.jpg)
James Tabor has some interesting views on Paul, and he now appears in a 30 minute interview on John Shuck's Religion for Life podcast. Dr. Tabor, who began his academic journey at Herbert Armstrong's Ambassador College in Pasadena, opines that Paul is the most influential human being in history.The Shuck/Tabor pairing is interesting too. While Tabor blends a certain unique kind of quasi-Noahide literalism with his scholarship, Shuck is a liberal, progressive Presbyterian pastor. Both agree that Paul is a dubious character, but they're coming from very different places.
Tabor took on the mantle of Ernest Martin's Bible translation project some years ago, but that seems to have been quietly dropped. Readers of his books, including Paul and Jesus, may yet detect an occasional whiff of Armstrongism in his writing style.
This is one of a series John Shuck is doing on Paul. Earlier he featured that celebrated writer of long, evangelical tomes, N. T. Wright. A list of downloadable Religion for Life podcasts - and there's some great stuff available - is available at http://religionforlife.podomatic.com/
So Paul was like an opportunist white entrepreneur who discovers an interesting tune in a remote Juke-joint , rearranges it, tidies up the lyrics for White commercial radio, has great success - the original tune being lost to obscurity.
ReplyDeletePaul has no official imprimatur for his antinomian/pro Roman-occupation Christianity. The "Jesus royal family" and "Jerusalem Pillars" also have no strong traditions or quotes! Reason: Jesus was either an inarticulate apocalyptic rebel (quickly taken out by the Romans) or a phantom based on past Essene hero(s).
ReplyDelete