The First Christmas with John Dominic Crossan
Click Here for Episode One: The First Christmas, with John Dominic Crossan
As Christmas comes, tradition reminds us of the cycles of seasons and history and the timeless nature of some stories. Advent is the perfect time to reflect on our 2020 podcast discussion with John Dominic Crossan about his book with the late Marcus Borg, “The First Christmas.”
David, Debo, and John begin to walk us through the Gospel stories of Jesus’s birth. You may think you know everything about these stories, but just because they’re timeless does not mean they’re simple.
In this episode, Crossan digs in to the intention of the authors. Once you understand the intent, ask yourself:
* Are these stories valid for me today?
* Are they understandable in the 21st century?
* Are they outdated?
* But most importantly: are there patterns or themes in these parables that apply to events happening today?
Click Here For Episode Two: The First Christmas, with John Dominic Crossan
Here, Dr. Crossan expounds on the ideas in the first episode, giving us a close examination of Matthew’s infancy story, the stories of Herod and the wise men, as well as the genealogy of Jesus.
In this episode, Crossan describes how the Gospel of Matthew has a unique overture, a prelude that sets forth the purpose and scope of what is to follow.
Using this framework reveals that the gospel stories of Jesus’ birth are also visions of another way of life, one that confronts the status quo and demands personal and political transformation.
Click Here for Episode Three: The First Christmas, with John Dominic Crossan
Here, John Crossan brings his framework of a “parabolic overture” to Luke’s nativity story. Ask yourself: Why does Luke choose to have Mary give birth to Jesus in such a humble setting as a stable?
Luke tells the story of the shepherds in the field, because he is more interested in Jesus as the healer, a person directly helping the poor, and interested in compassion, mercy, and healing. This Jesus story stresses the very humble beginnings of life.
Last week, we asked you “are there patterns or themes in these parables that apply to events happening today?”
There are. In part three, we really dig into the how these stories resonate, even today.
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John Dominic Crossan is a New Testament scholar, historian of early Christianity and former Catholic priest. He was a prominent member of the Jesus Seminar, and emeritus professor at DePaul University. His research has focused on the historical Jesus.
His ability to create storytelling rooted in archaeology, history, and anthropology illuminate new visions of the people who are the pillars of modern faith.
Dr. Crossan has written over 30 books on the origins of Christianity, historical Jesus, and historical Paul. John Dominic Crossan is generally regarded as the leading historical Jesus scholar in the world.
His partnership with Faith And Reason has created many unique resources: from live lecture recordings to original multimedia products in our New Paradigm Series.