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Thursday, February 16, 2006

The First Coming. Thomas Sheehan.

The First Coming
by Thomas Sheehan.
Vintage: 1986.

Subtitled, "How the Kingdom of God Became Christianity," this book attemps to look underneath and through the surface of the Bible to find the original teachings of Jesus and the original meaning and sentiment of early Christians.

A scholarly book, it is obviously written by a professor (it happens to be of philosophy), yet readable by a general audience. Very convincing in most of its arguments, although there are a few minor assumptions which do not quite fit -- though the author is honest enough to point out that they are speculation.

The main thrust of the argument is that although Jesus was an eschatological prophet, his message was that the Kingdom of God is love for one another, and this kingdom is at hand, but only if we live it. And if we do live the Kingdom of God, it would mean the end of organized religion. Early Christians betrayed Jesus by confusing the message with the messenger. Jesus used apocalyptic imagery, as was the custom, but Christians took it to mean he was literally coming back. Two thousand years later, modern liberal theologians are revealing his original message (says Sheehan.) Very good, need to reread later.

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Jesus Christ Is Not God. Victor Paul Wierwille.

Jesus Christ Is Not God
by Victor Paul Wierwille.
American Christian Press: 1981.

Wierwille, who is considered in some circles as a cult leader, has been going through something of a revival lately. A less common title, this book is obviously an anti-trinitarian study.

This book presents the argument that there is no Biblical basis for the Holy Trinity, and that trinitarianism is a dogma with a historical basis rather than textual. This book provides support for the view that the Bible says God and Jesus are distinct individuals, but that Jesus was with God in his foreknowledge in creating the world.

I was surprised to see close textual and linguistic details for many of the verses discusses, as I had assumed Wierwille was more fluff than substance. The support runs a bit thin at times, and he should have made this a much longer and more thoroughly documented book. The book would also have been improved by a more careful examination of trinitarians' evidences.

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