January 2021 - OE - lists.wedgeblade.net

Adventures of Obama Re-visited
by mellowmilan2＠gmail.com 21 Jan '21

21 Jan '21

Well since Lynda asked, here they are! Adventures of Obama written over the years of his presidency. I'm reading Obama's book, A Promised Land, his reflections on his life, campaigns and presidency. I likely missed the mark in some of these points in the stanzas. I wasn't going for outcomes so much as the spirit of what he accomplished and the way he tackled the big challenges. Adventures of Obama (with thanks to Ogden Nash) Obama took an enormous job, He faced a fickle, unruly mob; Whose tongue did hiss and venom did spew; Whose color oft changed, now red, now blue. The mob said, "Obama, we're glad you came. We got you elected, now just play our game. Barak Obama, he didn't worry. He wouldn't bow to their frantic fury. He meant what he said and he said what he meant. He went on being The President. (April 9, 2010) Obama faced a room full of Titans Of Wall Street that is, but he wasn't frightened; The Bears were growling, the Bulls' nostrils flared; The lobbyists bellowed, but he wasn't scared. They crawled around threatening, they brayed and they stomped: "Obama, be careful, you'll surely get whomped!" Barack Obama, he didn't worry. He wouldn't bow to their frantic fury. He stood straight and tall, looked them right in the eyes And said "Since you're out of control I'm gonna regulate you guys!" (April 23, 2010) Obama encountered a ferocious Troll Which came in the form of a popular Poll; The Troll grew and grew to gigantical size Until it was bloated; He looked into its eyes And listened carefully as it demanded attention: "Obama you know I can eat you, in case I didn't mention." Barack Obama, he didn't worry; He wouldn't bow to its frantic fury. He summoned his courage, he kept his cool And said "A Poll ain't no Troll, and I ain't no fool." (June 3, 2010) Obama saw a gargantuan gusher. Oil! - Looked like a real crusher. The gusher spewed, enlarged its reach; It fouled the waters, approaching the beach. The people were anxious, the fishermen scared; BP couldn't stop it, its flawed system was bared. Barack Obama, he didn't worry; He wouldn't yell or scream and fury; He went to work on a cleanup plan, And mobilized the forces to save the Land. (June 8, 2010) Obama watched the endless attack On our brave forces assigned in Iraq; Democracy foundering at home and abroad; All factions thinking they're upholding God. "You're making mistakes," say the 'Libs', "left and right;" >From the right "You're an 'Islamic commie' we need to fight." Barack Obama he didn't worry; He didn't fret and scream and scurry. He took the long view as he promised before, And brought our troops home signaling the end of THAT war. (September 3, 2010) Obama confronted an unruly bunch; Republicans about to eat him for lunch; Liberal Dems threatening mutiny; Independents jumping ship in futility; Tea Partyers added their noicy chatter; Everyone blamed him for what was the matter. Barack Obama he didn't worry. Obama didn't react in a fury. He marshaled his forces and faced the Nation; Then got those lame ducks to pass legislation. (December 29, 2010) Obama's having a difficult year, Barack Obama showed no fear; Two-and-a-half or three wars to worry about, A national debt a gazillion years out, Republicans shouting "Now here's our chance; We'll roll back Obamacare, we'll make you dance." Barack Obama, he didn't shiver; He still had arrows left in his quiver; He went to the people and held a Town Meeting; Then got re-elected in spite of their bleating. (April 15, 2011) Obama wasn't supposed to win, Was going to take it right on the chin. Pundits and polls had counted him out; The economy was what it was all about. Romney and Ryan were coming on strong. Tea Partiers were saying "It won't be long!" Barack Obama, he didn't flinch; He held his ground, didn't give an inch. He meant what he said and he said what he meant, And AGAIN got elected our president. (November 9, 2012) Milan Hamilton 80 North Center Street Redlands, CA 92373 Phone: 909-556-5815 E-mail: mellowmilan2(a)gmail.com <mailto:mellowmilan2@gmail.com>

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Adventures of Obama re-visited!
by mellowmilan2＠gmail.com 21 Jan '21

21 Jan '21

Well since Lynda asked, here they are! Adventures of Obama written over the years of his presidency. I'm reading Obama's book, A Promised Land, his reflections on his life, campaigns and presidency. I likely missed the mark in some of these points in the stanzas. I wasn't going for outcomes so much as the spirit of what he accomplished and the way he tackled the big challenges. Adventures of Obama (with thanks to Ogden Nash) Obama took an enormous job, He faced a fickle, unruly mob; Whose tongue did hiss and venom did spew; Whose color oft changed, now red, now blue. The mob said, "Obama, we're glad you came. We got you elected, now just play our game. Barak Obama, he didn't worry. He wouldn't bow to their frantic fury. He meant what he said and he said what he meant. He went on being The President. (April 9, 2010) Obama faced a room full of Titans Of Wall Street that is, but he wasn't frightened; The Bears were growling, the Bulls' nostrils flared; The lobbyists bellowed, but he wasn't scared. They crawled around threatening, they brayed and they stomped: "Obama, be careful, you'll surely get whomped!" Barack Obama, he didn't worry. He wouldn't bow to their frantic fury. He stood straight and tall, looked them right in the eyes And said "Since you're out of control I'm gonna regulate you guys!" (April 23, 2010) Obama encountered a ferocious Troll Which came in the form of a popular Poll; The Troll grew and grew to gigantical size Until it was bloated; He looked into its eyes And listened carefully as it demanded attention: "Obama you know I can eat you, in case I didn't mention." Barack Obama, he didn't worry; He wouldn't bow to its frantic fury. He summoned his courage, he kept his cool And said "A Poll ain't no Troll, and I ain't no fool." (June 3, 2010) Obama saw a gargantuan gusher. Oil! - Looked like a real crusher. The gusher spewed, enlarged its reach; It fouled the waters, approaching the beach. The people were anxious, the fishermen scared; BP couldn't stop it, its flawed system was bared. Barack Obama, he didn't worry; He wouldn't yell or scream and fury; He went to work on a cleanup plan, And mobilized the forces to save the Land. (June 8, 2010) Obama watched the endless attack On our brave forces assigned in Iraq; Democracy foundering at home and abroad; All factions thinking they're upholding God. "You're making mistakes," say the 'Libs', "left and right;" >From the right "You're an 'Islamic commie' we need to fight." Barack Obama he didn't worry; He didn't fret and scream and scurry. He took the long view as he promised before, And brought our troops home signaling the end of THAT war. (September 3, 2010) Obama confronted an unruly bunch; Republicans about to eat him for lunch; Liberal Dems threatening mutiny; Independents jumping ship in futility; Tea Partyers added their noicy chatter; Everyone blamed him for what was the matter. Barack Obama he didn't worry. Obama didn't react in a fury. He marshaled his forces and faced the Nation; Then got those lame ducks to pass legislation. (December 29, 2010) Obama's having a difficult year, Barack Obama showed no fear; Two-and-a-half or three wars to worry about, A national debt a gazillion years out, Republicans shouting "Now here's our chance; We'll roll back Obamacare, we'll make you dance." Barack Obama, he didn't shiver; He still had arrows left in his quiver; He went to the people and held a Town Meeting; Then got re-elected in spite of their bleating. (April 15, 2011) Obama wasn't supposed to win, Was going to take it right on the chin. Pundits and polls had counted him out; The economy was what it was all about. Romney and Ryan were coming on strong. Tea Partiers were saying "It won't be long!" Barack Obama, he didn't flinch; He held his ground, didn't give an inch. He meant what he said and he said what he meant, And AGAIN got elected our president. (November 9, 2012) Milan Hamilton 80 North Center Street Redlands, CA 92373 Phone: 909-556-5815 E-mail: mellowmilan2(a)gmail.com

