In the first episode of this “groundbreaking series” we discover that Jesus was in fact Jewish, with the help of James Tabor, a Biblical scholar noted mostly for having claimed alongside James Cameron (director of Rambo II) that the tomb of Jesus had been discovered. In this episode we discovered that both scholars and theologians had opinions on the canonical Gospels and that Jesus realised the “deficiencies of his obsolete ancestral faith” in Galillee but his followers (who, let us recall are Jewish) viciously warped his Aramaic words into an anti-Semitic religion that we know today as Christianity. This was an exercise in ignorance, notably only for its assumption that its audience was equally ignorant. How can anyone be shocked by the news that the 12 apostles were Jewish? What adult, even distant from the faith, doesn’t know that Messiah means Christ, not “Son of God”? It was an exercise in prejudice, sadly, the ill-hidden prejudices of the self professed Jew of the mind and the heart but yet non-practicing, Howard Jacobsen. How our Hasidic brothers would view such sentiments would make a fascinating documentary in and of itself.
In the sentiment of this episode, Jesus is more remarkable for being Son of Man than being Son of God. This is meant to shock us God-botherers. But as far as false dichotomies go, I would agree with it. Christianity however, posits that Jesus is both fully Son of Man and fully Son of God, which is far more remarkable again. To even make this programme requires the classic sidelining of real theology and the real faith of Christians to make way for a stereotype that no one could ever believe.
But the “melancholy intrinsic to Christianity, perhaps because its rooted in fleshly failure” that Jacobson speaks of has no connection to any faith practiced in the historic church. One cannot have a meaningful conversation about a Christianity that never existed, that deals with “bodily escapism” and one cannot but feel chagrin at the ongoing tendency of voices in the media to simply get these things wrong without any doubt of their efforts. Where was Jimmy Dunn or NT Wright in this documentary?
Have you ever felt that you can never believe in this Christianity thing? Maybe it’s just the Channel 4 version that you find intellectually and emotionally repugnant.
Your Correspondent, Doesn’t trust “world renowned scholars” who mistakenly say “I think it’s in the Gospels…” and don’t correct themselves before the show goes to air
Whatever the intrinsic value of the subject program, I , for one , know that in 1st century Jewish tradition “son of God” indeed indicated the Messiah.
On another matter, it is also quite possible indeed that the Tomb of Jesus has been found in 1980
I’ve studied the Talpiot Tomb find for years, long before it became public knowledge following that TV documentary in 2007. I believe the find is serious, and warrants further study… {LOTS OF SPAM}… These could hopefully be relocated by comparison to the mithochondrial DNA samples already taken from two of these ossuaries.
Cheers.
Cheers? Has spam started gloating?
Goodness me, i really hope that C4 wern’t trying to be in anyway balanced and have some non-believers comment on Christian history. That spoils the fun really.
Itamar bernstein – cut n paste spam is boring!
QM: 1. Have you seen the episode?
2. Do you continue to maintain that it was “balanced” and that you are “rational”?
1. No (never stopped me having an opinion before!)
2. Well, my answer to 1 rules out further comment i guess. dammitall!
yours always
QM
By the way, Tabor is a professor at UNC-Charlotte, my alma mater (*sigh*). When I get the magazine they send to alums, Tabor always gets an article. I think he realizes anyone will listen if he just says something that breaks with tradition. If he’s so great, why is he teaching at UNC-Charlotte??? It’s not even the third best school in the state!
Ewww. Can you delete/edit the giant spam?
In related news, I’m reminded of the assertion in a Cosmic Variance post that “it’s not about you”. That is, polemic of the Dawkins variety isn’t aimed at educated, thoughtful, theologically sophisticated Christians like Mr. Zoomtard, but rather at the great unwashed masses of believers.
So, with regard to Zoom’s posited “classic sidelining of real theology and the real faith of Christians to make way for a stereotype that no one could ever believe”, are you sure no-one believes the stereotypes? Would it matter awfully, in terms of Christian faith, if they did?
I guess what I mean is that the real faith of Christians seems to cover a broad spectrum of belief (or perhaps a “surface” of belief, or a “manifold”, as there can be so many axes ;o). Sometimes, belief has little to do with theology, and sometimes theology is central, but even that “real theology” seems fairly diverse.
Whiiiich is a roundabout way of saying: Zoomie, I call upon thee to defend thy broad generalisation!
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/01/26/the-sacred/ was the post I was thinking of btw.
D EX. Belief has little or nothing to do with theology. For better or worse, belief/faith is overwhelmingly to do with upbringing, culture, fear, hope, intellect….. (myself included).
QM, seriously, stop and listen. This is not even an act of Christian apology- it’s more a statement of sociopsychology. Theology leads to belief. Belief leads to action. Theology can be as wrapped up in upbringing and culture and fear and hope as everything else can, including science and politics. But there is no need to make crazy claims like “Belief has little or nothing to do with theology”.
Fight your confusion!
The only DNA testing i want to see done on is on Jesus’ foreskin.
Its in the vatican.