(from Born of a Woman by John Shelby Spong)
". . . These are the issues that are argued among the scholars. No one in scholarly circles that I know of, however, is willing to defend the historicity or the literalness of the virgin birth story! Continued belief in a literal, biological virgin birth for Jesus of Nazareth is based only on a faith or a dogmatic commitment. It cannot rest on the evidence. Such a belief is no longer defended on the basis of Scripture, not even by Roman Catholic scholars, who have much more invested theologically in this possibility than Protestant Christians do.
The fact that these ideas are commonplace among the biblical scholars of our world and yet are all but unknown among the average worshipers in either church or synagogue is, in my opinion, scandalous. It cannot help but be a reflection of the ecclesiastical hierarchy's fear that such knowledge, if broadly shared, would render the faithful faithless. Conservative bishops and priests content themselves by asserting that biblical scholarship is an ever-changing, inexact science that cannot be counted on for final answers. They argue that we must, therefore, trust the church's historic teaching authority. It is a weak and almost pathetic argument. . . "
What do you think?
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http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html
OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak
My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:
(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)
Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com
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