John Dominic Crossan--How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian (7/29/15)

On July 29, 2015, John Dominic Crossan was at Benchmark Books to speak about his most recent book, "How to Read the Bible & Still Be a Christian: Struggling with Divine Violence from Genesis Through Revelation" (published by Harper One). Following his remarks, he took questions from the audience. Due to equipment malfunction, small sections at the beginning and end are cut off.
For more information about the author or book, visit benchmarkbooks.com

[@flamboulder]

Incredible - what a privilege to listen to.

[@marcdenton2996]

True religion is a matter of personal discovery - growth. If you are on a voyage of individual discovery then John Crossan is a good place to start. To ‘start’ not to ‘end’ your journey. The journey never ends. It’s a matter of eternity. Do you have the courage to leave the safe harbor of self-satisfaction and contentment? Sailing your vessel is always easiest when tired up at the wharf. Faith-trust, soul growth, can only be fortified through the experience of sailing on the stormy open ocean.

[@vecumex9466]

I can only respond to your comment with a single word...AMEN!

[@fredocarroll]

What Mr. Crossan could have added in reply to the fellow posing a question at 49:25 is this. Not only is Mark almost certainly the first gospel, the general scholarly consensus is that it is authored _after_ 70 CE and the destruction of the Temple. Then Matthew and Luke were written some time after that, long enough that they had circulating copies of Mark, and John being even later than that. We are now, therefore, probably at least 45 years after the death of Jesus, and probably longer than that. John's composition is usually dated after 90 CE, and now we're 60 years after events. Given the average lifespans of first-century people, it's very unlikely, therefore, that these are eyewitnesses. So, I would reject the premise of that part of the question. None of these accounts were written by people who were proximal to the events of Jesus's life. That makes the later changes more suspect.

[@alisonrogerson3143]

Dominic Crossan you are a true marvel in revealing the true & historical Jesus so we can live with him in our hearts in a real and proper way. I have always known about the triune characteristics of Pauline Christology after studying at the university of Glasgow in the 1980s. You are also highly amusing!

[@cinnamondan4984]

I love this guy now forever

[@stocktim]

Post pandemic, I cringe with every cough, sniffle, and sneeze. I want to yell “run John, run!” :-)

[@peterbentleyhk]

An amazing talk Mr Crossan. Thank you ! I just bought your book on Kindle and look forward to reading it .

[@dynamic9016]

Really appreciate this video.

[@jamalkhan3708]

Thank you 🙏

[@christianchiakulas852]

Great book, thanks for uploading.

[@1Creator937]

Holy Quran was revealed through angel Jibrail alaihis salam to prophet Muhammed Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam(Peace be upon him) 1400 years ago as a guidance to all mankind. All the words of the holy Quran are from the Creator.I request everyone to buy the holy Quran with translation and read the entire holy Quran with patience to know about creator and to know why he created us. Pls watch video "The meaning of life muslim spoken word". Also watch famous muslim scholar doctor Zakir Naik lecture Quran and modern science compatible or incompatible. Search on KZbin english or native language translation: Quran: Surah 02.Al-Baqara, Quran: Surah 30.Ar Rum Quran Surah 43.Az Zukhruf, Quran:Surah 67.Al Mulk, Quran:Surah 32.As- Sajdah, Quran:Surah 19.Maryam. Read these surahs with patience to know what Allah has said in the Quran. Surah al Baqara,Surah Rum, Surah Az Zukhruf, Surah al Mulk, surah As-Sajdah and surah Maryam is enough to prove that Allah is the only Creator. There are total of 114 suras in the Quran.If you want to know about your Creator read 1 to 114 Surahs. Know your Creator, who has spoken to you through the Quran. Listen to the true story of Yusuf Estes,Why and how he reverted Muslim from christian. Also listen to famous muslim scholar lectures Ahmed Didat, Nouman Ali khan,Mufti Menk,Tarik jameel,Yasmin Mogaheed and Omar Solaiman . There is no God but Allah. Say :He is Allah the One and Only; Allah the Eternal Absolute; He begetteth not,nor He is Begotten; And there is none like unto Him.(Surah Ikhlas). May Allah guide all of you on right path.Ameen.........

