Corpus-Paul

["Chris Cutler" <Chrisc AT powercall.co.uk>]

Jeffrey Gibson questionied me (off list) the relevance my cross posting
Mike Grondin's contribution to another list.

I am posting my reply to C-P in case other subscribers a) were wondering
the same thing and b) they wish to respond to my questions about the
relationship between Paul and James.

My reply:
This started as a question by Steve Allison "...How much of this [Gospel of
the Ebionites] survives?"

I am trying to understand the nature of the disagreement between Paul and
the Jerusalem Church. I have already read (Eisenman et al)  hypotheses that
a) James, the brother of Jesus was head of the Jerusalem Church at this
time, and b) the Ebionites were, or were closely related to the Jeruslaem
Church (hence Pauls collecting for the 'poor of Jerusalem'). Steve's
reference to the Gospel of the Ebionites prompted me to ask Mike:

>>Mike, is this the same as the Gospel of the Hebrews and/or the Nazarene
Gospel to which Renan refers when he writes: "One very remarkable fact, ...
is that James, the man of Jerusalem played in the Gospel of the Hebrews a
more important part than in the Evangelical tradition which has survived"

If it is, and nothing has survived, it begs the question, "How did Renan
know?" :-)<<

IMHO the Evangelical tradition which has survived owes much to Paul, and
pays little hommage to James. 

I hope that answers your question as to my motive for cross-posting Mikes
letter. Admitedly Mikes reply was further from Paul than my question, but I
stand by my belief that a discussion of the relationship between Paul and
James is relevant to C-P. If others agree and can contibute to this debate
I would be very intrested to read their contributions

-------------------------
Chris Cutler
"Auditeur Libre"

What liberates is the knowledge of who we were, what we became; where we
were, whereinto we have been thrown; whereto we speed, wherefrom we are
redeemmed; what birth is, and what rebirth." (Exc. Theod. 78.2)