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Lädt ... A New New Testament: A Bible for the 21st Century Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Texts (2013)von Hal Taussig
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Mo's Reading List (59) Keine aktuelle Diskussion zu diesem Buch. ![]() ![]() ![]() These texts, originally left out of the official books of the New Testament, are somewhat interesting. However, the lure of using them to alter or contest the Christian message is just too great. Where I do not disapprove of them being published on their own, to be interleaved with the New Testament canon can lead to confusion, especially among new Christians, who are not able to distinguish these messages from the Gospels, Acts, Letters and Revelations. The various authors of this New New Testament, especially Hal Taussig, propose that there was no real Gnostic heresy, and seems to think that at one time there was an official Gnostic Church as a separate branch of Christianity stomped down by Orthodox and Roman Catholic clerics. What Gnostic thinking does is search for “special knowledge” in Biblical and religious scriptures that gives them personally a leg up in salvation. Many forms of Gnosticism are still with us today. Those who search for bizarre Bible Codes of secret messages, or who use odd and eccentric mathematics to predict the end of times, are people who seek to find hidden meaning unknown to normal people. It is a form of “One Upmanship” over the unthinking herds. They seek to transform the physical world for a spiritual world, based on personal enlightenment that comes from secret or mystical research and knowledge. In a way, Simon the Magician (Act 8:9-24) was one of these early gnostics. Although he wanted to pay for the ability to use Christianity as a form of magic and self aggrandizement, what he was willing to pay for with cash is what many Gnostics desire to do with vain research for secret meanings. While these ancient writings in the New New Testament are from people new to Christianity, they are also somewhat contaminated. These writings, many partial or incomplete, are from people who have brought with them into their new Christian understanding some of their spiritual and religious teachings from pagan religions and animistic beliefs. They are confusing to Christians today who don’t recognize the rather obvious references to Issus worship, Mithratic beliefs, Egyptian and Greek mythology or Eastern spiritualism there. What would be an interesting project would be to add these texts to the scriptural writings of these ancient religions, and see how some of them considered Christianity an outgrowth branch or cult of their own pagan beliefs and teachings. Does the Thunderer deserve to be placed next to the Gospels? I don’t think so. But it would be rather more interesting to place the text next to some of the classic works on Egyptian and Greek goddess worship, and see how this text is perhaps more closely aligned with Issus or Artemis scriptures than it is with Christianity. For those who want to use these writings to find hidden meanings, mystical codes and secret personal messages from God, go ahead. These writings are, I think, made for this. And if you are the sort of Christian who looks for special meanings in the Bible for selecting numbers for lottery tickets, then this also may be a treasure trove for you. And if you are anti-Christian, and don’t believe the Christian message, this is also a good resource for taunting and confusing your neighbor Christians. But for new Christians, and for normal Christians, this is not a good book to read. It isn’t bad, it is just confusing and subtle. But it pulls away from the plain message of redemption and salvation, into coded messages and promises of hidden meanings. Christianity and the Christian message are not so dark and smokey. ![]() But, if you are open to the possibility that there are other gospels that have validity, this book may well be for you. And if you would rather read these ancient texts without the language getting in the way, this book is definitely for you. It has the clearest versions of the gospels that I've ever read and the same for the "new" gospels. You don't have to be a believer to appreciate this book. (Full disclosure: I was raised a Christian, but no longer believe in Christianity. I do believe that much of what it teaches--love your fellow man, etc.--is a good way to live and I have a belief in a supreme being and am actively trying to understand said being.) Anyone with an open mind who is interested in the subject and hasn't had much exposure to the additional gospels will likely find this book engrossing. The subtitles of this volume are: A BIBLE FOR THETWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, and Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Texts. There's lots of commentary throughout, interesting, intelligent commentary. Biblical scholars may well have different views than I do, but for a non-biblical scholar this is a book worth reading. keine Rezensionen | Rezension hinzufügen
Over the past century, numerous lost scriptures have been discovered, authenticated, translated, debated, celebrated. Many of these documents were as important to shaping early Christian communities and beliefs as what we have come to call the New Testament; these were not the work of shunned sects or rebel apostles, not alternative histories or doctrines, but part of the vibrant conversations that sparked the rise of Christianity. These scriptures are rarely read in contemporary churches, but are discussed mainly by scholars. Yet we have a great deal to gain by placing them back into contact with the twenty-seven books of the traditional New Testament-- by hearing, finally, the full range of voices that formed the early chorus of Christians. To create this New New Testament, Hal Taussig called together a council of scholars and spiritual leaders to discuss and reconsider which books belong in the New Testament. They chose ten books, presented here alongside the traditional scriptures in the new Open English Bible translation.--From publisher description. Keine Bibliotheksbeschreibungen gefunden. |
LibraryThing Early Reviewers-AutorHal Taussigs Buch A New New Testament: A Bible for the 21st Century Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Text wurde im Frührezensenten-Programm LibraryThing Early Reviewers angeboten. Aktuelle DiskussionenKeineBeliebte Umschlagbilder
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The premise is that the books which comprise the Bible are not really adequate for faith in the 21st century, and beyond. Further, it is believed that the canon as compiled excluded texts that should have merited inclusion, not to mention ancient texts discovered in the past two centuries, which merit serious consideration. That is the premise of a New New Testament, and I believe it is a faulty one, failing on the grounds that it does not find what has been compiled as the Bible to be sufficient.
I have a good working knowledge of the New Testament and I read a sampling of the documents added to the New New Testament, and I found them wanting. The Gospel of Mary. The Gospel of Truth. The Secret Revelation of John. The Gospel of Thomas. None of these are Christocentric. None of these exalt Christ. None of them reveal the shining brilliance of God's plan of salvation, which quite frankly permeates the Old Testament as well as the New. Would the martyrs Jan Hus, John Wycliffe or Guido de Bres stake their life on this "theology?" I think not.
Save your time. Save your money. Plumb the riches of God's revealed word in the canonical Old and New Testaments. (