Paul j borg biography examples

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In their book, Borg and Crossan take on the difficult task of “re-radicalizing” the most famous apostle back to his roots. Holder of the Hundere Chair of Religion and Culture in the Philosophy Department at Oregon State University until his retirement in 2007, he then served as Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon until his death on January 21, 2015.

A pioneer of the Progressive Christian movement, Marcus Borg is remembered by many as one who led them back to Christianity, through his generous and thoughtful teachings on the historical Jesus and how we might live our lives in faithful response.

Early on they explain why only a small collection of documents were actually written by the apostle who wrote the first “books” in the New Testament. Many in the church have focused on the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection in a different way than do these authors who challenge the doctrine of atonement.

Borg and Crossan do not hesitate to consider areas of disagreement in the relevant texts.

Thus, Paul doesn’t just preach Jesus died but emphasizes Christ crucified. The authors also take on the theology of substitutionary atonement and the understanding of Jesus sacrificial death. Read more about remembering Marcus Borg on the Patheos web site.

He is the author or co-author of over 20 books, including:

• Conflict, Holiness and Politics in the Teachings of Jesus (1984)
• Jesus, A New Vision: Spirit, Culture and the Life of Discipleship (1987)
• Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time: The Historical Jesus and the Heart of Contemporary Faith (1994), the single best-selling book by a contemporary Jesus scholar
• Jesus in Contemporary Scholarship (1994)
• The God We Never Knew: Beyond Dogmatic Religion to a More Contemporary Christian Faith (1997), named “one of the ten best books in religion in 1997” by Publishers Weekly
• The Lost Gospel Q: The Original Sayings of Jesus (1996) with Thomas Moore
• Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings (1997)
• Jesus at 2000 (1998)
• The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (1999), co-authored with N.T.

  Wright, a well-known British New Testament scholar from the conservative side of the spectrum, won the “Best General Interest Book of 1999” award from the Association of Theological Booksellers

• God at 2000 (2001), co-edited with Ross Mackenzie
• Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (2001), has made Publishers Weekly “ten best selling books in religion.”
• The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith (2003), a best-seller, has been a group study book in hundreds of churches.
• Living the Heart of Christianity: A Guide to Putting Your Faith into Action (2006), with Tim Scorer
• Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary (2006), a New York Times best-seller
• The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus�s Final Week in Jerusalem (2006), co-authored with John Dominic Crossan
• The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach Us About Jesus� Birth (2007), co-authored with John Dominic Crossan
• The First Paul: Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church�s Conservative Icon (2009), co-authored with John Dominic Crossan
• Conversations with Scripture: Mark (2009)
• Putting Away Childish Things: A Tale of Modern Faith (2010), a novel about the great debates in Christianity (and religion) today
• Embracing an Adult Faith: Marcus Borg on What it Means to Be Christian - A 5-Session Study (2010), with Tim Scorer
• Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power – And How They Can Be Restored (2011)
• Evolution of the Word: The New Testament in the Order the Books Were Written (2012)
• Convictions: How I Learned What Matters Most (2014), memories, conversations, and convictions and what Dr.

  Borg says: “what I wish every American Christian knew.”

Described by The New York Times as “a leading figure in his generation of Jesus scholars,” he has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” and “Dateline,” PBS’s “Newshour,” ABC’s “Evening News” and “Prime Time” with Peter Jennings, NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross, and several National Geographic programs.

And they clarify that faith refers to commitment rather than an affirmation of belief statements as seems common in some branches of Christianity.

The final chapter is about Life Together “In Christ.” The authors note that the phrase “In Christ” appears more than a hundred times and it usually refers to living in community.

Reflections

I recommend The First Paulto readers interested in a scholarly examination of traditional teachings attributed to the apostle Paul.

Borg and Crossan explore the meaning of apostle by considering who sent Paul and to whom Paul was sent.

Chapter two is particularly useful as it helps readers learn how to read one of Paul’s letters. The authors see the crucifixion, a Roman method of execution, as part of Paul’s anti-imperial stance.

Wrong! In chapter four, we see how Paul contrasts Roman and early Christian theology. Instead, they contrast faith-without-works to works-without-faith. Borg and Crossan illuminate it so beautifully and discerningly that I have come to appreciate it in a new and even more profoundly impactful way. Their address of Paul's stand against homosexuality is both less well developed and, accordingly, far less persuasive in suggesting that he was not homophobic.

There's a difference in Paul's affirmation of equality in those were he wrote compared to those that sound more like a taming of Paul to fit the male hierarchy in the culture.

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