Bill O'Reilly says that Jesus was Killed for Being a Libertarian

It seems that Jesus was sent to foreshadow the coming of Papa Bear.

-anthony

Five ways in which Christ should not be emulated by the likes of you

1. When someone asks you about a sabbatical law, don’t change the subject and compare yourself to King David (can come off wrong).

2. Don’t mind read to judge people’s motives so that you can start an argument…. that means you, anonymous internet theologian.

3. Don’t encourage your friends to leave their wives and children to come with you and hang out with hookers.  You wouldn’t think that there would be any repercussions with this one, but believe me: your friends' wives won’t like it.

4. When your friend dies, don’t go around saying that he’s just asleep. You may think you’re being witty, but you’re not.  First of all, it confuses people.  Second, it’s a bit unmannerly.  Even if his name is “Lazarus” so you think he’s only mostly dead, it’s really not the time to be clever.

5. Don’t attempt to die on a cross for the sins of the world.  Kind of a one-time deal.

Get Yours Today! - Le Donne

It's the cost of one Louisville Cardinals Basketball game.

-anthony

Contra Barry Schwartz - Le Donne

Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat, p. 152

Jesus and the Double-Donkey Dilemma - Le Donne

Ever wonder why your average Palm Sunday service avoids Matthew's version of the story? Here is Matthew 21:

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion: Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

How About This for a First Paragraph? - Le Donne

When I'm writing a book, I probably write two dozen openings.  That first paragraph of the book is so important. How is this for a first impression?

Before Jesus rode into Jerusalem, before his clever stories gave way to righteous indignation, before he marched hell-bent toward martyrdom, he was just another country boy from the North.  At least this is how he would have seemed to the people of Jerusalem.  Indeed, before his crew of castoffs entered the city, few people in Jerusalem knew much about him.  Chances are that they’d never heard his name before.  Those who wondered who he was and what he stood for wanted to know, “By what authority are you doing these things?”  Witty to the last, Jesus replied with a question of his own:  he asked them to account for the famous John the Baptist.  Was John’s authority endorsed by God, or not?  In other words, Jesus was asking, “Was John a prophet or a fake?”  The leaders of Jerusalem knew better than to disparage the recently executed Baptizer.  John, it seems, was the famous one.  Before Jesus was making outlandish claims in the holiest place on earth, he was  just another Galilean too far from home.

So, anything here that rings hollow?

-anthony

ps. I can't really say what the book is about yet, but (big surprise) it relates to Jesus.

Let's Talk about Jesus

I suppose that this is how I'd feel if I ever went to a class reunion.

-anthony

Peter Conference at Edinburgh—Chris Keith

Prior to International SBL in St. Andrews, the University of Edinburgh will be hosting a two-day conference on “Peter in Earliest Christianity.”  It will include presentations from Timothy Barnes, Markus Bockmuehl, Sean Freyne, Larry Hurtado, Peter Lampe, Tobias Nicklas, and Margaret Williams and cover the first three centuries of Christianity.  Those are some big names and a great venue.  If you’ve never been to Edinburgh, take this as the only excuse you need to go.  I’ll see you there.

For more information and to register (only £40 before April 15), go to http://christianorigins.co.uk/events/peter-in-earliest-christianity/. 

My Reply to Larry Behrendt's Review of my Book - Le Donne

Here is a guest post I wrote for Jewish Christian Intersections a few weeks back:

Larry, thank you for your thoughtful review of my book. I haven’t yet had a chance to read all of the comments, but I plan to soon. This post will simply respond to your review.

A few things come to mind. The first is that I think that Jesus is indeed a good topic for Jewish-Christian dialogue. But it is only one among many. It might also be worth pointing out that that the “historical Jesus” can be a precarious entry point.

David Brakke on Valentinian Cosmology

You've heard about the Valentinians from your barber and you've seen them featured on the real gnostics of Atlanta... but you've never seen them like this!

This forty-minute lecture by David Brakke details the unique features of the Valentinian cosmology/theology.

-anthony

American Jesus Madness

This is really great. I have Joel Osteen's Mullett edging out Rob Bell's Missing Glasses in a barn-burner.

http://theamericanjesus.net/?p=9230

-anthony

Calaway's The Sabbath and the Sanctuary

Can't wait to get my hands on this:


The Sabbath and the Sanctuary
Access to God in the Letter to the Hebrews and its Priestly Context

Abstract: Who can enter the sacred and heavenly presence of God? And how? Various ancient Jewish and emergent Christian groups disputed these questions in the first century CE. Jared C. Calaway states that the Letter to the Hebrews joined this debate by engaging and countering priestly frameworks of sacred access that aligned the Sabbath with the sanctuary. From the Hebrew Bible through late Second Temple Judaism, the sanctity of the sanctuary could be experienced through the Sabbath, sacred space through sacred time. In its sweeping vistas of Sabbath rest and the heavenly homeland, the heavenly sanctuary and the coming age, and the heavenly priesthood, Hebrews reworked this priestly framework, showing familiarity with its traditional and contemporary forms, such as the "Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice". In a manner resembling postwar layers of the emergent Christian tradition, instead of entering God’s sacred and heavenly Presence through the weekly Sabbath, one could only experience the heavenly realities of the Sabbath and the sanctuary through faithfulness and obedience to Jesus, the faithful and obedient heavenly high priest who purifies, sanctifies, and perfects.

-anthony

L Yeah!—Chris Keith

The historical Jesus is interesting, but seriously . . . did you see Louisville’s defense in the Big East championship?! Congrats to the Cards, who are very deserving of the overall number one seed.

In other and completely unbiased and unrelated news, UK did not even make it into the tournament . . . a year after they won it . . . and restocked with a top recruiting class. The police in Lexington, KY better keep an eye on bridges.