Panel:
Rev John Smith, “Discovering Jesus in the 1st century – the contribution of scholars”
Rev Dr Lorraine Parkinson, “The teaching the church forgot”
Rev Dr Chris Page, “Jesus in the 21st century”
Outline:
John Smith: “Discovering Jesus in the 1st century – the contribution of scholars”
In the last two and a half decades New Testament scholars, particularly those from the Jesus Seminar, historical Jesus, school of theology have provided many questioning Christians with the necessary tools for a faith search with intellectual integrity. Who are they? What is unique or valuable about their contribution? What impact has their contribution had on practical Christianity? Where are they taking us? From doubt to deconstruction to discovery – searching for a faith I can affirm.
Lorraine Parkinson: “The teaching the church forgot”
What was so threatening to the early church about the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth? What was it that led church leaders to give what he said a lower status than their own views about him as the Messiah/Christ? This section will pinpoint the difficult and dangerous teachings which have often been ignored or conveniently forgotten by the institutional church. What has been the effect of this? Why has the church acted in this way?
Chris Page: “Jesus in the 21st century”
In contemporary western society Jesus is far more popular than Christianity, the Christian church and perhaps even “God.” Virtually all religions and even non-religious societies seem to be unanimous in their view that the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth is fundamental to moving humanity forward. However significant questions remain: What is the role of the Christ figure so dominant in Christian theology for the last two thousand years? Can one encounter the historical Jesus without a sense of the mystical or cosmic Christ? And is a great teacher, moral inspiration and prophetic sage, enough to sustain and inspire the Christian experience in the 21st century?
