Monday, August 20, 2007

"If only Jesus were an ecosystem"

With all the local media attention given to Bishop Spong's current visit to Sydney, today's Sydney Morning Herald includes a nicely titled article by Sydney historian John Dickson comparing the media treatment of extreme views in climate change and Jesus studies. His basic argument: if Jesus were an ecosystem, we'd have less patience with voices (such as Spong) so out of touch with contemporary scholarship. But since the field of Jesus-studies is generally perceived to have no consequences, the media are happy to publish anything sensational.

What does hang on the outcomes of the historical study of Jesus?

1 comments:

Drew said...

since the field of Jesus-studies is generally perceived to have no consequences

Is this the reason, or is it because there is a perceived analogy between 'progressive' politics (being green etc) and 'progressive' (ie. anything that questions the traditional authority given to Scripture) Biblical scholarship?