I have been able to enjoy your work for approximately three years now and have found so many answers to so many questions and this has transformed my beliefs/faith. I thank you for that.
One point you made is that Jesus never “died for our sins” and you have explained how his death was made to correspond with the Day of Atonement in the Jewish tradition. Jesus “dying for my sins” is what I was taught and this is what to me the whole thing was about. That taken away, I begin to wonder whether it matters all that much if Jesus actually existed or not. Many have come out with that theory. Would the myth suffice?
Dear Porir,
I think you are my first correspondent from Iceland, so thank you for writing.
My response to your question is, in a word, yes! Yes, it matters greatly! I do not think a myth without the person will suffice and I do not agree with those who think Jesus was a carefully constructed myth. There are many mythological elements that have been wrapped around him to be sure from the virgin birth to the cosmic ascension. There is clearly, however, a person of history around whom the myths have been wrapped.
Atonement theology (Jesus died for my sins) was born in a complete misunderstanding of the Jewish Day of Atonement on the part of Gentile Christians. I find that concept appalling, almost revolting. What kind of God is it who would punish the divine son to pay the price of your sins and mine? That makes God an ogre and Jesus a masochistic victim and you and me guilt-filled creatures.
Why does God not simply forgive us? Why does God require a victim? Who told you that you were fallen and could not save yourself? I do not start theology with original sin. I see that as a gross 4th Century CE misunderstanding of the story of the Garden of Eden. I see life as incomplete, not as fallen and I see Jesus as a call into a new human wholeness, not as the divinely sent rescuer of the evil ones.
As post-Darwinians, we know that life did not begin in perfection only to fall into a state of sinfulness from which we cannot rescue ourselves. Instead life began as a single cell and over billions of years has evolved into self-conscious complexity. What we have yet to evolve into, I do not know, but I await with joy the journey. I spell this understanding out much more thoroughly than I can manage to do in the limited space of a question and answer format, in a chapter on “Atonement Theology,” found in my recently published book, entitled Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy. I commend that chapter to you if you wish to look at a more substantive response.
A belated thank you to your country for receiving all the planes bound for New York City on 9/11/01. I have many friends who deeply appreciated your nation’s hospitality.
John Shelby Spong,
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