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Re: [Oe List ...] Lindsey Buss career move
by LAURELCG＠aol.com 15 Sep '12

15 Sep '12

Congratulations to Lindsey, and to you, Sarah. Blessings, Jann McGuire In a message dated 9/15/2012 2:37:48 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, sbuss(a)austin.rr.com writes: Colleagues, Yet another reason to be proud of my son, Lindsey. I assume more information on this soon. I think he will be at Martha's Table through October. Sarah

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The Race is On: The Theological and Human Issues in the 2012 Election
by Ellie Stock 13 Sep '12

13 Sep '12

HOMEPAGE MY PROFILE ESSAY ARCHIVE MESSAGE BOARDS CALENDAR The Race is On: The Theological and Human Issues in the 2012 Election The nominating conventions for both parties are visible now only through the rearview window. The banners have been taken down, the balloons have fallen, the local bars are back to their normal patrons and the campaigns are now in full swing. The nominating conventions are actually a strange ritual, something of a dated hangover from our political past. They have not been nominating conventions since 1960 when during the role call Wyoming’s votes actually put the Democratic front runner, John F. Kennedy, over the top, defeating Lyndon B. Johnson who hoped that by stopping Kennedy, he might emerge as the winner of a brokered convention. The choice of the vice-president today is left up to the presidential nominee alone who taps the running mate. The last contested vice-presidential nomination came in 1956, again at the Democratic Convention, when presidential nominee Adlai E. Stevenson II, then the former governor of Illinois, threw the nomination of his running mate open to the convention without a recommendation. Senator Estes Kefauver won that spirited battle over two primary opponents, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Senator Al Gore Sr., of Tennessee. Today, these conventions nominate no one. The nominees have normally been picked long before and are not only known, but have also been actively campaigning. These gatherings have become little more than political theater or “infomercials” and are used primarily to launch the campaign. They are carefully crafted to recognize all the special interest groups that gather around each party, to showcase either those rising star candidates seeking national office (one thinks of Ted Cruz, Republican senatorial nominee in Texas and Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic senatorial nominee in Massachusetts) or to give a boost to a candidate deemed to be in a tight race. They also serve to introduce or re-introduce the nominees of each party and hopefully to frame the issues that will be at stake in the election. All of us are familiar with the hackneyed phrases that are endlessly repeated: “The next President of the United States,” “This is the most critical election in our lifetime” and “Mr. Chairman, the great state of Wisconsin where cheese is our state product, Green Bay is our football team and cheese heads are our fans, casts its 28 votes for the next, etc.” There is little objectivity in the speeches. Rather, in many voices, speakers say again and again words that sound like: “Our candidate will save America. Our opponent will ruin America.” Nonetheless, in these political gatherings there are occasionally inspiring moments that become indelible memories. I recall James Brady, still paralyzed from having been shot by the would-be assassin of the then president Ronald Reagan, appearing at a Democratic Convention to endorse a plank in the platform calling for the passage of the Brady Bill, limiting the use of legal firearms. I remember the tribute to Ronald Reagan at the Republican Convention after his death that brought back memories of his career allowing the nation to relive: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” I even remember the Republican galleries in 1940 chanting, “We want Willkie” and stampeding that convention until they got him as their nominee. In my life as a weekly columnist, I have attended these conventions in the past and watched them from gavel to gavel. In 2000 I saw the long kiss planted on his wife Tipper by Al Gore, Jr. It lasted 30 seconds! In 2004, I heard the keynote address delivered by the young state senator from Illinois named Barack Obama. It was a moving speech. I filed a column that week saying, “I have now seen a black politician who has the potential to be elected President of the United States.” I did not think it would happen four years later. Election year is an American ritual and despite terribly long campaigns and countless “robo” calls it is one that we treasure. I see the election of a president every four years as a time to read the cultural and political signs that tell me where my country is at that moment, what is happening to its values and dreams and where this nation appears to be headed. The placement on the ballot in Ohio in 2004, of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages, for example, probably brought out enough anti-homosexual voters to win that state and thus re-election to a second term for President George W. Bush. In 2012, the Democratic Convention endorsed gay marriage in its platform and in countless speeches. I don’t think either the anti-gay amendment in 2004 or the pro-gay marriage platform plank in 2012 would have been employed by either party had not the consensus developed that this was a winning strategy. That means that on the issue of homosexuality this country has shifted its majority opinion dramatically in just eight years. Overt gay-bashing politics has thus gone the way of overt racist politics. Homophobia and racism are both still present, but neither is any longer socially acceptable unless well disguised. Today only code words are allowed. In the two recent conventions it was clear that women are a crucial voting block that must be wooed. The rhetoric was far more positive than the platforms, however, which in the Republican case reflected issues not debated in America since the 1950’s. Both campaigns featured women. Both showed off their elected female senators, governors and representatives. Both listened to magnificent speeches made by the wives of the presidential nominees. I have a hard time imagining Pat Nixon or Bess Truman giving a speech! As I look at America today, it seems to me that we are in a dramatic period of consciousness raising. It began to be visible in the campaign four years ago when among the serious and viable candidates for the presidency were a woman, an Hispanic, an African-American, a Mormon and a man who had been married three times. None of these would, in all probability, have been taken seriously twenty-five years