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1/21/2021, Progressing Spirit: Rev. David M Felton At Cross Purposes; Spong revisited was
by Ellie Stock 21 Jan '21

21 Jan '21

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p{ font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media only screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv9838129013 #yiv9838129013templateBody .yiv9838129013mcnTextContent, #yiv9838129013 #yiv9838129013templateBody .yiv9838129013mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media only screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv9838129013 #yiv9838129013templateFooter .yiv9838129013mcnTextContent, #yiv9838129013 #yiv9838129013templateFooter .yiv9838129013mcnTextContent p{ font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;} } | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | At Cross Purposes | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. David M. Felten January 21, 2021 On January 6th 2021, the day of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, smaller demonstrations took place at various capitols around the country. In Lansing, a mob of Proud Boys were seen raising a giant cross in front of the besieged Michigan state capitol building as part of a “Pray for Trump” rally. As one who’s had to endure a career in a denomination whose global trademark is a burning cross, it once again raised the question in my mind of how the cross, burning or otherwise, had become a symbol of hate and White Supremacy. I had always assumed that it was the Ku Klux Klan who had created the uniquely American symbol of hate that is the burning cross, but no, it was a movie. The original Klan was founded in 1865 by former Confederate Officers without any purpose beyond the amusement of its participants. It had no overt religious affiliations or aim. However, its members soon found the organization to be a means through which they could channel their resentments and anger toward Reconstruction policy in general and freed African Americans in particular. What followed were five years of ferocious vigilante violence, terror and mayhem, but no burning crosses. Eventually, after acts by Congress and other efforts, President Grant invoked the Insurrection Act and deployed Federal troops. Klansmen were apprehended and prosecuted in Federal court and, by 1872, the original Klan had been broken as an organization. Fast-forward to 1915 and the release of D.W. Griffith’s film, Birth of a Nation. Griffith’s vision was influenced by the romanticized portrayal of the Klan found in Thomas Dixon, Jr.’s novel, The Clansman, where, among other fabrications, Klan members wore white flowing robes and burned crosses. As it turns out, ritual cross-burnings by the Klan was total fiction. Dixon’s depictions were drawn from the writings of Sir Walter Scott, who described some Scottish clans being rallied by a messenger bearing a “bidding stick” or fiery cross as a call to arms. Griffith’s dramatic cinematic portrayal of Dixon’s fantasies went on to inspire an otherwise aimless, washed-up Methodist preacher by the name of William Joseph Simmons. He, along with a rag-tag group of fifteen “charter members,” traipsed up Stone Mountain on Thanksgiving night 1915. There, Simmons declared himself “Imperial Wizard” and, with an instinctive sense of the potential for intimidating symbols, burned the first cross of what was to become the second Klan. No doubt Simmons’ prejudice against Jewish and Roman Catholic immigrants contributed to the development of the second Klan’s emphasis on white Protestant religious sensibilities, including the singing of hymns and the reading of select scriptures. Even today, through all its various iterations of White Supremacy and Christian Nationalism, it can be said that “Not every White Christian is in the KKK. But every KKK member is a White Christian.”[i] They genuinely believe that the Bible is the history of the white race and that white Christians are morally and spiritually superior to other races. So, burning or otherwise, that’s how the cross was adulterated to become associated with the hatred and violence of White Supremacy. And beyond the burning of “Latin” crosses, several other crosses have come to represent White Supremacy in the U.S. and around the world: the white-on-red “Blood Drop Cross” and the pre-Christian Odin’s Cross popularized by Norwegian Nazis during World War II (and which resembles a modified Celtic Cross). Why the Proud Boys were raising a cross in Lansing on January 6th has nothing to do with any Christian affiliation on their part and everything to do with a disingenuous calculation that associating with Christianity will serve their overall “brand” of White Supremacy and toxic masculinity. Some of their fundraising has been done through a fringe Christian fundraising site that caters to outcasts and extremist groups (and casts itself as “a place to fund hope”),[ii] but nowhere do the Proud Boys claim to be Christian. Their core values include a hodge-podge of libertarian, nationalist, anti-Semitic, anti-communist, anti-political correctness ideologies, including “venerating the housewife” and “reinstating a spirit of Western Chauvinism.” But hey, in-so-far as tens-of-millions of Christians share those same core values, sure, they’ll help raise a cross in solidarity. But alas, there’s another burning cross with which I’m forced, against my will and conscience, to be in solidarity with: the “Cross and Flame” of the United Methodist denomination. As a global symbol, few religious logos are more recognizable. But any brand manager will tell you that the subconscious message a logo sends needs to be one of your first considerations. And heck, forget the subconscious and just do a Google search for images of “flaming cross” and what you get is alternating pictures of KKK rallies and United Methodist churches. The algorithm doesn’t lie. What is particularly egregious to me is not just the obvious racist undertones of the United Methodist logo, but the circumstances of its having been adopted. Back in the mid-60s, as the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist Churches were negotiating a merger, the call went out for a new logo. The designers worked away, apparently oblivious to the racial tensions of the 1960s and the riots across the United States. To add insult to injury, the final design was approved and rushed into distribution within a few months of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in April of 1968. Granted, the committee had earnest theological and design arguments as to why a burning cross was the way to go, but the social and racial tone-deafness of this decision remains, to me, a staggering embarrassment. I guess you could say that the upside of the approaching United Methodist schism is the opportunity to disavow our not-so-subtle racist logo for something more in line with our current aspirations. So, be it the overt and intentional use of the cross as a symbol of terror and intimidation or the implementation of a counterproductive symbol through the laziness of institutional inertia, the cross has become, for many, synonymous with racism and White Supremacy. Add to that the use of the cross as a symbol of violent colonization and the ethnic cleansing of the American frontier, and the only ones surprised by the tainted reputation of the cross are people who aren’t paying attention. When a small, local synagogue accepted the offer to move into our church for Shabbat services, we did our best to help make it easy for the organizers to camouflage the large cross at the front of the sanctuary with a couple of artificial plants. However, at least one woman (whose parents had been killed in the Holocaust), was unable to even enter the church because of her traumatic personal experience with those who claimed to be Christian. The cross will continue to be misused. Christianity will continue to be misrepresented. It’s naïve to think that we’ll ever be able to redeem the symbol of the cross — or even Jesus — from all their cruel and offensive abuses. But therein lies the challenge. What to do? The Apostle Paul might want to jump in with a reminder from 2 Corinthians that “WE are the body of Christ” and encourage us to counteract the bad actors through lives lived with compassion and justice — but the cross will remain, in very real ways, our cross to bear going forward. The Proud Boys and Klan will continue to do what they do and I will continue to work to counter their hate and violence. I also look forward to taking part in what I hope will be the decommissioning of the United Methodist cross and flame. It may not be a lot, but it’s something, and right now, something is better than what we’ve got. ~ Rev. David M. Felten Note: See Kelly J. Baker’s book, Gospel According to the Klan for an overview of the KKK’s grip on Protestant