[@dromgarvan]

Many Thanks.

[@ivtch51]

Pity this video finishes abruptly. Great speaker.

[@failyourwaytothetop]

Crossan got cut off in midsentence. Where is part 2? :(

[@lonzoformvp5078]

as an atheist, in my view the only thing important is do you believe God was somehow with Jesus and that his death was some sort of atonement, and do you believe God raised Jesus from death/took him up to heaven. Those three are the only ones important for being a Christian

[@hubertposadas8279]

As a Christian I agree that for all practical purposes you are correct. Of course talls like these are fun to watch as "shop talk". The historical facts are interesting.

[@scottgrey2877]

I think Crossan is an atheist

[@anthonybarber3872]

I would listen to anyone who founded the Jesus Seminar with a grain of salt....e.g. John Dominic Crossan.

[@jamesanonymous2343]

why didn't you try to start the video at the BEGINING

[@knotlock]

I’m so happy to inform everyone - this method did *not* work on me.

[@marasmiusgoldcrow6746]

Genius

[@DrexelGregory]

Where’s he, at BYU? How come he keeps talking about LDS?

[@Achill101]

The bookstore where he speaks is in Salt Lake City, Utah.

[@Sportliveonline]

How did the gospel writers and apostle Paul write on the same things without some kind of conspiracy,,,, surely someone would have let on and let us know they were making this stuff up~~~~~~~~does anyone wonder why the Gospels came across as authoritative like it would be difficult to concoct that sort of stuff at the time~###were there any other writers doing similar things at the time ~##

[@Robert_L_Peters]

Someone is dying in the background

[@Stupidityindex]

How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian by Russell Shute Pretend there is honesty in suggesting it is best for everyone to walk with one foot in someone's fantasyland. Using middle-ages literature to view a ancient's literature, imagining the context. Obvious to all, if God existed then theologians would be fiction, we would all know about Her.

[@gab31282]

Crossan...when you dont believe anymore, but still want to stay religious.

[@haroldcrenshaw5630]

Revelations was sold to caesar in 300bc by sybil. The new testament republished it, for some reason

[@daodejing81]

Impossible to reconcile Scripture with Christianity. They are opposites. The foundation of Christianity is God Jesus saves humanity, just accept him. Scripture says that each must be responsible for himself, and Jesus was not God. He acknowledged, the Father is greater than I. You have to accept that some of the Bible is wisdom writings, and some is junk. Better a person meditate on his own, and get his guidance from within.

[@bartroberts3634]

Oh I Am sorry this is not how you read the bible!Hint without You none of IT works!What IS the mark of Cain?Heartlessness!Adam IS Your mind,thoughts Eve IS Your desires,heart!Not what you've been taught!Wisdom folks,none of this works without YOU!Means something!

[@rursus8354]

Next on my wish list: how to be a trinitarian, despite the so obviously non-trinitarian theology of the new testament.

[@christianchiakulas852]

Don't be a trinitarian.

[@rursus8354]

I don't intend to. I just asked for an explanation.

[@jayd4ever]

not possible

[@Drew15000]

The only way not to be trinitarian is to ignore the bible... I assume you already believe that the Father is God and there is one God. This is absolutely true. Jesus is also God. John 10:30-33 “‘I and the Father are one.’ Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’ ‘We are not stoning you for any of these,’ replied the Jews, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.’” John 20:27-29 “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’" Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, The Spirit is also God. The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3-4. In this verse Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” See also Matthew 28:19, 2 Cor. 13:14, Heb. 9:14, ect.

