Thinking Anglicans [Not Thinking So Far]

My recent if occasional contribution to Thinking Anglicans hasn't been published. The full article of concern is by Simon Kershaw.

It seems to me the article is quite revealing and I wanted to point this out, in a comment not in keeping with the positive ones otherwise provided. Obviously, it is too embarrassing.

The baptism is the beginning of the historical Jesus, it says. Good, so that makes clear the birth narratives are indeed mythical and not historical. Simon Kershaw thinks the encounter with John the Baptist leads to Jesus abandoning his work as a carpenter (I'd say builder). So he starts as a disciple of John the Baptist and then is his own man, but both preach imminence.

But with the arrest and decrease of the Baptist, it is time for Jesus to increase and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, the imminence of the kingdom of God.

The point I make is that here, into history then, we find both are wrong, that the change that would have swept away the Romans, the Kingdom, didn't come. Jesus was wrong. Then there is the second point I picked up.

Is it any wonder that it was these remarkable meals of Jesus that his followers continued — and that they continued to recognize his presence at the breaking of the bread?

In other words, the 'resurrection' here is the presence in the ritual of the meal, and I made the point in the context that they expected Jesus's return (never mind who John or Jesus might have expected to come from God as a messiah). The early Christians have it that Jesus would be the messiah returning, and he didn't.

The Lord's favour is now, says Simon Kershaw in his piece, now writing theologically. But if you are going to rely on history, let's get the history clear and not smokescreen it by sleight of hand into a piece of theological devotion.

The liberal approach to theology has to be honest, and smokescreening into devotion isn't effective if you rely on a history that won't deliver. But the easiest way is not to publish comments of critics.

With the given comment below, the remarks in blue ought to be dismissed (and an apology after the fact is offered here) as the comment I made is now shown on TA. Oh these junk filters!