America in the early 20th century. Read online here About the Author Rev. David M. Felten is a full-time pastor at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church in Fountain Hills, Arizona. David and fellow United Methodist Pastor, Jeff Procter-Murphy, are the creators of the DVD-based discussion series for Progressive Christians, “Living the Questions” and authors of Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity. A co-founder of Catalyst Arizona and also a founding member of No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice, David is an outspoken voice for LGBTQ rights both in the church and in the community at large. David is active in the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church and tries to stay connected to his roots as a musician. You’ll find him playing saxophones in a variety of settings, including appearances with the Fountain Hills Saxophone Quartet. David is the proud father of three reliably remarkable human beings. [i] https://medium.com/@brown.shannonelizabeth/the-kkk-is-a-christian-organizat… https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/a-place-to-fund-hope-how-prou… | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Jay I have a question about the relationship of Progressive Christianity and Jesus. I have always been told that despite their denominational difference all Christians understand Jesus to be the son of God. Not a man selected by God, or a special creation of God, but both God and man simultaneously in a way that is absolutely unique. From what I have read and heard Progressives see Jesus as inspirational, a great teacher and someone whose words and example should be followed. It seems Jesus, here, is more of an inspirational philosopher like Socrates or the Buddha. Is it fair to say that P.C.’s do not see Jesus as the son of God as it is traditionally understood? A: By Brian D. McLaren Jay, thanks for this thoughtful question about the term son of God. Many traditional Christians, I think, connect the term son of God with the virgin birth, as if God sent a divine or spiritual sperm to impregnate Mary, making God Jesus’s father and Jesus God’s son in an almost biological sense. If you want to read an interesting book that tells the story of how this misunderstanding led to conflict between Christians and Muslims, see Miroslav Volf’s Allah: a Christian Response (HarperOne, 2012). Other traditional Christians frame the term Son of God primarily in Trinitarian theology, with the Son a counterpart/partner with the Father and Spirit. Some progressive Christians affirm Trinitarian theology as expressed in the historic creeds. Others downplay or modify it, and some reject it. Personally, I find value in progressive re-articulations of Trinitarian thought in the writings of Cynthia Bourgeault, Richard Rohr, and a wide array of relational, process, and feminist theologians who take seriously the patriarchal problems embedded in father/son imagery. In my writings, I’ve focused on two primary lines of thought. First, I’m interested in the linguistic formulation son of God. The son of formation pops up a few different ways the New Testament. For example, James and John are called Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17). In John 8:39 ff, the terms sons of God, sons of Abraham, and sons of the devil are put in conversation. This usage, I think, resonates with our familiar aphorism, Like father, like son (or like mother, like daughter). There’s a family likeness, a resemblance. In this light, son of God is roughly synonymous with reflecting the character of God. Luke 20:36 has a similar interplay between children of God and children of the resurrection. Of special interest, a blind Jewish man uses the term son of David (Luke 18, Matthew 20, Mark 10) to refer to Jesus, as does a Gentile/Sidonian woman (Matthew 15). Both seem to be saying, “You are a great leader like King David was,” with son of again bearing the idea of resemblance. That understanding resonates with John 1:12, where we all have the capacity to become children of God, a theme we see also in 1 John 3:2. It especially makes sense of Matthew 5:9, the beatitude where Jesus says that peacemakers will be called children of God. People who make peace resemble the God of peace. This idea of resemblance calls to mind an insight from Quaker theologian Elton Trueblood: the scandal of Christianity was not the claim that Jesus resembles God, but rather that God resembles Jesus: nonviolent, kind, merciful, healing, reconciling, inclusive, accepting. In other words, the life and teaching of the Son made us conceive of the Father in a radically new way. Second, I find great value in Dominic Crossan’s explorations of the political meaning of the term son of God. (God And Empire and Excavating Jesus are good places to start.) Crossan points to stone inscriptions still visible today that demonstrate that the Caesars were seen as sons of the gods. In this way, to call Jesus the son of God is to say that his authority challenges Caesar’s. We live in a time of resurgent nationalism, where the state and/or its leader are upheld by many as the absolute authority. To call Jesus Son of God can be, in our context as in the first century, a way of saying that we do not hold any human regime to be absolute. We believe there is a higher power, a higher authority, a higher wisdom, that relativizes any nation, any leader, any ideology, even any religion. We dare to believe that the love manifest in Jesus reflects the authentic nature or character of the Ultimate Reality, which makes Jesus a great teacher, an inspirational philosopher, and someone whose words and example should be followed indeed. ~ Brian D. McLaren Read and share online here About the Author Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is an Auburn Senior Fellow and a leader in the Convergence Network, through which he is developing an innovative training/mentoring program for pastors, church planters, and lay leaders called Convergence Leadership Project. He works closely with the Center for Progressive Renewal/Convergence, the Wild Goose Festival and the Fair Food Program‘s Faith Working Group. His most recent joint project is an illustrated children’s book (for all ages) called Cory and the Seventh Story. Other recent books include: The Great Spiritual Migration, We Make the Road by Walking, and Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? (Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World). | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org relies heavily on the good will of donors. We want to continue to bring you the messages of progressive Christians via our Progressing Spirit Newsletter; however, the fact is, the cost of a subscription goes towards paying our authors. We therefore rely your generosity - specifically, if you are in a position to contribute to our efforts, we would be grateful for your donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited The Origins of the New Testament, Part XXV: Concluding Luke and the Synoptic Gospels Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong June 3, 2010 In this final segment on the third gospel we call Luke, I want to summarize and to establish firmly in the minds of my readers the major thesis that I have sought to develop in my comments on the synoptic gospels: Mark, Matthew and Luke. My thesis is that each of these gospels is organized on the basis of the annual liturgical cycle of the synagogue where Christianity lived in its first generations as a movement within Judaism, and so these gospels must be read through a Jewish lens. The later Greek thinking period, which shaped the creeds in the 4th century and informs Christian doctrine to this day, has actually distorted the gospel message in a radical way. We have already observed that Mark was the original gospel to be written and that both Matthew and Luke incorporated Mark into their work, expanding Mark in a way appropriate for the community for which each wrote. Matthew’s community was traditionally Jewish. Luke’s community was made up of dispersed Jews living far from home and interacting increasingly with their Gentile neighbors. Clearly Gentiles were beginning to come into Luke’s community, drawn by the ethical monotheism of Judaism, as they faced the demise of the gods of the Olympus. That was why, as we have seen, that the gigantic figure of Moses, the inward-looking father of the law became the popular symbol against which the Jewish Matthew told his Jesus story, and the gigantic figure of Elijah, the outward-looking father of the Jewish prophetic movement, became the symbol against which the more universally-minded Luke told his story of Jesus. It was also this one year liturgical cycle of the synagogue that caused each of these writers to portray the public ministry of Jesus as one year in duration. This time sequence, I