earlier. Consciousness breakthroughs always raise up a hostile reaction from those who feel displaced by the broadening of those who are considered acceptable for leadership. We are living with that reaction. The real issue to be measured in this year’s election is how rapidly we, as a people, will be able to embrace this new consciousness. One party says it focuses on individuality and freedom, the other on the quality of our corporate society and the corporate good. One party is rooted in the quality of leadership coming from traditional sources and it does not appear to be welcoming to newcomers. They value merit, ability and the kind of competitiveness that produces wealth. The other is rooted in a wider demographic pool, stressing openness to rising minorities. One party is conservative because it values and wants to conserve the virtues of the past, which, it argues, have made us the great nation we are. The other party is liberal because it believes that all people must have equality of opportunity that will allow a steady influx into leadership of those, who have not been born into wealth and privilege, enabling merit to rise to the top of our political, economic and social pyramids. I think both emphases are needed. Conservatives need the challenge of new ideas and new people lest they become quickly dated and irrelevant. Liberals on the other hand, need the witness of the traditional values that conservatives espouse lest they become wide-eyed and kill the goose that lays the golden egg. The nation is healthiest, I believe, when elections are close. The minority must be strong enough to challenge and to rein in the excesses of the majority. Progress should come through the hard task of compromise. We are in danger of losing that in today’s polarized politics. Someone once observed that “politicians are like underwear the only way you can keep them clean is to change them regularly.” In the last 52 years of American history, the Republicans have controlled the White House for 28 years, the Democrats for 24. That balance is part of what makes our nation great. I worry most in this election about realities that are real, but unspoken. America is changing demographically. We are no longer a nation that is overwhelmingly of European ancestry. The non-white population is today right at the tipping point of 50%. How well this nation incorporates its Asian citizens, its Latino citizens and its African citizens into its body politic will go a long way in determining the stability of our nation in the future. The fact that we have elected an Afro-American male to the White House was a signal accomplishment. The fact that his citizenship, his legitimacy and even his place of birth are regularly challenged indicates that racism is still alive, hiding below the surface in America. When a consciousness shift in our national self-identification occurs there is always anxiety, anger and sometimes violence. Today, minorities are rising, women are rising, gay and lesbian people are rising, but fear is also rising. Political gridlock, the inability to compromise, is a manifestation of this fear. When members of either party put political victory ahead of the well being of the nation, that is a danger sign. The yellow light flashing a warning sign in this year’s election is twofold. One is the result of the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in the case known as “Citizens United.” That decision opened the floodgates to individuals and corporations to give unlimited money to a campaign without having to disclose the donor names. The effect is to maximize the power of the vote of the wealthy and to minimize the power of the vote of the poor. One person, one vote is compromised. The second is the attempt by various methods to suppress, handicap or stop the elderly, the poor, the young and minorities from voting. Special ID is a modern poll tax. Its purpose is nothing less that to disenfranchise some voters. It is an expression of great fear. I hope this nation will move to correct both of these assaults on democracy itself. America is too precious an experiment to allow the integrity of a vote to be challenged. An election that ends not with a winner, but with a court challenge reveals a nation in trouble. ~John Shelby Spong Read the essay online here. Question & Answer Paul of Rockport, Maine, writes: Question: As much as I thoroughly appreciated Eternal Life and Jesus for the Non-Religious, I would welcome your thoughts regarding what has traditionally been called "contemplative prayer." I feel pretty squared away as to the prayers of petition and the question of flattering God in hopes of getting God to change the divine mind. But what about contemplation and the mystics? Is it auto-suggestion or a self-induced mystical experience? Even if self-induced, is it an authentic experience of the divine or an illusion? Answer: Dear Paul, If we could remove from prayer the idea of request or petition, then prayer would be defined as the awareness of a relationship with the ultimate reality, however that reality is defined. That awareness could take the form of contemplation or meditation, but it is still a relationship. Relationships can grow and deepen, but they can also fade and become shallow. Relationships require time, sensitivity and nurturing. That takes dedication, commitment and attentiveness. “Self-induced” does not appear to me to be the word I would use. Everything we do is self-induced. If you mean by “self induced” that it is not real but delusional, that is always a possibility and one should never rule out that possibility. That is not my approach, however. I simply bear witness that I live in a relationship with what I call the Source of Life. I practice that relationship by living life fully. I live in a relationship with the Source of Love. I practice that relationship by loving, loving wastefully. I live in a relationship with the Ground of Being. I practice that relationship by having the courage to be all that I can be. Contemplation is, therefore, not something that I do so much as it is something I am. Contemplation, defined this way, then makes sense to me. I never fall into the idolatry of pretending that I am defining God. I am trying to define only my human experience of God. I thus believe that I live in and into the reality of transcendence. I hope this helps. Thank you for your letter. ~John Shelby Spong Announcements Any questions or concerns, please contact us at support(a)johnshelbyspong.com or 503-236-3545. Copyright © 2012 ProgressiveChristianity.org, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have a membership at our website. Our mailing address is: ProgressiveChristianity.org 4916 Pt Fosdick Dr, NW #148 Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Add us to your address book

