Corpus-Paul

["Tony Buglass" <tonybuglass AT fish.co.uk>]

John wrote:
We hear from writers such as John Spong that Christianity is in need
of change but there appears to be a reluctance to move in the
direction of recognizing the legitimacy of other faith quests so that
change might be possible. [snipped]
I would opine that orthodoxy seeks to protect itself and
that the conspiracy theorists see this as an opportunity to move in
with further attack (such as we witnessed in the Ludemann Seminar).
Why not welcome the conspiracy theorist as a friend and learn from
his worldview? This is all that I am saying. We could do evangelism
better by being less defensive of our weltanshauung.

Woah, woah!  Slow down a bit, will you?  Off-topic, or what?

I deliberately didn't sign up for the Luedemann Seminar just because of the
time it would have involved.  A clash betwen orthodoxy and ... er ...
non-orthodoxy (didn't want to call it heterodoxy!) could have been
predicted, given the nature of Luedemann's writings.  Personally, I'm not
worried about that, and would suggest that in that context and in this,
orthodoxy and challenges to it are irrelevant.  Clearly, from my signature,
you will see that I do have certain interest in orthodoxy, but I have a much
bigger interest in truth.  I am more concerned in this as in all my studies
to learn more of what the biblical texts really meant and therefore really
mean.  That is why this preacher is also trying his best to be an academic.
I have also read some of Spong - I find him a warm, passionate and engaging
writer, but not always persuasive.  Christianity is always in need of
change, but whether he has the right direction is open to discussion.  I
have also engaged with other faith quests in my ministry in th wider
community and in prison and hospital chaplaincy.

My reasons for querying your argumens were nothing to do with orthodoxy, but
with my not being persuaded on the basis of prior knowledge.  I haven't yet
had the opportunity to find the website you linked for me, but when I do, I
will endeavour to understand it, and then see what effect it has on my
Weltanschauung.

I know you weren't firing at me with that lot, but I found it an unhelpful
digression from what has actually been a fascinating discussion.  D'you
think we can forget the other agendas, and focus sharply on the real meat of
the lssue?  John, I think you need coffee!

Now, it's late in the evening here, and I'm going to prop a (challengingly
non-orthodox) book on the handlebars of my exercise bike while I still have
the energy to work out before going to bed.  And I look forward to seeing
how the aguents have  been re-clarified by our colleagues across the Pond
while I slept!

Cheers,
Rev Tony Buglass
Superintendent Minister
Upper Calder Methodist Circuit
W Yorks