The Part of Oral Tradition (Old Tapes??)

[caressa]

Bishop Spong, Q & A,

... from Elko, Nevada writes:

"What part did the oral tradition play in the development of the New Testament?" Dear Lee,

The oral tradition is the only way that the stories of Jesus could have lived between his death in 30 C.E. (approximately) and the writing of the Gospels between 70 C.E. and 100 C.E. This means that everything we know about Jesus lived for 40 to 70 years in oral transmission before it was written down. The real questions are where was this tradition preserved, by whom and in what context?

When I wrote "Liberating the Gospels: Reading the Bible with Jewish Eyes," I defended the thesis that it was in the synagogue that the oral tradition was born and in the synagogue that it thrived. Most of the gospel stories existed first as sermons, preached about Jesus against the background of the synagogue readings of the Torah and the prophets In this process, Jesus in the oral tradition came to be understood as the fulfillment of both the expectations of the Torah and the hopes of the prophets.

I also argued in that book that stories of Jesus appropriate to the great feasts and fasts of the Jewish year were developed in the oral tradition that enabled the gospels to suggest that not only was the crucifixion of Jesus to be interpreted against the Passover, but also that every other major Jewish holy day was in time given Christian content by the oral tradition during the synagogue phase of Christian history.

In my life, this point of view has opened the gospels to a freshness that treating them as literal history could never create. Try it; I believe you will like it.

-- John Shelby Spong

[caressa]

The following is a response I received from Lildee. I wasn't too sure if the post above was offensive to the Jewish race and I didn't want to post anything that was hurtful and racist. I thank her for her input. It is valued and appreciated.

Hi Caressa,

Had to scratch my head on it and read it twice.

I don't have a problem with the first two paragraphs. A little fuzzy on the third and the part about :-

"the crucifixion of Jesus to be interpreted against the Passover, but also that every other major Jewish holy day was in time given Christian content by the oral tradition during the synagogue phase of Christian history."

Being a Jew we are and have always been Nomadic people, as the 12 tribes spread out over the world. For our religion and culture to survive it was always the spoken word that kept us close to God. This "oral transmission" still continues today but many of the stories and traditions have faded to the wayside with the invent of the modern & electronic age or our own self indulgence. As a mother raises her daughters (and sons) she teaches them what foods to prepare, how to do it, and when to do it, and how to serve it. She lights Sabbath candles and teaches how to pray. As we sit at out holiday tables the prayers are sung relaying our faith and beliefs in the God of Abraham. So for the most part the Jewish religion and our beliefs and customs are oral in nature. It is how we pass them on to our young. Even when we go to our temples and the rabbi speaks, sure part of it is prayer, but also part of it is the story he passes on about how to live in the world today with God and being a Jew.

Speaking is nothing new. It has been going on since the dawn of time. Cavemen and early nomads learned from each other this way. It is not only the art of speaking that is important ... but the art of listening and understanding.

For example if you have two good friends who are squabbling with each other and you are caught in the middle of their spat. If you really listen to the pain in their hearts you will know the right thing to do to bring them back together.

God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. So that we may listen twice as hard to what is being said to us. To hear our fellow man and learn from him. Whether it is learning how to build fire or passing on the word of God.

The author closes with the following :-

In my life, this point of view has opened the gospels to a freshness that treating them as literal history could never create.

The stories and tales that have been passed down for generations had to come from somewhere..... possibly history?? But in my thinking if these tales were a fallacy a whole religion would not have survived if there were not some truth to them. Nor would they have been eventually documented into our Bibles and Scriptures. Have they been exaggerated? Probably to some degree, but the basic messages are still there. How to live as a decent human being with God as the center of your life.


You originally asked if the article was offensive. No, I do not believe so. I found it a lot more thought provoking. My only question is who would be the audience for this writing?


Love & God Bless
Arlene



SPECIAL NOTE:

This is similar to my own beliefs that God is all encompassing, just too great for me as a person to comprehend. Our program says, "The God of our own understanding," that means it is God as seen through my eyes, my heart and my soul. The God, who I have come to believe in, has a sense of humour, is patient and tolerant, is kind and compassionate, love me unconditionally, and probably shakes His Head and His Finger at me daily, but that is okay. Whatever defect I have in today, WE are working on them together. He is my loyal, companion, friend and mentor and I can't begin to describe Him to you. You just need to go looking for Him yourself.

As for who would read it, heaven knows. Received the article from my friend and is a spiritual religionist.

So much of life and tradition has been handed down by word of mouth. Some of this is good, while others I believe have been inhibiting. Too many people over the years have rebelled as a result of laws, yet structure and discipline is important. Today's world is a good example of what happens when it is taken away. I like the thought that spiritual law transcends earthly law. I sure hope this is true, what a better place this world would be if people all came to believe.

[majestyjo]

The program is a spiritual one that makes rooms for all religions.

[caressa222]

This made me think of our traditions. One hundred men and women write the Bug Book. They got sober without it.

They got sober and carried the message

The good thing is that the program makes room for all religions and those that don't believe, be it atheist or agnostic.

The program works when we work for it, by carrying the message from one addict to another.