Monday, June 3, 2013

IN the NEWS - 'new' New Testament (10 books)?

'A New New Testament': Scholars Add 10 New Texts To The Christian Canon
 
"Is the New Testament missing a few books? In a move that may seem heretical to some Christians, a group of scholars and religious leaders has added 10 new texts to the Christian canon.
The 19-member council that compiled the texts consisted of biblical scholars, leaders in several Christian denominations -- Episcopal, Roman Catholic, United Methodist, United Church of Christ and Lutheran -- two rabbis and an expert in Eastern religions and yoga.
"(The texts seem) so nurturing and inspiring to people's spiritual journeys. It's also important for the public to see a broader picture of early Christianity," said Hal Taussig, a biblical scholar and pastor who chaired the council.
"These texts that Taussig adds come from a different time period than any New Testament document, and they represent a fundamentally different worldview."
In the book's preface, Taussig wrote that parts of the New Testament are "offensive and outmoded.

The council behind "A New New Testament:"
  • Margaret Aymer -- Associate professor of New Testament and area chair of biblical studies at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Ga., and a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
  • Geoffrey Black -- General minister and president of United Church of Christ.
  • Sister Margaret Brennan -- Member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and former president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.
  • Lisa Bridge -- Program manager for children and youth ministries at Trinity Wall Street Episcopal Church in New York City and an expert in yogic and Buddhist traditions.
  • John Dominic Crossan -- Professor emeritus in religious studies at DePaul University and former co-chair of the Jesus Seminar.
  • Rabbi Nancy Fuchs Kreimer -- Editor of a forthcoming collection of spiritual essays by female Jewish scholars.
  • Bishop Susan Wolfe Hassinger -- Retired bishop of the United Methodist Church and the bishop-in-residence and a lecturer at Boston University School of Theology.
  • Bishop Alfred Johnson -- Retired bishop in the United Methodist Church and pastor of (United Methodist) Church of the Village in New York City.
  • Chebon Kernell -- Pastor of First American United Methodist Church in Norman, Okla.
  • Karen L. King -- Professor of divinity at Harvard University.
  • Celene Lillie -- Doctoral candidate in New Testament studies at Union Theological Seminary.
  • Stephen D. Moore -- Professor of New Testament at Drew University Theological School.
  • J. Paul Rajashekar -- Professor of systematic theology at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America).
  • Bruce Reyes-Chow -- Social media consultant and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
  • Mark Singleton -- Professor at St. John's College in Santa Fe, N.M., and an expert on yoga.
  • Sister Nancy Sylvester -- Member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and former president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.
  • Barbara Brown Taylor -- A professor of religion at Piedmont College, author and Episcopal priest.
  • Rabbi Arthur Waskow -- Director of the Shalom Center in Philadelphia and a leader in Jewish renewal and peace movements." RNS
But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you,
let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:8
Politically Correct New Testament
In open Rebellion against God

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Revelation 22:18