Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Through Marmalade's wordpress blog, I found this link to April DeConick's blog “The Forbidden God”. She is the Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professor of Biblical Studies at Rice University.

This is the beginning of the series:

“Several people have been e-mailing me following my lecture on Jesus the Jew and the Jewish beginnings of Christianity at the Museum of Natural Science. The question they want answered is how this rabbi became God in the Christian communities…

“I have worked out my own model and published the bones of it in a piece called, “How We Talk about Christology Matters,” in Israel's God and Rebecca's Children. But I have decided to run a series of posts on the subject following Easter, the day of the resurrection. We will explore many items here, without Christian apology, to determine from the written evidence what likely happened all those years ago….
Monday, April 13, 2009

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

My take on Jesus has changed over the past few years. He was a good man and a profound teacher-also an activist.
Frankly, I think if he showed up in any mainstream church today–he would be shown the door.
He took caring for the poor beyond writing a check. He took mercy and love beyond just serving a plate of food to a “down and outer”
He “ate with sinners”.
As for his death–my jury is still out on that point these days.
I know that we have a lot to learn from his life.

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Liz, I've often thought about what a shock it would be if Jesus walked into a church today. What would he say? What would he think of the rituals and comfortable pews?

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

With all due respect, may I offer peace to what it is you have in your heart, and in search for?
There is a really fa'nominal read that acknowledges what our Savior Jesus, did while roaming the lands of our Mother Earth.
If you are in search of a good read of what Jesus was here for, then this is a wonderful read.  It is called, “The Mystical Life of Jesus,” an Uncommon Perspective on the Life of Christ.  And if that isn't enough to wet that appetite, then read, “The Two Mary's,”….the Hidden History of the Mother and Wife of Jesus.
Both of these books were written by: Sylvia Browne, and are very informative, and also had her “spirit guide, Francine” enter into the many conversations through here “trance sessions.”
It basically tells all of his life…..it'll floor ya'…..guaranteed:)

It makes for a good read in any case, there liz, “honest”….cross my heart<B

Bless ()

 

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

sounds fascinating. I'll have to have a look - any links to give us an idea of what they are both about?

hugs,

Nicole

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

A couple of days ago I started reading Deepak Chopra's novel “Jesus”.
It is giving me a new take on who Jesus was and what people's expectations were of him. The work is fiction but still, it has challenged the why and how of my belief. In the book differnt people and groups try to use Jesus to their own ends. I had to question why I belived in Jesus and what I expected from that belief–I am still sorting it out. Maybe Jesus was who he said he was-but it's us who made him something he was not.

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Hi Liz,

I haven't heard much about this book but I went looking for more info.

I found a link to the First Pages


and another link to what looks like the whole thing: here

It looks imaginative, like a good story, but it doesn't look like he was going for authenticity.

I'd be interested to hear what others think,

Thanks,

Nicole

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

I had to question why I belived in Jesus and what I expected from that belief–I am still sorting it out. Maybe Jesus was who he said he was-but it's us who made him something he was not.
 
That is the ultimate question isn't it Lizzy…what do we expect?  I know that a lot of people think that Jesus is some type of magic eight ball or foot servant…ask and ye shall receive…but, that is not quite it, is it?  We are required to have faith…walk by faith and not by sight.  We have made Jesus in to something that he is not….our free will and expectations seem to get in the way of his true being.  We seem to give up five minutes before the miracle because our wishes are not granted….our dreams unfullfilled.

I find that I only experience true peace and fullfillment when I truly let go and let him take care of me…when I let my expectations and dissapointments fall by the way side.  His will be done…not mine.  I can only feel his love and light when I let him guide my life and truly stay out of the way.  That is not to say that I am to sit on my rump and do nothing.  i do the footwork…go forward…live like I have already received the true blessing and never condemn anything.  Even the dark, hard, and seemingly ugly days serve a purpose.

Live blessed  ;-)

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Missy, you say it so beautifully -

I find that I only experience true peace and fullfillment when I truly let go and let him take care of me…when I let my expectations and dissapointments fall by the way side.  His will be done…not mine.  I can only feel his love and light when I let him guide my life and truly stay out of the way.  That is not to say that I am to sit on my rump and do nothing.  i do the footwork…go forward…live like I have already received the true blessing and never condemn anything.  Even the dark, hard, and seemingly ugly days serve a purpose.

Hugs!
Nicole

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

This is a work of FICTION!! Mr. Chopra says that himself.

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Indeed, he does, Liz. It would have to be fiction since no one has any way of knowing exactly what happened in those years. The main thing is that it got you thinking, I always like a book that gets me to think.

I guess I was looking for something more like good historical fiction, well-researched with a feel to it that it could have happened that way. But of course Chopra is not a writer of historical fiction so his goals are different, and that's ok.

Peace,

Nicole

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

My take on Jesus:    He himself declares, when accused of making himself equal to G-d, that the Scriptures themselves say:  “You are g-ds ALL of you, sons of the Most High”.   Jesus did not make himself any higher or greater then any other Jewish person of the time.  With that declaration, he declares himself: Jewish.

Peter, and Paul both speak of his being an “example” to follow. And Scripture prophesies that the Messiah would be from “among his brethern” which does not include being G-d.   So, from my point of view, despite my beliefs as a Christian (albeit, not the ''run of the mill'' kind), I do not hold Jesus to be any higher in his being then any of his brethern.

- Mike K

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Very, very interesting. Thank you,

Nicole

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Yes, Very interesting…And Scripture prophesies that the Messiah would be from “among his brethern”

Makes sense…


 

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Here is a fairly accurate synopsis of what I mean (showing that not ALL Christians believe Jesus was G-d):

http://adonimessiah.blogspot.com/2009/02/mistake-which-outdoes-all-mistakes-by.html

Mike K

Re: Creating Jesus: How Jesus became God

Mike, I hope to have a look at this tomorrow. Drowning in work this morning :) and have to leave shortly for the learning centre for my “real” work. Thank you!