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Song reflection on Chicago Accelerate 77: "Footprints of Sikaakwa", musical notation/lyrics .9.3.12ff
by Ellie Stock 11 Sep '12

11 Sep '12

Hi folks, Attached is the musical notation for a song reflection on Chicago Accelerate 77 (Saturday, September 15): "Footprints of Sikaakwa". Below are the lyrics. Ellie elliestock(a)aol.com FOOTPRINTSOF SIKAAKWA Footprintsof Sikaakwa journeyedlakeshore sands, creaturesspinning stories inwinds haunting the land, swimming,creeping, crawling—they came; flying,walking, stalking—they gamed; hunters,warriors, growers—they remained, livinglightly on the earth of Sikaakwa. Footprintsof Sikaakwa turnedrivers, changed terrain, pavingtrails and forging rails, farmways to factory days— exploring,trading, supplanting—they came; building,inventing, investing—they gamed, artist,industrialist, politician—they remained, sculptingrising skyline peaks of Chicago. Footprintsof Sikaakwa convergedfrom all directions, culturesclashed and merged, stewingdesire and introspection— laboratoryof urban life—they came; microcosmof courage and strife—they gamed; movementscalling for justice—they remained, stirringbrewing cauldron hope of Chicago. Footprintsof Sikaakwa blazenew community, peopleworking together tothrive sustainably— welcomingyoung and old—they came; joiningthe gifts of all—they gamed; wakingto Earth’s vision—they remained, livingboldly a real dream of Chicago. ejhs 9/09/12 reflection on Accelerate77, Chicago “Sikaakwa” (pronounced: “Sheekakwa”): namesake of Chicago; French pronunciation of Algonquian (Miami/Illinois)name for a wild garlic/leek (AlliumTricoccum) (striped skunk) growing along the shores of Lake Michigan andthe Des Plaines (branch of Chicago River) in the 1600s. Hi folks, Attached is the musical notation for a song reflection on Chicago Accelerate 77 (Saturday, September 15): "Footprints of Sikaakwa". Below are the lyrics. Ellie elliestock(a)aol.com FOOTPRINTSOF SIKAAKWA Footprintsof Sikaakwa journeyedlakeshore sands, creaturesspinning stories inwinds haunting the land, swimming,creeping, crawling—they came; flying,walking, stalking—they gamed; hunters,warriors, growers—they remained, livinglightly on the earth of Sikaakwa. Footprintsof Sikaakwa turnedrivers, changed terrain, pavingtrails and forging rails, farmways to factory days— exploring,trading, supplanting—they came; building,inventing, investing—they gamed, artist,industrialist, politician—they remained, sculptingrising skyline peaks of Chicago. Footprintsof Sikaakwa convergedfrom all directions, culturesclashed and merged, stewingdesire and introspection— laboratoryof urban life—they came; microcosmof courage and strife—they gamed; movementscalling for justice—they remained, stirringbrewing cauldron hope of Chicago. Footprintsof Sikaakwa blazenew community, peopleworking together tothrive sustainably— welcomingyoung and old—they came; joiningthe gifts of all—they gamed; wakingto Earth’s vision—they remained, livingboldly a real dream of Chicago. ejhs 9/09/12 reflection on Accelerate77, Chicago “Sikaakwa” (pronounced: “Sheekakwa”): namesake of Chicago; French pronunciation of Algonquian (Miami/Illinois)name for a wild garlic/leek (AlliumTricoccum) (striped skunk) growing along the shores of Lake Michigan andthe Des Plaines (branch of Chicago River) in the 1600s.