am now convinced, has nothing to do with the actual time of Jesus’ ministry, but rather it had everything to do with the fact that Jesus’ ministry in these synoptic gospels was being recalled and retold against the liturgical year observed in the synagogue. The first holy day in the liturgical year of the Jews was, according to the book of Leviticus (23:24), the Passover, which was observed on the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the year known as Nissan. The Christians obviously told the story of Jesus’ crucifixion against the background of this Passover celebration and then adjusted the Jewish calendar by concluding their Jesus story on the Sabbath and first day of the week following Passover on which they celebrated the Resurrection. So the beginning of the Christian liturgical year was always at least a week and sometimes two weeks after Passover. Once we can embrace this crucial time disparity, the synoptic gospels go in a very orderly way through the other feasts and fasts of the Jewish year. With that preamble, I seek to focus our final consideration of Luke’s Gospel on how this particular gospel writer followed the liturgical pattern of the synagogue. That will put Luke’s gospel into a very different context from the literal pattern that traditional Christians assume to have been the case. Fifty days or seven Sabbaths after Passover the Jews observed the festival of Shavuot or Pentecost (which means 50 days). On that day they recalled God’s gift of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Law was assumed by the Jews to have been God’s greatest gift to them. Luke, however, probably under the influence of Paul, had come to believe that the Holy Spirit, rather than the Law, was God’s greatest gift to the Christians. When he actually tells the story of Pentecost in chapter two of Acts, the second volume of his gospel, this becomes his focus. So in his gospel he wants to make sure that he presents the Pentecost theme with a suitable Jesus story that would thus be appropriate to Shavuot. Watch how cleverly he does it. First Luke needs to supply Jesus material for each of the seven Sabbaths between Passover and Shavuot. He does this by expanding the birth narratives with elaborate details about the nativities of both John the Baptist and Jesus. Next he relates some substantive content from the preaching of John the Baptist. Then when he arrives at the Shavuot lesson he has John the Baptist point to and interpret Pentecost exactly as Luke will later describe it in Acts 2, by saying: “I baptise you with water, but he who is mightier than I, will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire…” In effect, he has John say exactly what will happen when Pentecost rolls around. Then he adds an even longer genealogy than that of Matthew and expands the temptation story and the forty days Jesus supposedly spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. Then he proceeds to add enough Jesus material to complete the entire Galilean phase of Jesus’ ministry, using much of the content that Matthew had placed into the Sermon on the Mount. Finally, having produced a sufficiently long narrative to carry us through five and a half months into the year, he finds himself confronted by the celebration of the New Year, or Rosh Hashanah, where Mark had opened his gospel by having John the Baptist convey his Rosh Hashanah themes. Luke, however, like Matthew before him, has obviously used that story much earlier in his narrative so he needs to find a new way to convey the Rosh Hashanah message. Exactly as Matthew had done earlier, he re-introduces the Baptist with the story of John, now in prison, sending a messenger to ask Jesus, “Are you the one that should come?” To this question Jesus responds by quoting the favourite synagogue Rosh Hashanah lesson from Isaiah 35 in which the prophet announces that the signs of the Kingdom, when it comes, will be that “the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk and the mute sing”. When Luke gets to chapter 7:18-23, he is back in synch with Mark and both now have stories that allow the liturgical year to be introduced by John the Baptist. The shaping of the Jesus message by the life of the synagogue is in full view. Rosh Hashanah was the first of three major Jewish observances that occurred in the month of Tishri, the seventh month in the Jewish calendar. Rosh Hashanah was on the first day of Tishri, Yom Kippur on the tenth and Sukkoth (the Harvest Festival) filled the eight days between Tishri 15-22. Since John the Baptist has been reintroduced and Rosh Hashanah has been observed, we need to be on the lookout for Yom Kippur and Sukkoth stories. They come right on cue. There is a series of verses (7:24-35) that are available for use on any Sabbath that falls between Tishri 1 and Tishri 10 and then, in 7:36-50, the Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, message comes front and centre. It is the story of the woman coming into the house while Jesus is at dinner and anointing his feet. Focus with me now on this story. The first thing we notice is that it is out of place, at least according to Mark and Matthew. In both of those gospels the anointing of Jesus by the woman was an event just prior to the crucifixion (see Mark 14:3-9 and Matthew 26:6-13). “She has anointed me beforehand for burial” (Mark 14:8 and Matthew 26:12), is how Jesus explains this action. Luke, however, has moved this story and placed it early in the Galilean phase of his ministry. In neither Mark nor Matthew is there even a hint of scandal, no suggestion that this woman is evil, no intimate fondling of Jesus’ feet and no drying of them with her hair. So Luke has not only moved this story to a new place, but he has also greatly heightened the sensuous quality of this act and made the woman evil. Luke has the woman identified as “a woman of the street”, that is, a prostitute who kisses and rubs his feet. She is by definition unclean and by touching Jesus, has presumably made him unclean. Jesus is even judged by his Pharisaic host not to be a prophet, for a prophet would know what kind of woman this is and would not allow her behavior! When we place this story in Luke on the grid of the liturgical year of the synagogue, we discover that it falls exactly where Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, falls and he has clearly chosen, moved and adapted this story to fit this observance. At Yom Kippur, the people are cleansed of their sins and made pure. Jesus is thus portrayed as entering the world of ritual uncleanness and instead of being corrupted by it, actually transforms it and purifies the evil. That is what atonement is all about. He concludes this story by having Jesus banish the demons from Mary Magdalene and other women, once again a Yom Kippur theme. When Yom Kippur is over, Luke connects again with Mark and uses Mark’s parable of the Sower for his harvest story to celebrate Sukkoth. That account begins in chapter eight, but, as we might expect, it is considerably shortened. Luke’s Gentile leaning community does not do eight day festivals or twenty-four hour vigils. When Luke’s story moves on he comes to the winter festival called Dedication, or Hanukkah and once again, like Mark, he relates the story of the Transfiguration, where the light of God is not restored to the Temple, but falls on Jesus, the new Temple. Then Luke has Jesus begin his journey to Jerusalem. Luke uses this journey sequence to be the hook on which he hangs the concentrated material that constitutes the teaching of Jesus. So here we have a series of teaching episodes until he has entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Luke completes the cycle now by having Jesus observe the Passover on Thursday, be crucified on Friday and be raised on Sunday. The journey from the Sabbath after Passover through the Jewish observances of Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkoth, and Dedication back to Passover is now complete. This was the cycle of remembering the story of Jesus and it is tied in every detail to the liturgical year of the synagogue. Here the form of the gospels – at least Mark, Matthew and Luke – was born. That is why I entitled one of my books Liberating the Gospels: Reading the Bible with Jewish Eyes. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements Hiroshima, Japan is one of the only cities that celebrates Martin Luther King Day outside of the United States. Please join the conversation with Steve Leeper of Peace Culture Village and Ray Matsumiya of the Oleander Initiative as they discuss the devastating humanitarian impact of the atomic bombing AND the process of healing and rebuilding that resulted in Hiroshima’s extraordinary culture of peace. READ ON... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Re: [Oe List ...] Anyone else seen THE SOCIAL DILEMMA?
by Alan 21 Jan '21

