"Once we have learned to recognize God's presence in holy communion, then we are better equipped to recognize God's presence wherever bread is taken, blessed, broken, and given. Once we have learned to recognize God's gift of new life in holy baptism, then we are better equipped to recognize that gift wherever water flows to cleanse and refresh."
"On this rock" by Barbara Brown Taylor in Awakened to a Calling: Reflections on the Vocation of Ministry.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Prothero's American Jesus Part 2
Prothero rounds out his section on "resurrections" with a consideration of Jesus Christ as Superstar. Jesus becomes a celebrity and an image/symbol that gains currency among the Jesus Freaks, Hollywood, and Broadway. This is turn spawns a kinder, gentler Jesus that fuels the seeker-sensitive megachurch and contemporary Christian music industry. One really can see the progression in American culture as Jesus becomes more and more of a personal friend. Who wouldn't want Jesus? and so what if that fueled desire helps sell some books, albums, and theatre tickets.
For the mainline Protestant, the second half of the book is interesting but Prothero can't hold up the same mirror in front of us as he explored the various "reincarnations" of Jesus as Mormon, black, rabbi, and oriental. The Mormon example is especially interesting in that it is a uniquely American religious group that was "born and raised" in the USA. Mormons both reacted to and accommodated the culture at various points as times changed and they became much more institutionalized. The Black culture in American has had a very complicated relationship with Jesus and their other books that treat this subject more throroughly. One of Prothero's interesting points is the conflating of Jesus with Moses.
The last couple chapters look at the view of Jesus from both a Jewish and Eastern Religion perspective. One cannot live in America without encountering Jesus. Both groups have tried to understand Jesus from their own religious perspectives and have suggested, sometimes overtly, that Christians have got Jesus all wrong. The Jewish communities have thought about Jesus as being a good Jew. The Hindu communities have through about Jesus as being a good avatar.
Overall, American Jesus takes a good look at how Jesus has been seen, portrayed and used in the American culture. Actions begets reaction and despite the good intentions of the actors and reactors, Jesus entry into secular America is not without controversy.
For the mainline Protestant, the second half of the book is interesting but Prothero can't hold up the same mirror in front of us as he explored the various "reincarnations" of Jesus as Mormon, black, rabbi, and oriental. The Mormon example is especially interesting in that it is a uniquely American religious group that was "born and raised" in the USA. Mormons both reacted to and accommodated the culture at various points as times changed and they became much more institutionalized. The Black culture in American has had a very complicated relationship with Jesus and their other books that treat this subject more throroughly. One of Prothero's interesting points is the conflating of Jesus with Moses.
The last couple chapters look at the view of Jesus from both a Jewish and Eastern Religion perspective. One cannot live in America without encountering Jesus. Both groups have tried to understand Jesus from their own religious perspectives and have suggested, sometimes overtly, that Christians have got Jesus all wrong. The Jewish communities have thought about Jesus as being a good Jew. The Hindu communities have through about Jesus as being a good avatar.
Overall, American Jesus takes a good look at how Jesus has been seen, portrayed and used in the American culture. Actions begets reaction and despite the good intentions of the actors and reactors, Jesus entry into secular America is not without controversy.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Prothero's American Jesus Part I
Prothero begins with a close look at Thomas Jefferson and his work to define his own faith. Of particular interest was in how Jefferson rejected the traditional church, creeds, and clergy and even cut/pasted his own Bible (an effort which has been extended by the Jesus Seminar). Jefferson's "true religion" distilled down to belief in God, the afterlife, and moral living. The separation of Church and state along with the general proclavity towards independence meant that faith and thus one's image of Jesus was a matter of some choice.
In this period, we see an emergence of Jesus as a part of the religious landscape in America. In Calvinistic and Catholic faiths, Jesus plays an important role in theology and creed but what emerges is the belief in a very personal Jesus, a belief reflected in hymns, images, and preaching. In contrast to evangelical strategy using fear of a judgmental God, Prothero argues that we begin to see Jesus as the gentle shepherd calling sinners to "come home." Jesus enters center stage and there is a flurry of interest in chronicling the life of Jesus, so that the faithful could emulate his life.
Jesus eventually becomes to effeminate for some and the book traces the "pushback" to remasculinize Jesus through an emphasis upon his strength of character and later, strength of personality. It's surprising to me that we don't seem more evidence of a return to the judgemental side of Jesus. While Prothero notes the importance of the story with the moneychangers, I would expected more with the judgement stories (sheep and goats, etc.) and the Book of Revelation. Of course, Americans have a hard time reading the moneychanger passage without identifying with Jesus (instead of with the moneychangers).
In this period, we see an emergence of Jesus as a part of the religious landscape in America. In Calvinistic and Catholic faiths, Jesus plays an important role in theology and creed but what emerges is the belief in a very personal Jesus, a belief reflected in hymns, images, and preaching. In contrast to evangelical strategy using fear of a judgmental God, Prothero argues that we begin to see Jesus as the gentle shepherd calling sinners to "come home." Jesus enters center stage and there is a flurry of interest in chronicling the life of Jesus, so that the faithful could emulate his life.
Jesus eventually becomes to effeminate for some and the book traces the "pushback" to remasculinize Jesus through an emphasis upon his strength of character and later, strength of personality. It's surprising to me that we don't seem more evidence of a return to the judgemental side of Jesus. While Prothero notes the importance of the story with the moneychangers, I would expected more with the judgement stories (sheep and goats, etc.) and the Book of Revelation. Of course, Americans have a hard time reading the moneychanger passage without identifying with Jesus (instead of with the moneychangers).
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