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Fwd: Song: "Let the Earth Breathe" (youtube link and revised musical notation--9/03/12)
by Ellie Stock 10 Sep '12

10 Sep '12

Hi folks, Attached is the "final" musical notation revision (9/03/12) of the song "Let the Earth Breathe", written for our 50th ICA anniversary event held last May. Chenoa, our daughter, and I did a "homespun" audio recording of the song last weekend on her flipcam which is now posted on Youtube. Not perfect, but it gives an idea of the melody. Below is the link to Youtube for audio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLOrz3FIOs0 Ellie elliestock(a)aol.com Attached is the "final" musical notation revision (9/03/12) of the song "Let the Earth Breathe", written for our 50th ICA anniversary event held last May. Chenoa, our daughter, and I did a "homespun" audio recording of the song last weekend on her flipcam which is now posted on Youtube. Not perfect, but it gives an idea of the melody. Below is the link to Youtube for audio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLOrz3FIOs0 Ellie elliestock(a)aol.com

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Fwd: A REAL weather report; joke video
by Marianna Bailey 10 Sep '12

10 Sep '12

Begin forwarded message: > > This is a spoof TV weather report (only too real!) but funny: > Weathergirl goes rogue - YouTube > > > > -- > >

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Re: [Oe List ...] Fwd: Song: "Let the Earth Breathe" (youtube link and revise...
by KarenBueno＠aol.com 07 Sep '12

07 Sep '12

Thank you, Ellie! Karen Bueno In a message dated 9/7/2012 7:22:21 P.M. Mountain Daylight Time, elliestock(a)aol.com writes: Hi folks, Attached is the "final" musical notation revision (9/03/12) of the song "Let the Earth Breathe", written for our 50th ICA anniversary event held last May. Chenoa, our daughter, and I did a "homespun" audio recording of the song last weekend on her flipcam which is now posted on Youtube. Not perfect, but it gives an idea of the melody. Below is the link to Youtube for audio: _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLOrz3FIOs0_ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLOrz3FIOs0) Ellie _elliestock(a)aol.com_ (mailto:elliestock@aol.com) _______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net

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Completed life of Joe Lippard
by Lynda Cock 07 Sep '12

07 Sep '12

Dear colleagues, Dad completed his amazing journey August 28th. Wisdom from the Order community accompanied us on that journey. For most of July and August I have been in Virginia helping my sister Diane Galbreath (Guardian, HDP consults and former ICA Board member) to care for our 98-year-old Father in his declining health. Brother Hal Lippard (summer participate at South House and a Delta Pace Consult participation) was with us on weekends. We were honored to be part of his care team as a small pay-back for the years of his caring for us. You may have seen his photo in one of John's blog posts http://rejourney.blogspot.com/2012/07/joes-98th-birthday.html in July as he stirred the plum sauce. And he was so pleased to have been able to celebrate his 98th birthday in July under the spreading walnut trees with four generations of us around him. Dad and Mom (she died at 90 eight years ago) were RS-I grads and found practical ways to participate in our work. Mom always brought her apron and Dad brought his toolbox. They visited Fifth City, our houses in KC and DC, attended Guardian meetings, and visited Canon Ball HDP on a western car trip. They also hosted development teams from the Memphis House, and through their church in Tennessee, raised money for our support while we were in Australia, Indonesia, and India. Because of all this, we included the Ecumenical Institute/ Institute of Cultural Affairs in the memorial requests. Thank you for journeying with our extended family, Lynda Lippard Cock Dad's obituary may be viewed at <http://www.mcmillianfuneralhome.com/> www.mcmillianfuneralhome.com <http://www.mcmillianfuneralhome.com/>