[@haroldcrenshaw5630]

Drew , ... , they have successfully confused you. Narcicism wins again

[@dmaerween6017]

its ok for you to prey on the gospel and suggest things as to the validity of the accounts of the writers but isnt it so that now, after two thousand years of reading 'How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian' and filling what was left of the vatican library with supposes and ya rights about john crossan it is pathetically repetetive for any menthings to go on questioning, what GOD WROTE. Rather, question what MEN write..like for instance...after the resurrection of Chrsit Jesus there were many resurrected persons, just as there are now, who knew exactly the whole account of the life and ministry of Christ Jesus AND that they were here, in 2015 and are still here, in 2019 witnessing the struggling repetitive words that men profess to one another while not even considering that what was written in the Bible IS true and actually a historically accurate narrative...consider the cloud of unseen witnesses who KNOW exactly that THEY are here with GOD ALMIGHTY in PERSON and hearing another thousand words as to why the few words carefully chosen by GOD WHO KNOWS WHO HE IS TALKING TO questioned...makes it very clear that even if ONE man says...hello, how are you..there should not only be an encyclopedic array of the millions of versions that that is 'interpretted' and 'what was meant by that' and 'did he really say 'hello, how are you' and just consider the quagmire the witnessing Kingdom of God AND CHRIST JESUS see after only a few words that would totally lead them AWAY from the speaker, the 'good questioner' and the....billions and trillions of years it will take for you to comprehend that GOD LIVES WITH US IN PERSON, was it not so beautiful a gift to put all mankind into one seeing, hearing and feeling body, THAT OF CHRIST, to see....how it is exactly...AND that after that THEY could put it into their own words...BUT NOT AS THE HEAD...as to...how that is...GOD ORATED A PERFECT WORDING WITH KNOWING THE COMP:ETE UNDERSTANDING capabilities, EVEN BY THE MOST BASIC OF persons....if you continue feigning that you understand CHRIST JESUS IS HERE IN PERSON, then get used to proving that YOU are...anywhere..and anywho...of course..by the time you write and edit your dissertation that you were even in the same room at this seminar...what with the conflicting reports...just rest knowing that GOD ALMIGHTY WROTE, WITNESSES, NAMES and RECALLS with perfect accuracy and RECORDS IT perfectly...are you going to say like the Hebrew..that you STILL DO NOT COMPREHEND what GOD SAYS HAPPENED and somehow boast that you can recite a multiplication table or even believe there was a Horace. Never...you will never be allowed to, in the KINGDOM OF GOD, even say you believed there was an alphabet...that....is you all choosing to be the tail...and...ya...keep pretending you even know what QUESTIONS the people were asking and you will see that....oh....that proves you DO understand ENGLISH....this fake seminar with this man posing as some book wrtier is the most bogus of all the unprovable things...if it were not for the props in the background having their price tags still on them...one would have thought you were all going for the academy award

[@aikido7]

As human beings, we question things. It’s as simple as that. Do we believe that Noah put pairs of every animal--male & female--into the Ark as Genesis 5 tells us? Or do we believe that Noah put 14 of each animal as Genesis 6 informs us? Do we believe Mark, Matthew and Luke tell us Jesus died on the Passover holiday, or do we believe John’s gospel who tells us he died a full 24 hours BEFORE Passover on the Day of Preparation? Did Jesus say “No sign will be given” or did he say “a sign will be given.’?

[@hubertposadas8279]

You would find this scholar bogus and the seminar fake EXCEPT he is a scholar and this was a seminar. In fact scholars look at evidence and do peer reviewed dissertations as well as cite sources, not allude to "Those in the know". Also in no way is he refuting what Christ came here to do. I think you have been unfair in judging the man to prop yourself up.

[@TorianTammas]

@dmaerween6017 - Greek-roman literature produced for greeks of the second cenrury. Not meant for a translation into english not meant for Americans in the 21 century.

[@jayd4ever]

it depends how liberal you go if you go like John Shelby Spong or Unitarian,Jenovah Witness, Mormon you are not Christian just someone that believes in the bible

[@aikido7]

Simply put, a Christian is one who sees God--the divine--in Jesus of Nazareth.

[@TorianTammas]

​@@aikido7We have only Iesous the nazrene or nazirite and people which do not get a greek story for greeks in the second century. It was not written for Americans in the 21 century.

[@jameswarrren2545]

I believe that history is written for people of ANY century.@@TorianTammas

[@vecumex9466]

Paul says that Jesus is all things to all men and I suppose that may well be the reason why there are four or multiple Gospels. With all its positive contribution historical critics need to come to the realization that such an approach of attempting to present a very lean Jesus although helpful it is also a dead end approach to biblical faith. In the words of Mr. Crossan, get over it and move on...

