-19-2002: Message edited by: Benedictine ]

Dear Benedictine,

From a strictly sociological perspective, the Jesus Seminar is a bunch of "with it" theologians who apply their ahistorical and socially uninformed perspectives to adapt Christianity to the modern world.

What did Jesus actually say? How would they know?

Context, tradition, impact on those who heard Him - all these things must be taken into account.

What made me turn to Orthodox-Catholic Christianity was its fundamentally great social insights into how ideas are handed down and maintained from within a community of faith.

To reject that community is to find oneself in the open sea.

And that is exactly where the Jesus Seminar should remain.

Alex