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the pine box
by Nancy Lanphear 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

Dear Ones, The image of a PINE BOX seems to be emerging as a topic of another story ... and as it has, I would offer the story of a "pine box". As the day of Fred's memorial service was dawning our son Bob and his son, Mason went to the barn here at Songaia where all reusable and some not so, are kept. Much of the salvaged material was Fred's doing ... "it might come in handy one day" ... Fred's body was cremated so it was his ashes were available for the ceremony. However, it seemed appropriate for a man whose whole life had been one of simplicity and frugality to have the image of the pine box as a means of burial. Bob and Mason built the burial box with several pieces of wood that they found ... they fashioned it with love, a bit of sanding so it would be smooth and brought it into the house just before the memorial service. Yes, yet another ritual was immediate ..... each of the family members decided what objects Grandpa Fred needed to take with him .... a piece of lichen (Bruce) , a Kenyan statue (Bob) ,his wedding and community (silver) rings (Nancy), a piece of blue cloth (Nancy), a puzzle piece (Sandy). There were several other items the strangest of all was a piece of bread with spaghetti sauce on it - spaghetti was one of Fred's very favorite meals. The second anniversary of Fred's death comes very soon, 9/9 2012. Although he continues to be missed, quoted, remembered with his writings and stories, songs and of course, his presence, our lives are full and good. A wooden owl sits high on top of the gazebo in our Songaia garden - the gazebo was dedicated to Fred during our Festival of the Earth in May of 2010 - the owl was found and place on the roof in Fred's honor .... his middle initial is O - for Orville. Our community seems to find, create and use spaces for sacredness, song and ritual at a moments notice.... it is certainly one of our most wonderful gifts. With love, Nancy

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Re: [Oe List ...] the pine box
by LAURELCG＠aol.com 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

Thank you for this wonderful story, Nancy. "My" Fred requested to be buried in a pine box also. As my sons and I were consulting the funeral director, I told them of his request. Oldest Son Scott said, "Well, we could build one." The funeral director said he had a source in the L.A. area for pine caskets that were usually used for Jewish funerals. He ordered it. Someone from the shop met someone from the funeral home at the top of the Ridge Route, and we had it in time for the rituals. The plain box with a split top and nicely turned wooden handles was beautiful. The Time My Father Died is such a wonderful piece of writing, and has obviously influenced many final rites. Blessings, Jann McGuire. In a message dated 9/6/2012 1:30:25 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, nancy(a)songaia.com writes: Dear Ones, The image of a PINE BOX seems to be emerging as a topic of another story ... and as it has, I would offer the story of a "pine box". As the day of Fred's memorial service was dawning our son Bob and his son, Mason went to the barn here at Songaia where all reusable and some not so, are kept. Much of the salvaged material was Fred's doing ... "it might come in handy one day" ... Fred's body was cremated so it was his ashes were available for the ceremony. However, it seemed appropriate for a man whose whole life had been one of simplicity and frugality to have the image of the pine box as a means of burial. Bob and Mason built the burial box with several pieces of wood that they found ... they fashioned it with love, a bit of sanding so it would be smooth and brought it into the house just before the memorial service. Yes, yet another ritual was immediate ..... each of the family members decided what objects Grandpa Fred needed to take with him .... a piece of lichen (Bruce) , a Kenyan statue (Bob) ,his wedding and community (silver) rings (Nancy), a piece of blue cloth (Nancy), a puzzle piece (Sandy). There were several other items the strangest of all was a piece of bread with spaghetti sauce on it - spaghetti was one of Fred's very favorite meals. The second anniversary of Fred's death comes very soon, 9/9 2012. Although he continues to be missed, quoted, remembered with his writings and stories, songs and of course, his presence, our lives are full and good. A wooden owl sits high on top of the gazebo in our Songaia garden - the gazebo was dedicated to Fred during our Festival of the Earth in May of 2010 - the owl was found and place on the roof in Fred's honor .... his middle initial is O - for Orville. Our community seems to find, create and use spaces for sacredness, song and ritual at a moments notice.... it is certainly one of our most wonderful gifts. With love, Nancy _______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net