[@iansmith9474]

Paul said that HE (Paul) is all things to all men. Jesus however, is quite uncompromising - declaring that the path to the kingdom was narrow.

[@hubertposadas8279]

On the contrary. As a Christian I find this very enlightening and a door to mature Christianity. It does not in any way contradict the fundamental message of Christ, but rather weeds away the chaff of historical ignorance of the context thru the age of time and bias.

[@vecumex9466]

@@hubertposadas8279 The only original message of Christianity is that Jesus is the embodiment, disclosure, epiphany of the God of the Scriptures. Nothing was said by Jesus or anyone in the Scriptures that has been said before by any other eastern or western tradition religion or school of ethics. This is one of the most unique characteristics of the God of the Scriptures. He offers nothing new in terms of moral arguments (other than the introduction of forgiving our enemies) which seems to me could be interpreted as one of the most humble manifestations of the essence and fabric of this God. No one is denying the need to scrutinize and dissect the Scriptures but the attempt to present a very lean Jesus is a respond to a different theological argument that fits some of the ultra shrill liberal rational enlightened theologians who find the agency of God to be an insult to their rationality.

[@hubertposadas8279]

@@vecumex9466 @Carlos R Gonzalez Weins I take that as an opinion but as a Christian I would hesitate to cast aspersions on the character of this scholar nor ascribe ill to his pursuit of understanding. Not that you do mind you. If according I understand the essential Truth of Christ, then it should not offend me to see others looking at other dimensions of the Truth. In fact peace, love and understanding, the fruits of the Holy Spirit should inform me of my reaction. In no way does his valid point lessen the Truth of Christ but rather further clarifies it. I would of course accept your opinion as yours, as I have no way of knowing how Christ affected your life. Peace.

[@vecumex9466]

@@hubertposadas8279 I do not disagree with anything you have said on this last comment nor did my respond to Mr. Crossan was ill intended. I have read several of his books and have followed his work for many years. My comment was specifically about some scholars including Mr. Crossan who find the agency of God to be an embarrassment to their enlightened reasoning. His contribution in historical criticism is important but as a theologian his argument IMHO are limited. Mr. Crossan along with Mr. Borg dedicated a significant part of their work together on a crusade attempting to emancipate the faithful from the revelation and agency of God in Jesus. My intent here is not to pass judgement on anyone rather to make a comment about some of my observations.

[@MX7844]

Omg the guy coughing is so annoying...!!!

[@haroldcrenshaw5630]

Doubletalking christians. Try astrology

[@smileyfae37]

This guy has no idea what he is talking about. It's all what he thinks, no facts.

[@aikido7]

It’s puzzling to me that self-identified Christians think the Bible is a road map for human life yet they do not even know what’s IN it. Jesus was a peripatetic rabbi who walked the dusty roads of Palestine: statement of FACT. Jesus was the Son of God: statement of FAITH.

[@smileyfae37]

This guy to me sounds like a historian, and not a Christian. The Holy Spirit is my teacher. I have been walking with the Lord since 1980, and still in Love with the Lord. This man sounds like he is mumbling, and making no sense. The Holy men of God wrote the Bible inspired by The Holy Spirit. Need no man to teach me. Get away from reading books. Read the Bible only. Or you will get confused. KJV, is what I read. or ESV. His he speaking English?

[@annodomini7250]

the Bible is sufficient for the Christian but it is not exhaustive. Good job surgeons do not just read the Bible or Pilots or dentists or historians.

[@IsraeliteDefense]

Except for the fact that your Messiah was a man who taught you, and also the fact that describes who compiled the Bible that you believe so much were men, Who you have to put your faith and trust in correctly transmitting it for you. So you’re putting quite some faith in man.

[@hubertposadas8279]

As a Christian I reapectfully disagree. Deeper, mature Christianity should not be afraid of weeding out the chaff from the essentials. In no way does living by the Holy Spirit disprove what this Scholar says. In fact I enjoin you Brother to ask the Holy Spirit about this.