21 Jan '21

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Anyone else seen THE SOCIAL DILEMMA?
by James Wiegel 20 Jan '21

20 Jan '21

Nancy Trask suggested it to me. Watched it tonight. Is helpful in peeling back what is going on Jim Wiegel “A revolution is on the horizon: a wholesale transformation of the world economy and the way people live.” Fred Krupp

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Book Review
by JB Webster 18 Jan '21

18 Jan '21

Here's my review of John Burbidge book More Than Halfway to Somewhere that I've posted five-star on the Goodreads site as well as on Facebook: Being associated with Order:Ecumenical for 30 years, Burbidge lived a rich life of adventure and service. He was a fresh traveler from his native Australia and anxious about what he was getting himself into: American culture, ghetto society and the initial existential impact of The Order's communal style struck him as a baptism of fire that “doesn't come close to describing it.” Later, as he became involved with advancing Institute community development programs around the world, he describes roller-coaster highs and life-threatening lows as well as vibrant human exchanges. As he hitchhiked Zimbabwe he had colorful conversations with a Yorkshire truck driver who welcomed him to stay a few nights with his family. Then there are hassles with Nigerian “Err-ways” and other zoo-like experiences at international airports. He describes balancing acts as he rode buses in India, Nairobi slums and much amazing and sometimes unexpected hospitality wherever he went. Strange foods such as raw crocodile. He emphasizes that travel is about people, not places and how travel is a learning experience. Overall, truly an engaging read. (Disclosure: I knew Burbidge when we were Ecclesiola colleagues [he would say “mates”] during a summer Ecumenical Institute research event.)

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Last Chapter Sign-ups
by Richard Alton 16 Jan '21

16 Jan '21

*The What:* We are piloting a workshop/seminar or series, that would allow people (no matter what age) to think seriously and intentionally about their final journey in life, their death, and make concrete decisions about their funeral/memorial service, organ or body donation, distribution of assets, obituary, burial/ cremation/ natural, etc. *The Why:* Many of us who have seen our parents or children die, are beginning to look at our own end of life decisions. In 2019 Dick Alton had a real-life health-related scare, followed by the unanticipated death of his partner of 14 years, Sally Stovall, which caused him to look death in the eyes. He discovered that one of the issues Americans in particular face, is a denial of death or anything to do with death. As an organization that has seen itself as one who brings significance to everyday life events, we are asking the question: “What could we create that would help everyone, no matter what age, to look at their own death, and make the necessary end of life decisions? *Our Ask:* The Third Cohort of the Last Chapter virtual learning community will take place on the fourth Friday from March - June 2021. May will be the third Friday to accommodate Labor Day plans. All classes will be from 9 am to 1 pm central. The Dates will be Friday, March 26th, April 23rd, May 21st and June 25th. If you would like to join this 2020 Virtual Learning Community. Please sign up here <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXUVbbZzhhnqvm-AFS9HH8lQKGCoybtkF…> or copy and paste this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXUVbbZzhhnqvm-AFS9HH8lQKGCoybtkF… 2020 Cohorts · Cohort 1: Evelyn Philbrook; Larry Philbrook; Beret Griffith; Paul Noah; Ellen Howie; Joan Knutson; Elsa Batica; Terry Bergdall; Jim Wiegel; Lynda Cock; Marilyn Oyler; Dharmalingam Vinasithamby; Dick Alton; Pam Bergdall; Seva Gandhi · Cohort 2: Ann Jaecks; Herman Green; Nancy Lanphear; Sandra Conant; Margaret Aiseayew; Catherine Welch; Judy Lindblad; Alan Gammel; Cheryl Kartes; Jan Sanders; Jann McGuire; Judith Hamje; Mary D’Souza -- Richard H. T. Alton One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF) Interfaith Green Network T: 773.344.7172 richard.alton(a)gmail.com **Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2021, March 5-14, 2021 * http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2 Won't you be my neighbor? -- Richard H. T. Alton One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF) Interfaith Green Network T: 773.344.7172 richard.alton(a)gmail.com **Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2021, March 5-14, 2021 * http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2 Won't you be my neighbor?

