During
the pursuit of my undergraduate degree in history (in a public
university), my professor for two courses on the Protestant Reformation
History was a Roman Catholic priest. His perspective broadened my
understanding of the events that gave rise to the faith tradition in
which I was formed and that sparked renewal in his tradition. When I
pursued my Ph.D., I studied the Gospels with an agnostic, who had just
published a seminal literary study of the Gospel of Mark. Debating and
discussing passages with this gifted exegete forced me to challenge my
assumptions and to ground arguments about a text within that text. I
also honed my knowledge of Koine (biblical) Greek under the guidance of a
devout Jew. Our conversations underscored the fact that every
translation is also an interpretation and convinced me to attempt to
examine every text from more than one point of view. Those encounters
with people outside my faith tradition improved my scholarship and had a
positive impact on my spiritual and intellectual development.
Those
experiences provide the context for my surprise over the angst that
some people seem to have when they learn that Reza Aslan, the author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth,
is a Muslim. As Aslan has made the rounds of talk shows and so-called
news programs, some of the interviewers have openly questioned why a
Muslim would have interest in Jesus.
Before continuing, let me note that I have not read this work. I have already worked through Geza Vermes's Jesus the Jew: A Historian's Reading of the Gospels (1973), Luke Timothy Johnson's The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels (1996), Bruce Chilton's Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography (2000), Robert Funk's A Credible Jesus: Fragments of a Vision (2002), Amy-Jill Levine's The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (2006), and Marcus Borg's Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary
(2006). [Two of those authors, by the way, are not Christian.] I remain
curious about the historical Jesus, but for the present my intellectual
curiosity leads me in other directions. I have sufficient information
to keep my baptismal vow to obey Jesus' word and show his love and my
ordination vow to trust and follow him.
Although Aslan's book
is not on my nightstand, it astounds me that some find it surprising
that a person who studies and teaches world religions would have
interest in Jesus. Muslims consider Jesus a prophet. More importantly,
Jesus is one of the most important names in world religions. His life
and teachings continue to affect the world and his impact extends far
beyond those who claim to believe in him. In addition, while books about
him rarely make an author rich and famous, there is a substantial
market for them.
Some of the comments about Zealot
convey a sense of fear. Even if Aslan has said something insulting or
scandalous, why fear his book? Jesus has survived the scandalous and
insulting remarks Christians have made about him. He'll survive Zealot as well. In The Crucified God,
Jürgen Moltmann argues that faith characterized by fear typically lacks
confidence that "God, Christ, doctrine, and morality ... are
sufficiently powerful to maintain themselves." What God has done, does,
and will do in Jesus have stood, stands, and will stand on their own.
Jesus and Christianity have nothing to fear from critical examination
and exploration. Whether or not we agree with each other, honest
attempts to communicate can help us to understand and accept the
covenant God extends to all humanity. If Aslan's book falls short of
that, it will fade on its own. If Zealot helps Muslims and
Christians (and others) to understand and accept each other, thanks be
to God. Time will tell. Until then, may our hope and confidence in God
keep our fear at bay. God, Jesus, and the Spirit can take care of
themselves. They call us to follow them, not to protect them.
Grace and Peace,
LP
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