The ferocity, brutality and burlesque of rural North American evangelical Protestants need not sour us on the message of peace and tolerance contained in the Christian faith. This is the time of year where it is appropriate for non-Christians, atheists and agnostics of good will to study the message of Jesus from a traditional Christian perspective, one seen in the context of contemporary Christianity, but freed from the toxic screed of fundamentalist reactionaries. A major step to achieving this end here is to follow how the traditional churches now view Scripture, in the light of modern scholarship, historical and linguistic analysis, and archaeology.

This website analyzes the gospels from an orthodox Roman Catholic perspective, certainly not the only one available, but one which emphasizes modern scholarship and humanistic ideals as opposed to a divinely inspired literal interpretation. It is organized as a series of lectures, presented orally, and accompanied by written transcripts. Skip around, and if you like it, methodically follow through the entire lesson, paying particular attention to the sections on Biblical scholarship; that is, how do we know what we think we know, and how is it corroborated or challenged by knowledge from non-religious sources and studies. Start off with Sections 2-6 of the “Introductory Material”.

As you well know, I am a very strong agnostic (or perhaps even a weak atheist), but after the bombastic Protestant fundamentalism that has infiltrated our national dialogue and political discourse, I have found this material quite a refreshing antidote to the the ravings of the religious barbarians in our midst, particularly since it is from the perspective of the faithful, not their critics. I highly recommend it.

Merry Christmas.

http://www.bc.edu/schools/stm/crossroads/resources/birthofjesus.html