Thursday, March 7, 2013
Never Ending
I find it interesting how the meaning of historical Jesus can change over time. Once one is close to completing his or her study of the historical Jesus, something new is bond to come up about that alters their interpretation. This process seems frustrating. However, if this someone’s passion, they will be excited that there is now something new to be discovered and analyzed. It is a never ending cycle because there is a possibility that there will never be a source to confirm our interpretations. We can only get as close as we possibly can to it. This relates exactly to what Crossan states on page 200 " Christianity must repeatedly, generation after generation, make its best historical judgment about who was Jesus then and, on that basis, decide what that reconstruction means as Christ now." Nothing is set in stone.
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I think this is where the idea that myths are true play in. Every generation takes their understanding of Jesus and teaches it to their children. They are acting in good faith and using all the knowledge that they have. Their beliefs are not wrong, they are just reinterpretations, and so become true in their practice.
ReplyDeleteOne might say the historical Jesus has almost nothing to do with the religion, however. We can understand of the historical Jesus only what scraps of a two-millenia old society may have left for us. But such is the consequence of historical interpretation: It could very possibly all be incorrect and we wouldn't know it.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, although many people do practice what they call Christianity with little regard for the historical Jesus, it seems to me that our best, critical understanding of the historical Jesus -- rigorously re-applied to our own situation -- would be the foundation of any intellectually honest religion that wanted to use his name.
DeleteI agree with Al. What might have been found about the historical Jesus might not be complete. It is like taking a word or two from a sentence. it gives it a whole different meaning. The historical Jesus might be against religion, he might be a woman, he might have actually healed etc. we might never know because the evidence we have and what we think must have to had happened then might not be correct.
ReplyDeleteJust because our knowledge will change and improve in the future does not mean that we know nothing -- or that we cannot thoughtfully apply what we do know in our lives...
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