Theme 1F: Two Views Of Jesus Flashcards
Describe N.T. Wright’s view on the enlightenment worldview.
N.T Wright believes that the enlightenment worldview posits that only sense perceptions provide certain knowledge about the world, leading to a separation between history and faith.
Explain the consequences of the enlightenment worldview according to N.T. Wright.
The enlightenment worldview causes a split between history and faith, where history is seen as a public discussion about evidence, while faith is relegated to a private realm of spiritual beliefs.
Define the terms ‘attic’ and ‘dungeon’ as used by N.T. Wright in relation to faith and history.
Wright uses ‘attic’ to describe a space where faith is isolated and ‘dungeon’ to describe a space where history is confined, suggesting that people are forced to choose between these two extremes.
How does N.T. Wright characterise the worldview present in the New Testament?
Wright characterises the New Testament worldview as one where God is deeply involved in the world and Israel, establishing a covenant and emphasising the importance of living out faith in all aspects of life.
Do N.T. Wright’s views suggest a separation between faith and history?
No, Wright argues that the worldview in the New Testament integrates faith, history, politics, and spiritually contrasting with the enlightenment perspective that separates them.
Explain the distortion of Jesus’ message according to N.T. Wright.
Wright contends that when Christians portray Jesus merely as a spiritual figure who speaks privately to individuals, they distort his message, which is rooted in a holistic worldview.
What role do stories and symbols play in a culture’s worldview according to N.T. Wright?
Stories and symbols are integral to a culture’s worldview as they shape how individuals understand existence and their place in the world.
How does N.T. Wright view the relationship between faith and public life?
Wright believes that faith should not be confined to a private realm but should actively engage with public life, reflecting the integrated worldview of the New Testament.
Describe the covenant relationship emphasised by N.T. Wright.
Wright emphasises that God establishes a covenant with his people, highlighting the importance of living out faith in a communal and active manner
Describe Positivism in the context of Wright’s exploration of the enlightenment worldview.
Positivism is the optimistic view that we can have positive knowledge of the world, as long as claims can be verified through the senses, akin to Logical Positivism.
Explain Pheomenalism as discussed by Wright.
Phenomenalism presents a more pessimistic view of human knowledge, suggesting that we only know that we have different types of knowledge without claiming objective truth.
How does Critical Realism combine elements of Positivism and Phenomenalism according to Wright?
Critical Realism accepts that things can be known as different from ourselves (positivism) while acknowledging that knowledge is influenced by our personal perspectives (Phenomenalism).
What does Wright suggest about the biases we bring to our understanding of knowledge?
Wright emphasises that our psychological, historical, and political influences affect everything we know, necessitating a critical approach to the objectivity of our own viewpoints.
Discuss the relevance of Wright’s views on biases when examining the New Testament.
Wright argues that we must be honest about our biases and accept that there may be truths beyond our own viewpoints, as there is no such thing as a detached observer.
How should Christians approach historical information according to Wright?
Wright suggests that Christians should engage with historical facts and not avoid information from historical sources, while also recognising that history may not disprove Christian claims.
What is the significance of entering into a dialogue with other worldviews as per Wright’s perspective?
Wright believes that engaging with other worldviews allows for a more comprehensive understanding and acknowledges the complexity of truth beyond one’s own perspective
Describe Crossan’s approach to finding the historical Jesus.
Crossan’s approach involves exploring three areas: cross-cultural anthropology, Jewish and Greco-Roman history, and literary study of the New Testament and other texts.
Explain the significance of cross-cultural anthropology in understanding Jesus.
Cross-cultural anthropology helps to provide insights into the anicent mediterranean culture during Jesus’ time, which is essential for understanding his life and context.
How does Jewish and Greco-Roman history contribute to our understanding of Jesus?
Exploring Jewish life under Roman rule reveals the socio-political environment Jesus lived in, although most accounts are from the perspective of upper-class males.
Define the term ‘Mediterranean Jewish peasant’ as used by Crossan.
Crossan describes Jesus as a ‘Mediterranean Jewish peasant’ to highlight his cultural, religious, and socio-economic background, which is crucial for understanding his teachings.
What does Crossan suggest about the importance of being Jewish for Jesus?
Being Jewish is significant for understanding Jesus’ identity and teachings, which can be explored through literacy studies.
How does socio-economic status influence the understanding of Jesus’ teachings according to Crossan?
Jesus’ status as a peasant provides insight into his teachings, reflecting the experiences and struggles of the lower classes.
Explain the role of literary study in Crossan’s method.
Literary study of the New Testament and other texts helps to inform our understanding of Jesus’ life and the context in which he lived.
What is the importance of examining texts independent of the New Testament according to Crossan?
Crossan believes that looking at apocryphal Gospels and other texts can provide additional insights into Jesus’ life and teachings.
Describe the term ‘pseudepigrapha’ in relation to non-canonical Gospels.
‘Pseudepigrapha’ refers to texts that are falsely inscribed, meaning they were written by anonymous authors who attributed their works to Apostles. These texts were often rejected by the Church for being heretical or of secondary importance.
Explain why the non-canonical Gospels were rejected by the Church.
The non-canonical Gospels were rejected by the Church because they were considered heretical, legendary, or of secondary importance, and they did not provide reliable information about the life of Jesus.
How did the Gospel of Thomas and the Apocryphon of James reflect gnosticism?
The Gospel of Thomas and the Apocryphon of James reflect gnosticism by prompting the idea that truth is accessible through secret knowledge, diverging from the teachings accepted by mainstream Christianity.
Define the impact of Constantine on the early Christian Church.
Constantine’s impact on the early Christian Church included the establishment of an all-male clergy and the creation of a united Christian kingdom, which aligned the Church with Greco-Roman ideas of power and authority.
Do non-canonical Gospels provide independent sayings of Jesus according to scholars?
No, scholars believe that non-canonical Gospels do noy provide reliable independent syaings of Jesus.
Explain Crossan’s view of Jesus’ movement.
Crossan viewed Jesus’ movement as one of ‘radical equality’, a message that he believed was lost by the Church as it adapted Jesus’ ideas to fit Greco-Roman concepts of power and authority.
How do the non-canonical Gospels differ in dating from the New Testament?
The non-canonical Gospels were written in the 2nd to 4th centuries, which is much later than the texts of the New Testament.