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A Poem in place of an angry rant!
by mellowmilan2＠gmail.com 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

I've been working on this poem for a week. In light of today's second impeachment of a U.S. President ever, with my feelings of having been trampled under foot by a mob of insurrectionists and my head both feeling like it is going to explode or implode, I believe poetry is my only recourse😡🤬🤯 What If . . . What if we changed our thinking? Seems to me it has been stinking— Thinking, that is! And what if we transformed our vocabulary? Maybe a little less military? Hey! I just had one, A thought, I mean—check it out! Is it odiferous? Let’s eliminate all “isms” That might mitigate current schisms, See life through myriad prisms, Instead of only black and white Or absolutes: “You’re wrong! I’m right!” Capital’s essential, you know, For entrepreneurs and commerce flow. But adding “ism” always starts a fight: Smith or Keynes, Marx or Malthus; Each an ism in its own right. Being social’s a healthy attitude, Even communal, although a platitude. But tack on that suffix, we become bellicose, We can’t see our neighbor, at least not up close. My fellow Americans, sans ism, Be a patriot, proud of our national rhythm Don’t you think it’s off track? How to ever get it back? Let’s be fans—not fanatics And honor our heroes While shunning the ones who lead us astray. No need to name them; we know by their actions: “By their fruits you shall know them.” Eliminate factions. A new thought—a new verbiage, a better way!

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My son in law sent this . . . and from Pope Francis
by James Wiegel 15 Jan '21

15 Jan '21

https://cafod.org.uk/Campaign/Reclaim-our-common-home Jim Wiegel The unknown is what is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that. Unknown is what is. Accept that it's unknown, and it's plain sailing. John Lennon 401 North Beverly Way,Tolleson, Arizona 85353 623-363-3277 jfwiegel(a)yahoo.com www.partnersinparticipation.com

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1/14/21, Progressing Spirit: Brian McLaren: Doubt, Faith, and Why Breaking Up (with Authoritarianism) is Hard to Do; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

