We had a lively discussion yesterday. Chapter One of the book talks about the many discrepancies and contradictions that mark the narratives in our Holy Scripture, and implicitly asks the question: Does our faith rely on an inerrant scripture? If we agree, as Ehrman suggests, that our scripture has too many discrepancies and contradictions to be taken literally and historically, does that necessarily unground our faith as Christians? Ehrman is clear to say, not necessarily. We will spend the next several weeks answering that question for ourselves, and conversing about the implications of such a seemingly...irreconcilable narrative.
We began this conversation on Sunday by sharing some of the elements of our canonical scripture that absolutely underpin our faith. If every word of the Bible is not literally true (cannot be literally true given the explicit discrepancies in the texts) in an historical sort of way: What parts of our scripture are, in fact, necessary to support our Christian faith?
The following were some of the responses to that question, the absolutely non-negotiable elements in our New Testament that ground our Christian faith:
- That Jesus was human.
- The birth of Jesus in a manger.
- The resurrection (in general)
- That Jesus was a teacher of godly things (slightly paraphrased)
- Jesus' tending of those who are marginalized, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, etc.
- That Jesus brought a new message
- That Jesus' death was foretold
- The conversation between Jesus and the others who were crucified with him
- Jesus' baptism and his receipt of the power of the Holy Spirit
- The words of institution (basis for our Eucharist) uttered by Jesus at the Last Supper
- Jesus' washing his disciples' feet at the Last Supper - his servant hood
- That one of Jesus' friends betrayed him
- Jesus' willingness to continue on his path despite the evident consequences (his willingness to walk the walk)
- Jesus' personal recruitment of his disciples
NB: these are individual responses, and do not represent anything that the group agreed to as a whole.
What is on your list?
Please feel free to share your own thoughts about the non-negotiable messages in our Holy Scripture; i.e. those things that must be true in order for you to claim the Christian tradition as your own. Just click below to add your comment to this godly conversation.
Next week we will discuss chapter two of Jesus Interrupted, and compare the four Gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism.
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