Lovely sentiment, but sometimes the whole historical Jesus thing makes that sound a bit arb... I mean if I had a penny for every Gallilean, Jewish, Mystic, Activist peasant that loved me! Or whatever other descriptions you can come up with for the historical Jesus.
I guess thats why we need faith.
2 comments:
You know, I used to feel that way (that historical accuracy is more important than faith). However, I have come to discover that history, which is a human construct when you come to think of it, is nowhere near as important as faith!
This is what makes Christianity so unique among the world religions. What we strive for is a relationship with a living person, not a static belief in certain religious or historical facts. I love my good wife Megan, not because of who she was, but because of what I know here to be. It is my relationship with her, not her history, that makes her so special, so real!
We record histories to help ourselves remember. Most often even that history is not 'true'. Read any history and you will soon be able to see who had a chance to speak, and who was silenced. Sometimes the most explicit history is to be read in what was not writen.
So, who was Jesus of Nazareth? I'm not too sure. What I do know is that the 'real Jesus' is so much more than our history could ever contain. He has been many things to many people! He has been a revolutionary to some, and a gentle saviour to others.... What do you need today?
Faith IS more important than history. To know that we are loved by Jesus is so much more important than any historical fact could ever be!
"To know that we are loved by Jesus is so much more important than any historical fact could ever be!"
I like this - my posting was cynical, I think I think along the lines you're going down. One thing I do know is my knowledge of the Jesus of history has made my knowledge of the Jesus of faith - more real.
It works for me - spiritually.
But its late and I just watched The Lord of War - good film.
Post a Comment