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McLaren January 14, 2021 I grew up in a 6-day creation sector of Christianity. Evolution, we were taught, was a Satanic deception to make us lose our faith. It was a banana peel on the slippery slope to hell; and it led me to my first theological crisis when I was 12 years old. I’d been that kid always sneaking off into the woods - I was the tadpole hunter, the newt finder, the turtle spy, the snake discoverer, the raccoon tracker, the birdsong listener, always coming home with wet feet from tromping through a puddle or swamp. My immersion in the natural world (augmented by lots of reading at the local library) led me to find evolution compelling. So, after considerable struggle, I secretly gave my pre-teen self permission to doubt what my Christian elders taught me. I didn’t throw out Genesis, I just let it be what it obviously was (to me, anyway) - not a science textbook, but a visionary poem celebrating the goodness of all creation. The biblical literalism and corresponding distrust of science that I learned in church back in the ‘50s and ‘60s still thunders from pulpits and Christian radio today. Disbelief in evolutionary biology won’t kill you, but distrust of the science of pandemics and climate change might, and being a faithful Christian is not a vaccine. As I’ve sought to understand why so many of my fellow Christians risk harming their lives, families, churches and communities as an expression of being pro-faith and anti-science, I keep returning to the work of social psychologists like Bob Altemeyer. A growing body of research suggests that about a third of us react to anxiety, change, grievance and shame with an almost uncontrollable desire to find some individual (usually a powerful male) or group (usually led by a powerful male) who makes us feel safe. Unfortunately, this very human need for relief renders us susceptible to becoming authoritarian followers. Authoritarian leaders are clever and they know the messages that will convincingly make followers feel secure: Don’t believe the experts; believe me. It’s not your fault; it’s those guys over there who are to blame. Don’t worry; I can bring the good old days back again. I alone can fix it. I have the simple answer to your fears. Authoritarian groups spin all kinds of scary conspiracy theories to keep followers feeling safe, innocent, fearful of others, aggrieved, and importantly, under their control. As a result, it’s hard to break free, whether your brand of authoritarianism is religious or political. When it’s a powerful fusion of the two, authoritarianism has cult-like power that can undercut both Christian faith and democracy. For over 40 years, clever politicians have formed calculated alliances with authoritarian religious leaders to manipulate followers for mutual advantage. They’ve groomed millions of us to deny the evidence for evolution, climate change, an historic pandemic, and recently, the clear outcome of an election. Because I’ve lived my six decades of life in close proximity to religious authoritarians, I have this instinct about what they are about to say even before they speak, and I can still feel their power. I remember the twelve-year-old me, anxious about how much I could differ from my conservative Christian upbringing without being rejected by my church. And then I think of literally millions of conservative Christians in the same predicament today. Exiting that authoritarian superhighway requires a safe off-ramp, and there is one available. I know because I’ve taken the exit ramp that leads from a naive and controlling religion to deeper and more liberating faith and spirituality, namely, doubt. Not the reactionary, angry, swing-to-the-other-extreme kind of doubt. Not the doubt-everything-so-you-can-be-a-smug-cynic kind either. Responsible doubt - the kind of critical thinking that tests inherited or accepted beliefs and explanations and releases us from being under someone else’s control. This kind of doubt is not the enemy of true faith, it is the enemy of authoritarianism. Until they experience a disruption or intervention of some sort, many of our neighbors will remain drawn to the euphoria of authoritarian followership. They’ll keep tapping into the desired high at a rally or church service, through conspiracy theories like QAnon, and through mass and social media that reinforce their followership. They will put themselves, friends and families in danger by refusing to wear a mask, and as a sign of their faith, many will refuse a vaccine too. Some of these activated followers might even arm themselves for civil war to protect the leader to whom they have pledged their allegiance. What can the rest of us do as this process unfolds? First, we can set an example of grace, hope, kindness and mercy. If we use the rhetoric of shame, fear and grievance, these emotions will spread like a contagious virus, driving people deeper into authoritarianism for relief. Alternative social spaces of grace, hope, kindness and mercy can provide our neighbors a safe alternative to authoritarian belonging. Second, we can model freedom from the fear of doubt. We can see doubt not as the end of faith, but as a passageway to a deeper and wiser faith. We can go public with stories about how we've faced our doubts and changed our minds. We can simply testify, “I used to see it that way, but I no longer do.” The conversations that ensue can be an exit ramp out of authoritarianism. Third, we can understand how hard it is to break up with authoritarianism. It might take months or years for people we love to get out entirely. If we lack empathy and patience, we can easily scare people back into the perceived safety of authoritarian belonging. If we create safe social space for people to face and process their doubts without judgment or shame, if we let them know that doubt isn’t something to be ashamed of, if we help them see that doubt is actually a sign of honesty, curiosity and growth, then they can pass through the portal of doubt into deeper, more honest faith. So if you are able, increase your savvy about the lure and power of authoritarianism. And set an example of a better kind of faith, faith that is willing to pass through the valley of the shadow of doubt in the pursuit of truth, goodness, justice, joy and peace on the other side. ~ Brian D. McLaren Read online here About the Author Brian D. McLaren is a best-selling writer, speaker, activist and an Auburn Senior Fellow. The author of over 20 books, his brand-new release is Faith After Doubt, St. Martin’s Press (January 2021). You may also be interested in his online resources on bias and authoritarianism, available at brianmclaren.net. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By A Reader What Christian principles can help us make it through difficult times like these? A: By Toni Anne Reynolds Dear Reader, It can feel so challenging to think that a tradition can remain relevant in a time of great tumult. I personally think that the most challenging times are the moments that birth the strongest aspects of a faith tradition. Despite not being able to gather in person there are many ways to stay grounded in Christian principles and find ways of connecting during this era of social distancing. I come from a faith community that used prayer trees. This can be especially powerful during this start of the new year, with the fresh energy of resolutions and high hopes for the times to come. Group prayer is such an old way of convening. You can organize a monthly or weekly prayer time and each of the members of your community, group can commit to join in prayer for 15 minutes at the same time. I know the gospel tells a different story of the moments just after Jesus’ execution, all of the disciples huddled together in one place. But Jesus and the disciples traveled with many people, and impacted many people. I suspect, with confidence, that their community was larger than the 13 of them. Surely, they experienced moments of separation, distance and uncertainty. These are the moments to employ the practices that were strengthened when things were “good”. Depending on your Christian persuasion, the principle of community is likely strong. This is a time of searching for new ways of being in community, but surely the strength of mind is always foundational. May you have the space to use your mind to connect with those in your community. My favorite principle is communion, at least in the form of eating together. You may already be doing something like this, but having a meal together via video call, or again, at a designated time, is a great way to use the energy of this connective principle right now. I know these seem like flimsy suggestions so I’ll end with the strongest one I’ve heard so far. If you were to wrap your arms around yourself as best you can, or simply massage your own feet or forearm, the brain doesn’t know the difference between it being your hand or someone else’s. But! The brain does register the contact as pleasing and helpful for that state of enjoyment we have when we receive a hug from another person. Healing touch is bringing on a whole new meaning in these times. So, as cheesy as it sounds, hug yourself, massage your own feet and do what you can to hear the voice of people who love you. ~ Toni Anne Reynolds Read and share online here About the Author Minister Toni Anne Reynolds is committed to singing flesh onto the bones of the Christian tradition by incorporating recently found texts of the ancient world into liturgy, sermons, and poetry. Toni’s Christianity forms a holy trinity with the psychological medicine of Tibetan Buddhism and the eternal Life found in Yoruba traditions. Balanced in an eclectic faith and focused in theology, Toni’s ministry offers a unique perspective on life, theology, and spirituality. