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October 31, 2009 Do we have enough reason to believe the early orthodox church was founded by the disciples of Jesus? There is very little evidence for this in the writings of the church fathers. What if the original Jesus movement was distinct from the orthodox churches?

By: Elliott Smith - October 31, 2009 - Public Category: My Blog Comment Helpful? Favorite Violation

October 31, 2009 Jesus without the religion?   Christian,  adj  1. pertaining to or derived from Jesus Christ, born c. 4B.C., crucified c. A.D. 29, or his teachings. 2. believing in or belonging to the religion of Jesus Christ.            Pertain,  v.i.  1. to have reference or relation… 2. to belong or be connected as a part… 3. to belong properly or fittingly.                (the Macquarie dictionary, 1982)   For those inside the church, and many outside looking on, the above definition describes what Christianity is assumed to be; a religion that has grown directly out from the movement of Jesus and his first followers… ‘derived from Jesus Christ… his teachings… his religion… connected… properly… fittingly.’  It assumes the Christian belief system to be an outworking of the teaching delivered by Jesus to his disciples, and a place where the right doctrine has been developed to inform our understanding of him.   And with this assumption in mind we look at Jesus —through our religious and cultural preconceptions. Instead of starting with Jesus and his own words, our starting point is whatever image of him our version of the religion has produced, and then we interpret his words.

URL: wasjesusachristian.com.... By: Elliott Smith - October 31, 2009 - Public Category: How to Use the Features and Functions of JesusCentral.com (1) Comments Comment Helpful? Favorite Violation

October 26, 2009 The story of Jesus Is there enough reason to believe that the early ‘orthodox’ Christian church was founded by the disciples of Jesus" Why is so little known about the subsequent lives of the disciples" Why can anti-Semitism be traced right back to the earliest years of a religion that is supposed to have grown out of a Jewish movement" Jewish movement... Non-Jewish church The documents in the New Testament represent two movements, not one. When this is recognised, and the drama and rivalry of the first four centuries is brought to light, a different picture emerges. The spotlight of church history has disregarded some very interesting people, and followed a movement which, in the first century, may not have been so familiar with Jesus’ original followers. Church history is a story that goes all the way back to the movement begun by Jesus the Nazarene…   Or is it"

URL: wasjesusachristian.com.... By: Elliott Smith - October 26, 2009 - Public Category: My Blog Comment Helpful? Favorite Violation