Spanky through the decades

Few figures have been as influential in the ongoing soap opera of Armstrongism as Roderick Meredith. Gary Leonard draws attention to a chronology of Meredith's life and ministry from a critical and completely unauthorized source. Let's face it, if it was authorised it would be useless given the apologetic imperative, so this was a necessary decision. It could well be a valuable resource for those intending to write an obituary for the great man, a task probably not too far distant.

Accepting that this is not a friendly assessment of the man some refer to as "Spanky", a moniker I modestly claim credit for, the author ("Redfox") has taken pains to get accurate information and provide links to much of the reference material that's available online, some from church literature, some not. It's a project that should be appreciated by many whose lives have been impacted by Meredith - which is basically anyone who has had connections with the former Worldwide Church of God, let alone one of Meredith's splinter sects (the Global Church of God and the Living Church of God). I picked up a few items of information that were new to me, and was intrigued to find my name cited a couple of times along with links to my retired blog Ambassador Watch.

To offer a little positive criticism, there's a bit of editing and proof reading still needed. While it's clearly titled Roderick Meredith - A Biographical Sketch on the inside pages, the all important title page features a howler of a typo: Roderick Meredith - A Biological Sketch. (Now there's a disturbing image.) That needs fixing quick smart. It would be great to get someone to run through the complete text with an editor's eye; there's not a writer on the planet - including the professionals - who should pass on this stage.

And - an old bugbear of mine - a lot of credibility gets flushed away if a researcher uses an obvious pseudonym. Better to simply keep it anonymous, but best to provide a real name. This is a valuable enough project to be cited, and a cut-down email moniker will dissuade serious writers from doing that.

But those are minor quibbles. My compliments to "Redfox" - well done. I'd love to see it in PDF format too. You can access the ebook either through the link on Gary's blog above, or directly here.

Addendum: the text, according to a comment by the writer posted on Gary's blog, dates back to 2009. The ebook production, just released, is the work of Douglas Becker.

Mythmaker

It's taken me thirty years to get around to it, but I've finally settled in to read Hyam Maccoby's The Mythmaker: Paul and the Invention of Christianity (1986). It's fair to say that this was not a popular work in Christian circles, despite Maccoby's strong qualifications in the field of Jewish and Christian history. The reason, one suspects, had little to do with his theses, but a lot to do with his direct and blunt approach to the subject; what one reviewer called his pugilistic tone. In an age when Jewish and Christian scholars are studiously gracious toward each other in public discourse, Maccoby lobbed in a hand grenade. Critics included John Gager, Oskar Skarsaune and James Dunn. I haven't yet had the opportunity to read Gager's critique, but Skarsaune is a conservative apologist with ties to Messianic Judaism and whose work I am both familiar with and thoroughly unimpressed by. Dunn was, it seems, more appalled by what he saw as "a regrettable return to older polemics" than the quality of Maccoby's reconstruction.

I confess that, in matters of both history and theology, I prefer plain language, and if there's a valid point to make then "hard-hitting" is no bad thing. Mythmaker is a passionate account of the origins of Christianity as it was reinvented (so Maccoby argues) by Paul. Plain language doesn't guarantee either credibility or accuracy of course, but it lets the reader make a decent assessment minus the complication of the standard weasel words. On this count Maccoby (who died in 2004) is at the very least refreshing.

Mythmaker has been out of print for a very long time - which goes some way to explaining my thirty year delay! His more recent book Jesus the Pharisee (2003) went over some of the same territory but without the pyrotechnics, and is less likely to raise anyone's blood pressure. Over the next several days I hope to share some thoughts and observations on Mythmaker a chapter at a time.

The Journal - 177th issue

The latest edition of The Journal: News of the Churches of God is out.

Most of us would find it hard to imagine how a sermon promoting compassion for refugees would be something controversial, but apparently that's not the case down in Texas. A Feast message by Daniel Botha has provoked a reaction as "he swam against the current of the majority opinion in the Churches of God, at least those in this country [the US]". Botha asserted many wicked things that clearly irked his hearers, reminding them that the US is a country of immigrants, the "trail of tears" of Native Americans and past bias against Americans of Jewish, Polish, Japanese and Chinese ancestry. The nerve of the man!

"... we should practice what Jesus said we should be doing: We should take care of the stranger, feed the hungry, give something to drink to the thirsty, bind up the wounded and encourage the brokenhearted."

Goes without saying I'd have thought. This reaction though from Mac Overton.

"As it applies to the start of the Millennium, the principles are fine. But, and I may be selfish, I don’t plan to be at the Rio Grande welcoming Obama’s tattoo-covered thugs into my country, and definitely not my household. If Mr. Botha wants to invite them into his home, that’s his right and privilege. And it should be the obligation of all politicians who support Obama’s alleged immigration policy."

Guess he won't be voting Democrat. (Elsewhere in this issue, it's only fair to note, Mac has a nice review of the NPR interview with Glynn Washington.)