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org relies heavily on the good will of donors. We want to continue to bring you the messages of progressive Christians via our Progressing Spirit Newsletter; however, the fact is, the cost of a subscription goes towards paying our authors. We therefore rely your generosity - specifically, if you are in a position to contribute to our efforts, we would be grateful for your donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited The Origins of the New Testament, Part XXIV: Introducing Luke Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong May 27, 2010 By the time the third gospel, the one we call Luke, was written, history had moved to the last years of the 9th decade at the earliest and quite possibly to the early years of the 10th decade. The Christian movement had journeyed beyond its earlier traumas and tensions and was now concerned about making a case for its legitimacy in the Roman Empire. I date Luke between 89 and 93, though with all proposed dating there is debate on both ends. This gospel, however, does reflect Christianity’s transition out of Judaism and toward to the Gentile world. The community for which Luke’s gospel was written appears to have been made up primarily of dispersed Jews, who no longer followed their traditions in a rigid pattern and, as a consequence, are beginning to attract a rising tide of converts from the Gentile world. These Gentile proselytes, as they came to be called, had little dedication to or interest in the cultic practices of circumcision, kosher dietary rules and unfamiliar liturgical practices such as a 24-hour vigil around Shavuot or Pentecost and the eight-day celebrations of the Harvest Festival known as Sukkoth. They were not intent on discarding or losing the meaning of these holy days, but they clearly were eager to reduce their place of importance and the hold they had once had on their lives. The author of Luke is unknown, but the tradition has always identified this book with Luke the physician, who accompanied Paul and is mentioned in both Colossians 4:14 and in II Timothy 4:11. Please recall, however, that Colossians is disputed as to its being genuinely Pauline, with the weight of scholarship against it, while no New Testament scholar of significance would attribute II Timothy to the pen of Paul, so this identification is tenuous at best. What we do know about the author of the gospel of Luke, and the same person clearly wrote the book of Acts as Volume II of his gospel, is that in all probability he was born a Gentile and had been drawn first into the ethical monotheism that marked Judaism. He appears to have actually converted to Judaism and to have joined the synagogue through which he moved into Christianity. He may well have been a convert of Paul’s, at least he has clearly identified himself with Paul’s point of view and he champions it in both the gospel and the book of Acts. The internal data that point us to these conclusions are plentiful. First, there is the genealogy of Luke in chapter three, which, quite unlike the genealogy in Matthew, carries the ancestry of Jesus back not just to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, but to Adam, who would have been understood in the world view of that day as the father of the whole human race, which would include the Gentiles. Also in Luke’s genealogy it needs to be noted that while he ties Jesus to King David, he does not carry that lineage through the royal lines of the kings of the Southern Kingdom as Matthew does, but suggests that the line ran not from David to Solomon but from David to Nathan. Biblical sources tell us of no son of David named Nathan, but David had many wives so he might have had many sons whose names we do not know. Where Luke got the name Nathan or why he settled on it is hard to say, but the moral hero of the story of David and Bathsheba was a prophet named Nathan, about whom I have written before. In other places, Luke appears to borrow names from Old Testament characters if it suits the message he is trying to articulate, so the connection with Nathan, the prophet, might be a good guess. We also know that Luke was not impressed with royalty or with magi, as they both get de-emphasized in this gospel. In other notes that may give us insight into Luke’s values, we note that this is the first gospel, and thus the first place in the Bible, ever to mention the Samaritans, and Luke does so with sensitivity and inclusiveness. Only Luke, for example, tells us the parable of the “Good Samaritan.” That is just one more indication that his community has moved beyond the Jewish point of view. Later in the book of Acts (chapter two), Luke emphasizes anew the universal theme in his narrative when he suggests that when the Holy Spirit fell on the gathered Christian community. He is quite pointed in noting that Pentecost was a worldwide event in which the Spirit fell not only on the Jews but on the peoples of the world, who then proclaimed the gospel in whatever language those hearing spoke. To make sure that his readers understood this point, he named those who were present. They were: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Egypt and Rome (Acts 3:4-10). Clearly Luke envisioned a Christianity loosed from the ethnic limits of Judaism and propelled into being a universal faith. We note also that the author of this gospel makes no claim to his ever having been an eye witness, but rather mentions the research that he has done, which enabled him to produce this work. He says in his preamble that “many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of the things which are surely believed among us, even as they delivered them to us, which from the beginning were eye witnesses and servants of the word (Luke 1:1-5).” We can now be certain that Mark was one of these sources since Luke reproduces in his gospel about half of Mark. Many scholars also suggest that Luke and Matthew both had a common source made up of a collection of Jesus sayings from which they both quote frequently and almost identically. This popular hypothesis requires the existence of a now lost book to which the title Q has been attached. There are some other scholars, a minority, who dismiss the Q hypothesis and assert instead that Luke also had Matthew in front of him when he wrote and that, while he preferred Mark, he did use a number of Matthew’s additions to Mark and that is what created the similarities between Luke and Matthew that are attributed to Q. While the majority of scholars still follow the Q hypothesis, I for one have never been convinced of it. It is not important to enter that debate here; I merely state it as a way of keeping the argument open. Luke also introduces a number of things into the developing Christian story that have not to our knowledge been there before. The first one is the account of the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1). It is a fascinating story from many angles, but it is clearly not history. It reminds me of a song popular in my teenage years entitled, “Anything you can do, I can do better.” John is born to post-menopausal parents. That is a wonder, but it pales into insignificance in the light of the story of Jesus being born to a virgin. When the birth of John occurs, the neighbors gather to celebrate. When Jesus was born, however, it was not neighbors, but angels who come crashing through the midnight sky to celebrate his arrival. Clearly, when Luke wrote, there was still some tension between the followers of Jesus and the followers of John the Baptist. That is why there is such a concentrated effort in all the gospels to assert that John the Baptist, who was clearly the first of the two on the scene, knew that he was subservient to Jesus: “He must increase, I must decrease.” Luke pushes this to the extreme by having the fetus of John the Baptist in the womb of Elizabeth leap to salute the fetus of Jesus in the womb of Mary (1:39-45). In this narrative, Luke appears to have borrowed a story from Genesis and applied it to his narrative (see Gen. 25:12-23). In both stories, a baby leaps in the womb of its mother. In the Genesis story, it is Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, who is pregnant with twins. As these twins struggle in Rebekah’s womb, she seeks the counsel of an oracle to determine the meaning of this leaping only to learn from the oracle that the older son (Esau) would ultimately serve the younger son (Jacob). In Luke’s story the babies are not twins, but Luke does make them kin — perhaps cousins — but the meaning is the same, the older boy, John, will serve the younger boy, Jesus. The custom of taking material from familiar Old Testament sources, such as the book of Genesis to tell the Jesus story, is discernible in other places. In Luke’s narrative about the birth of John, he says that the Baptist’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, conceived him when they were both post-menopausal. That motif was clearly borrowed from the story of Abraham and Sarah, who did the same thing when Isaac was born. The names of John the Baptist’s parents were also, in all probability, plucked from Old Testament sources. Luke will portray John the Baptist not as Elijah, but as “the voice crying in the wilderness,” a phrase that comes from the book of Malachi. The immediate predecessor to the book of Malachi in the Bible was the book of Zechariah, so Luke uses that name for the father or immediate predecessor of John the Baptist. Identifying the source of the name Elizabeth for John’s mother is more difficult. There is only one other Elizabeth in the Bible and she is the wife of Aaron, the brother of Moses and the sister of Miriam. Elizabeth, written as Elisheba in Hebrew, and Miriam (written as Mary in Greek) would thus be sisters in law and thus their children would be first cousins. Only Luke implies kinship between Jesus and John and I believe that he accomplishes this by his creative use of names drawn from the story of Moses and his siblings. As we look more deeply into Luke’s unique way of telling the Jesus story, we will see again and again that Luke’s purpose is to interpret Jesus in the light of the Hebrew Scriptures not to recreate him historically. Unless we understand this clearly and thus free our minds from the shackling literalism that distorts the modern ability to study the scriptures, we will never be able to hear the powerful message of Luke. This new vision also introduces into the study of the Bible a playful kind of speculation that leads us deeper and deeper into its truth. As our consideration of Luke moves on that will become clearer and even more obvious. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements Good Mother Inner Child workshop In my upcoming Good Mother workshop, I’ll be sharing my secrets about how to internalize a Good Mother and why it is so crucial for your emotional health and well-being. Saturday, January 16, 2021 - Online from 10-4pm Pacific Time With storytelling & practical tools to internalize your Good Mother & heal your Inner Child. Price: $150 REGISTER HERE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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