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9/06/12, Spong: "Think Different–Accept Uncertainty" Part XVI: The Story of the Crucifixion, Part One
by Ellie Stock 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

HOMEPAGE MY PROFILE ESSAY ARCHIVE MESSAGE BOARDS CALENDAR "Think Different–Accept Uncertainty" Part XVI: The Story of the Crucifixion, Part One Somewhere between a third and forty percent of each of the four gospels in the New Testament is concerned with the last week in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Clearly that was the focus of the gospel narratives – that was the emphasis of their message. Mark’s gospel has even been described as “the Passion narrative with a prologue.” John’s gospel devotes 9 of its 21 chapters (12-21) to the events of the last week in Jesus’ life, telling the story of the final meal as early as chapter 13. Even though these gospels were written forty to seventy years after the crucifixion, there is no doubt that the cross was still the center of the Christian message. Throughout most of Christian history, these passion stories have been regarded by the followers of Jesus as the accounts of eyewitnesses and therefore as historically trustworthy. The details drawn from these descriptions of the final events in Jesus’ life were liturgically burned into our memories and the narrative of the crucifixion has became, next to the account of Jesus’ birth, the most familiar part of the Christian story. Most of us know the general outline and even the details. It begins with the triumphant march into Jerusalem, which is celebrated on Palm Sunday, and then moves to the story of Jesus cleansing the temple of the moneychangers; the elaborate preparations for a meal that was soon identified as “the Last Supper” held in a borrowed space that became known as “the Upper Room;” the journey to the Garden of Gethsemane; the betrayal by Judas with a kiss followed by the arrest; the trial before the Jewish authorities; the threefold denial by Simon Peter marked by the crowing of the cock; the trial before Pilate; the release of Barabbas; the mocking of Jesus with the purple robe and a crown of thorns; the flogging ordered by Pilate; the journey to Calvary; the bearing of the cross by Simon of Cyrene; the crucifixion; darkness at noon; the cry of dereliction, “My, God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” the death of Jesus, and finally the burial assisted by one known as Joseph of Arimathea. Hymns have been composed for use in churches through the centuries, which served to enforce these vivid biblical images. One thinks of “Go to dark Gethsemane,” “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” and many others. Christian art, from the masterpieces that hang in the great museums of the world down to “the Stations of the Cross” found in humble country churches, all served to familiarize us with the major aspects and the unforgettable quality of this Christian narrative. The question still needs to be raised, however, as to just how much of this story is history? How much of it was a later attempt to portray Jesus as the literal fulfillment of the scriptural expectations? How much of this material was created in an effort to make history conform to already established lines of interpretation? After all each of these accounts was written between two and four generations after the events they purport to describe. In the first 1800 or so years of Christian history there was little questioning of the accuracy of these narratives, but in the last 200 to 300 years new sources of scholarship, combined with a critical approach to the study of the Bible, have opened these texts to us in many new ways and from this new knowledge dramatically new conclusions have forced themselves into our conscious minds. This scholarship began primarily in Germany, but has worked its way into all of the Christian academies of the world. The results have been salutary, deepening the faith of some, rocking the literalism of others. The first insight from this new scholarship came when the dates of the major writers of the New Testament were discovered and we were then allowed to begin to read the books of the New Testament in the order of their writing. Clearly the story grew over the years. Paul was first, writing all of his authentic epistles between the years 51-64. If we read Paul without the insights of the later gospels we discover that Paul had never heard the story of one of the twelve being the traitor. Paul did not portray the crucifixion as happening at the time of the Passover. Paul reveals no knowledge of an adventure in the Garden of Gethsemane and appears never to have heard of the roles that Pilate; Barabbas or Peter might have played in the story of the cross. He did not know of any “words” spoken from the cross; darkness at noon, or of a tomb of Joseph in which Jesus was buried. He does interpret the cross as part of a plan of salvation: “He died for our sins,” Paul wrote. He also suggests that this crucifixion was “in accordance with the scriptures,” by which he meant the Old Testament for there was no New Testament until well after the time of Paul’s death. That phrase also makes it clear that the attempt to see Jesus as the fulfillment of all Jewish expectations had been an early and regular part of the way the followers of Jesus processed the Jesus experience. When Mark, the first gospel, was written in the early 70’s, he undercut the literal reading of this story by telling us that when Jesus was arrested, “all the disciples forsook him and fled.” There were apparently no eyewitnesses! Mark was the first to mention Judas