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A Conversation About Bible Scholarship with John Ritenbaugh
John Ritenbaugh is the Pastor of the Church of the Great God. This conversation with John was influenced by my reading of his article "The Historic Jesus." This is not a bad article; but it seems to claim that the minimalist "Jesus Seminar," at the hight of its influence in 1985, is the primary group that represents "Jesus" research.
Jackson: Regarding historical critical scholars: The minimalists are definitely NOT gaining, and nobody pays any attention to the Jesus Seminar anymore. Look, there are critical scholars these days (2010) that are bringing forth amazing evidences of the historicity and common life of the Messiah. Critical (objective) scholars like James Tabor, Michael Wise, Robert Eisenman, and even Bart Ehrman, Robert Feather and Marin Larson - here just a few - that have certainly found the 'Historical Jesus' - and their discoveries, if any in the Christian Church have the intelligence to connect them with the "Jesus of Faith" (like pastors), will be able to make a great deal of disciples, but not necessarily in the mold of the stagnant Christian Church. To focus the whole article on the Marcus Borg types seems to me a ploy on your behalf to denigrate any objective, historical scholars. Those on the cutting edge are doing more to strengthen a thinking man's faith than the church has done in 1700 years. Armstrong's informed views were never given an objective hearing among the ecclesiastics because, in part, he dealt in facts dismissed by churches as Judaizing, or legalism. I was taught that he was a cult leader. However, as a historical critical scholar myself, I can look at the aforementioned scholars and Mr. Armstrong with great gratitude because they all have not been rollercoastered. I hope that you will not stagnate yourself in these days because Armstrong is dead and everything has to be left as it is. I am fairly sure he would encourage his true successors to carry on exposing all new truths discovered through the historical method. Thank you for the opportunity. Dr. Jackson Snyder Netzari Yahadim
John
Rittenbaugh:
Dear Jackson Snyder,Thank you for your letter. At
first I was somewhat puzzled by it because I knew we had not written on
your subject for any of our website offerings in recent years. However,
I believe that what you have written is true. For myself I will not be
going into even the "Historical Jesus" findings to any extent because it
is not my field of endeavor. I certainly think their approach is
sometimes fascinating and even helpful but I will take your charge to
continue pursuing the Jesus of Faith without completely ignoring the
findings of those scholars. Incidentally, I met James Tabor when we were
both a great deal younger. In fact, it was 40 years ago when we were
both students at the same college. I do not believe we have met since.
Kind regards, John Ritenbaugh Jackson: Yes, I Suppose that the length of the article was such that the subject could not be explored in the depth necessary. Even the more controversial speculations, Jesus Family Tomb, the John the Baptist Cave, the Jesus Dynasty, the Sinaiticus, and the ‘recognitions of Eisenman’ have been great faith builders for me. I certainly appreciate hearing from you, John. I didn’t mean to denigrate your essay – I think it is a very good explanation for the seeker. I retired from UMC in 2005 at 52 with health problems, having for the former 10 years taught the Sabbath and feasts and kept them in the church with the people. I never ran into trouble by doing this, even opening Pesach to the public. I used scholarship in one hand and scripture in the other, with the prayer on my lips that I would be guided by the holy Spirit. And I believe this combination was met by faith in the hearers, and I am still hearing about it from what were ‘my’ folks years later. Now in Vero Beach, FL. Some local people found my website (www.jacksonsnyder.org) and I began to have locals engage me in teaching these things privately. Now, nearly 3 years later, I’m teaching a group privately 3 times a week for 3 hours a time, keeping Sabbath and feasts with them, and they are avid students. What is interesting is that though I have never condoned leaving the Sunday church, all these people have left, along with satellite groups in Tallahassee and Atlanta. I’m very glad to have found you via the email update and look forward to future articles. Baruch ha Shem Yahweh, achi, Jackson Snyder Netzari Yahadim Jackson Snyder Bible
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