Bob Thiel has written his own press release with the grandiose title "Church leaders meet at CG7 HQ in Denver." Church leaders? Well, Bob sashayed up to former CoG7 president Robert Coulter for a handshake and photo op. Who was the other leader? Uh, guess it was Bob. Not a formal discussion or even an arranged discussion as far as one can tell. Bob just bowls up and blathers about how he's confused about what are and are not CoG7 churches in parts of Africa; as we say in this part of the world, "cheeky bugger!" Next time Bob is sighted I suggest the lads in Denver go into immediate lock-down mode.

And yes, there are Feast reports. Wouldn't you know it, Thiel's micro-me sect leads the listings. Guess he was keen to be in first and trump everyone else... what a busy little bee. New Zealand's Thiel site features prominently with a massive turnout of thirteen. Thirteen!

Somewhat surprising to see an article by Wade Fransson, a former WCG minister who has hopped more ecclesiastical fences than you'll find in a Kiwi back paddock - and was, last time I checked, involved in the Baha'i Faith. Wade encourages us to think of the kingdom of God and the covenants as fractals.

I think he missed a golden opportunity for word-play with fracking and fractious. Well, at least in a COG context fractal theology (yup, there is such a thing, just ask Mr Google) is a new thought.

The Journal notes the passing of Bob Fahey, once a prominent figure in the WCG. Sadly Bob died during the Feast this year. Also passing on in tragic circumstances, also at the Feast, was ICG elder Frank Scherich. The Journal notes that he "served as a pilot for Garner Ted Armstrong in the 1970s in California and Texas." Both men have substantial obituaries in this issue.

As always you can download the complete issue in PDF format.

Something missing in this photo?

Here's a picture of the lads - these are the camp directors - at UCG (United Church of God) meeting to plan the 2016 season of church camps for preteens and teens. President Vic Kubik comments "Great group of guys..."

Indeed. But where are the women? Are women incapable of organizing things like camps? Let me tell you from personal experience, they're indispensable.

And of course, when it comes to the real work on camps, women hold those things together. But maybe things are different in the US to New Zealand.

But I doubt it.

So why no women at the top table when it comes to planning these events? Surely these old codgers could do with the perspective and balance that the other 50% of the population can bring to the table.

But I doubt the fellows in the photo even thought about it. It's just another blind spot in COG culture. The big table is a big boys' perk. The ladies should feel privileged just to serve them the coffee.

Which, Vic, is why UCGIA is spinning its wheels when it comes to engaging with the up and coming generation, ironically the very people it's trying to retain by providing a camping programme. A programme which presumably includes young women as well as young men.

Speaking of which, are any of these blokes under forty?

Pseudepigrapha - What did Billy write?

Billy Graham has a new book out. Or does he?

Things have been pretty tragic at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association since ne'er do well son Franklin saw the light (hallelujah!) and stepped into Daddy's shoes. As the father's health has slipped, so the son has gained ascendancy with a coarser, more spiteful version of the family ministry.

Billy's latest release is titled Where I Am: Heaven, Eternity, and the Life Beyond. But Elesha Coffman suggests that Billy didn't write it, wasn't capable of writing it, and that the message it conveys is inconsistent with his actual views. Her article - which makes a strong case for someone other than Graham doing the deed - is online at Religion Dispatches.

There's a word for false attribution of this kind: pseudepigraphy, as in pseudonym.

My one and only attempt at reading a Billy Graham book was his 1965 hell-fire opus World Aflame. I can only plead that I was just a kid at the time and it was a family member who brought the thing into the house. The final chapter was entitled "The World of Tomorrow", perhaps a sideswipe at a certain broadcast from a competing ministry - at least I like to imagine so. World Aflame is now accessible online in its entirety, if you've got an oversupply of brain cells to burn.

Clearly there's still money in the Billy Graham moniker even after all these years. And it must be convenient to have the final book bearing his name align with the narrower opinions of his anointed heir. But then, if Billy didn't actually write the thing, surely there's a wee problem with "bringing in the sheaves" under that pretext.

Time perhaps for Franklin to come clean. But it might be best not to hold your breath.

Normal service will be resumed...

Both the Otagosh laptops have choked in recent days. Till at least one is operational again updates will be constrained by the fact that posting via smart phone or iPad is less than ideal. Hopefully things will be back to normal - or what passes for normal around here - by early next week.

End Times - Islamic style

Another BBC radio podcast that's well worth taking the time to listen to concerns the Islamic understanding of prophecy and the Last Days.

Bizarre End Times scenarios are by no means restricted to Christian millennialist sects. Islam swallowed a heady draught of apocalyptic in its formative years, courtesy of early Christian chiliasm, and brought forth its own bespoke eschatology. Most of us outside the borders of Islam have very little awareness of what these beliefs involve.

The BBC's Beyond Belief programme recently brought together representatives from both Sunni and Shia backgrounds in Britain to discuss the End Times and Islamic belief. The parallels to fundamentalist and Adventist teachings are quite remarkable. The return of Jesus, the hidden Mahdi, the anti-Christ; even the significance of a black flag in Muslim prophecy.

The podcast is half an hour in length, and an easy way to be pushed up the learning curve when it comes to understanding the influence of apocalyptic on Islam, and its contrasts and convergences with the more familiar Christian variety. More so because the information is coming directly from Muslims rather than outsiders.