Iscariot, the denial of Peter or the story of Barabbas. We know now that Mark was the first to write a story of the crucifixion (Mark 14:17-15:47), but when we read this original narrative we discover that it is not an eyewitness account at all, it is an interpretation of the death of Jesus based on two passages out of the Hebrew Bible. The first is Isaiah 53, written in the 6th century BCE, and the second is Psalm 22, written probably in the 5th century BCE. From these two sources Mark draws most of the details of his story. From Psalm 22 he gets the cry of dereliction, “My God, Why?” the mocking attitude of the crowd and the division of Jesus’ clothes by rolling dice for his tunic. From Isaiah 53 he gets the image of Jesus’ silence before his accusers; the story of the two thieves crucified with him, one on each side, and the account of Jesus being with a rich man in his death, which Mark develops into his story of Joseph of Arimathea. Despite years of having been taught that this original story of the cross was an eyewitness account, we now know that it was never intended to be that. Matthew, written about a decade after Mark, copies most of Mark’s story making only a few editorial additions. Judas not only becomes darker, but Matthew has added other details to the Judas story. Only in Matthew is the price of betrayal put at thirty pieces of silver, only in Matthew does Judas repent and try to return the money, hurling it back into the Temple when it was refused, and only in Matthew does Judas then go and hang himself. Even these details do not appear to be memories of what actually happened, but were rather borrowed from other traitor stories in the Hebrew Scriptures and deliberately written into the Judas narrative. In Zechariah, for example, the shepherd king of Israel is handed over for thirty pieces of silver to those who buy and sell animals in the Temple and then the silver is hurled back into the Temple. In the stories around King David, a man named Ahithophel, who ate at the king’s table, betrays King David and when his trickery failed, he went out and hanged himself. Luke, writing about a decade after Matthew and also with Mark in front of him on whom he too relies, discovers that Isaiah 53 says that the “servant,” a mythological literary creation of this unknown author who dominates the writing of II Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55), was said to have made intercession for his tormentors. So Luke writes this detail into his story by having Jesus pray for those tormenting him: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke also takes the two thieves, who were introduced without commentary by Mark and who had both joined in tormenting Jesus in Matthew and turns one of them into being penitent. To him Jesus then speaks the words of assurance, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke also dismisses the cry of dereliction, “My God, Why?” and replaces it with words of trust and confidence, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” When we come to John, written near the end of the first century, some 65-70 years after the crucifixion, a very different story of the passion emerges. There is no agony in the garden of Gethsemane over whether or not Jesus will “drink this cup.” It was “for this purpose” that I was born,” John’s Jesus states. In John, Jesus’ mother appears for the first time at the foot of the cross where she is commended to the care of the “beloved disciple,” a figure of whom none of the previous gospels appear ever to have heard. The story of the authorities coming to hasten the death of the victims by breaking their legs is told by John for the first time, noting that Jesus was spared this final indignity because he was already dead. This, John says, fulfilled a prophetic word that “none of his bones were broken,” a reference to the lambs used in Jewish worship at both Passover and Yom Kippur. According to John, these frustrated authorities then thrust a spear into the dead body of Jesus, drawing from the wound both water and blood and fulfilling for John the words written in Zechariah, “They looked on him whom they pierced.” So, by tracing the details through their writing in history from Paul (51-64) through Mark (72), to Matthew (82-85), Luke (88-93) and John (95-100), we watch the story grow and we begin to embrace both how and for what purpose the details were added to the story of the cross. This was the first insight into just how few of the recorded events in the account of Jesus’ crucifixion were remembered history. There are some other things worth noting. Judas is even exonerated in the later gospels of Luke and John, when it is suggested that he is under the control of Satan and thus not responsible for his behavior. In a similarly dramatic way, Pilate is portrayed in a more and more sympathetic way as the time passes. He is pictured as finding no fault in Jesus and as seeking to find a way to release him. How much of this story is actual history and what are the implications if it is not? Those will be the questions I will address when this series continues. ~John Shelby Spong Read the essay online here. Question & Answer Bryan from Arlington, Texas, writes: Question: First off, I want to thank you. I have read The Sins of Scripture and Jesus for the Non-Religious and truly enjoyed both works. Your progressive view of God and theology has certainly been inspiring to me. I admire your strength of character and integrity for standing at odds with your religious upbringing. You are a hero of sorts to me and I can't thank you enough. I know all too well what it is like to grow up and currently