October 10, 2017
Gnostic Gospels
Gnostic Gospels
We
have recently been treated
to
exposition of the so-called
Gnostic
gospels, without any
announced
purpose for their review.
All
we laymen know about them is that
a
rather large number of early Christians
wrote
sayings attributed to Jesus that
never
made it into the New Testament.
It
is easy to see why, in that their
efforts
are obviously made up and
wholly
lacking the clarity and majesty
of
the included passages in the bible.
That
still leaves the question as to
why
the sudden interest in them.
Could
it be inspired by a resistance
to
the present contents of the bible?
It
is well-known that the bible is
not
kind to persons who prefer a
lightweight
Christianity which
makes
no demands in their lives.
Episcopalians
partly solve this
problem
by deleting verses from
the
daily lectionary that are not
in
sync with modern secular mores.
They
cannot rewrite the bible,
but
perhaps they can add excerpts
from
the ancient writings that are
more
acceptable to their congregants.
If
so, playing up the wisdom of the
Gnostic
gospels, and other sources
continues
the drive to refashion a
religion
far from its origin.
October 30, 2017
Yes, indeed, some biblical scholars are promoting an alternative New Testament, replacing or erasing passages which they believe are offensive. Their publications are based on early Christian writings which are generations removed from the eyewitness accounts in the presently accepted bible. The objective seems to be compiling a New Testament closer to contemporary mores and values. This helps to explain why TEC is not a biblically-centered denomination.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Twenty.../dp/0544570103
October 30, 2017
Yes, indeed, some biblical scholars are promoting an alternative New Testament, replacing or erasing passages which they believe are offensive. Their publications are based on early Christian writings which are generations removed from the eyewitness accounts in the presently accepted bible. The objective seems to be compiling a New Testament closer to contemporary mores and values. This helps to explain why TEC is not a biblically-centered denomination.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Twenty.../dp/0544570103
The problem is that our "progressive" clergy are already preaching the Gospel According to Rob Bell. The lectionary has been edited to omit bible verses that are offensive, as you pointed out. On the agenda is a rewrite of the BCP, which will probably include non-biblical rites. Next, the non-canonical writings may be approved for use in our worship services. Then you have a rewritten Bible, something that has not occurred for nearly two thousand years!