live in the buckle of the Bible belt. While my sociological and political views today are much more progressive, I grew up in Louisiana in a fundamentalist Bible church. My father was on the board of elders. After several years of doubting what he believed and following his divorce from my mom, he embraced atheism. For years I struggled with his conversion and felt so lost in my own spirituality. The old worn-out tenets of Deep South Christianity gnawed away at me. I felt like I would lose him to eternal hell. After a few years, my own search for what I believe and why led me to viewing YouTube clips of you and subsequently some of your books and essays. At this point in my life, I’m still charting my course on my view of a God and things of spiritual nature. I lean towards atheism, but could be considered agnostic or deist or even pantheist at best; I really don’t know how to characterize what school of thought I espouse. However, theism for me is dead or rather non-existent. It still feels really great to know that I don’t have to believe the Bible in a strict, literal sense anymore. I still struggle with guilt from time to time, especially the fear of death at times because of my apostasy. I would like clarification of the gospel writers. I know that Mark was the first gospel written around 70-72 CE shortly after the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans. I recently had a fundamentalist Christian state that her reasons for believing the literal account of the life of Jesus was because the gospel writers were “disciples” of Jesus. It would seem to me that obviously these were not first hand accounts of Jesus because the first gospel was written some 40 years after his death. And Paul gives us sparse details on the actual life of Jesus. Paul would seem to be a better fit for someone that actually “saw” Jesus. Do you believe that any of the gospel writers walked, talked with Jesus? Through reading Jesus for the Non-Religious, I realize that Matthew borrowed heavily from Mark and so on. Much of what was written in the gospels were filtered through the lens of Jewish heritage and the Old Testament. I just want to increase my consciousness on these points so that I can discuss cogently and truthfully with people I come across who are fundamentalist Christians. Answer: Dear Bryan, First, thank you for your generous comments. Second, thanks for sharing with me some elements of your own faith struggle. It is not easy sometimes to move beyond yesterday’s certainties when you have been disillusioned by them. My advice is simply to engage those feelings and not to be afraid to talk about them. For many people religion is part of their security system and they hide within its defensive walls from any study or knowledge that might threaten them. When those walls don’t hold, that person feels exposed, let down and angry. It is not surprising that you now wish to hurl the whole system overboard. Christianity is, I believe, far more than what you or I have experienced. Another path for you might be to decide to study Christianity, including the Bible, more deeply than you ever have done so before. To do this, however, you must be part of a church that welcomes such a dialogue. I hope you can find that. To answer your specific questions, your fundamentalist friend is simply wrong. I doubt if any of the gospel writers were eyewitnesses to what they wrote about in their gospels. First, the gospels were written between 40 and 70 years after the crucifixion. That same time frame embraces between two and three generations. If the disciples were Jesus’ contemporaries, they would be between 70-100 years old, far beyond the normal life expectancy in the first century. Second, they were also written in Greek, a language that none of the disciples or indeed not even Jesus himself appears to have ever spoken or written. Third, the gospels reflect the background of the liturgical year of the synagogue. Prior to their having been written, the memory of Jesus had already been incorporated into the worship life of the synagogue and interpreted through the Hebrew Scriptures to those who were present in those synagogues. Paul does not seem to have ever interacted with the Jesus of history. He does claim to have “seen the Lord,” but that is apparently a reference to the conversion vision. I wish you well in your conversations with your fundamentalist friends. I have never found that to be a productive avenue to pursue because religious discussions are not really about religion. They are about people’s personal security and anything that confirms their security becomes what they believe. People move out of fundamentalism only when they are ready to move, not when someone like you tries to push them. This was at least my experience when I was a fundamentalist. Most of the things I talk about in Jesus for the Non-Religious have been available in the world of biblical scholarship for almost 200 years. Fundamentalists have simply ignored these discoveries and insights if they could and they have denied them if they could not. I suggest that you simply love your fundamentalist friends but don’t try to argue with them. Live well! ~John Shelby Spong Announcements Any questions or concerns, please contact us at support(a)johnshelbyspong.com or 503-236-3545. Copyright © 2012 ProgressiveChristianity.org, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have a membership at our website. Our mailing address is: ProgressiveChristianity.org 4916 Pt Fosdick Dr, NW #148 Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Add us to your address book . .

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