08AR13-25

( - previous issue - )

Apologia Report 13:25

July 3, 2008

Subject: Druids weigh in against Christianity

In this issue:

ASTROLOGY - "critical weaknesses" found with responses by "overwhelming majority of Christian apologists"

GOSPEL OF JUDAS - Biblical Archaeology Review also highly critical of National Geographic portrayal

NEOPAGANISM - learning from the criticism of Druids

-------

ASTROLOGY

"Toward a Contextualized Astrological Apologetic, with a Case Study for Booth Ministry Outreach" by Philip Johnson, Simeon Payne & Peter Wilson -- begins by briefly reviewing how Christian apologists have critiqued astrology throughout church history. The authors then report that "The overwhelming majority of Christian apologists today [have] critical weaknesses in their methodology. This is discussed and followed by a summary of "a distinct school of thought that repudiates horoscopic astrology but reconfigures zodiacal symbolism in a creative apologia for the revelation of God and his gospel in nature ... known as the 'Gospel in the Stars'" or GIS approach.

The authors approvingly cite former astrologer Charles Strohmer's criticism [2] of GIS and propose an alternative apologetic construct while "bearing in mind the legitimate criticism of GIS." Missiology, 36:2 - 2008, pp185-200.

---

GOSPEL OF JUDAS

"Judas Iscariot Among the Gnostics: What the Gospel of Judas Really Says" by Birger A. Pearson -- a response to the recently released "substantially revised edition" of National Geographic's Gospel of Judas [3]. Pearson explains that the revised edition is "clearly a reaction to the scholarly criticism" that he summarizes with this article.

Pearson finds that "the new edition recognizes the flawed scholarship of the original edition. As one of the contributors to the revised edition (Gesine Schenke Robinson), who was not on the original team, observes, 'The Gospel of Judas had captivated the imagination of the first editors to a much greater extent than the text itself supports ... Mistakes have been acknowledged,' including 'the sensationalized reading.'

"Whether purchasers of the original edition, which made The New York Times's bestseller list, can trade in their copy for the revised edition is not mentioned.

"'When the hype calms down, the serious scholarship can begin,' observes the revised edition." Pearson, "one of the world's leading Gnostic scholars," takes up the challenge by beginning with the accusation that the National Geographic implied their originally released Gospel of Judas "contains what may be a historically reliable alternative portrait of Judas Iscariot, not as he is portrayed in the New Testament as Jesus' betrayer, but as a hero, the 13th disciple who is closer to Jesus than the other 12. ...

"[A]lthough the Gospel of Judas has nothing to tell us about the historical Judas Iscariot, it has much to tell us about Gnostic Christianity. ...[T]he scholars whom the National Geographic engaged to reconstruct and translate the Gospel of Judas basically misunderstood what it really says. ...

"The Gospel of Judas is a vicious Gnostic broadside against the 'catholic' and 'apostolic' church represented by a growing ecclesiastical establishment during the second century. ...

"The anti-catholic polemic of the Gospel of Judas can be seen in how the 12 disciples are portrayed." For example, "Jesus laughs at them and tells them that they are under the spell of their god. They are wrong to think that Jesus is the son of their god Saklas. ...

"What would lead the author of the Gospel of Judas to draw such conclusions regarding some of his Christian contemporaries? The answer is that the author was a Gnostic." Biblical Archaeology Review, May/Jun '08, pp52-57. <http://tinyurl.com/6zwhbo>

---

NEOPAGANISM

"What I Learned about Christianity from the Druids: An Evangelical Encounter with a Contemporary Pagan Religion" by Michael T. Cooper, director of the School of Biblical and Religious Studies at Trinity International University -- the brief author bio states that Cooper's interests include "the revival of Pagan religions in Western society."

The abstract cites "phenomenal" growth for Pagan religions. In support of this claim, Cooper provides two small tables, the first of which shows general Pagan annual growth rates for each of three groups ("Druidry," Wicca," and "Pagan") over their initial 40 years at about 29 percent against that of Mormonism (21%), "New Age" (12%), and Jehovah's Witnesses (9%). A second table gives more specific numbers for current growth rates. Included here are the OBOD (Order of Bard, Ovates, and Druids) at 42%; the ADF (Ar nDraiocht Fein [1], another Druid organization) 26%; Evangelicalism 15%; Pentecostalism 4%; Mormonism 0.7%; and Jehovah's Witnesses 0.3%. (Those questioning or looking for Cooper's documentation of these findings using only this essay are likely to experience frustration.)

Cooper is concerned, however, that "Christianity should be open to the criticism that it receives." Thus, "The purpose of this article is to present current research on one Pagan religion's [that is, the OBOD's] perception of Christianity. While the perception exists that the dominant position of Christianity has placed it above the criticism of religious others, it is important for Christianity to humble itself and listen to others express their concerns and frustrations. This article begins with a definition of contemporary Druidry. Then, utilizing ethnographic data, the article presents some contemporary practitioners' views of Christianity. Finally, the article outlines three lessons about Christianity that can be drawn from the Druids."

As for Druid views of Christianity, the familiar inclusive vs. exclusive conflict is at play. Add to this the idea that "Jesus was a myth created by an elite group and propagated throughout the world," the "acute distinction ... between Jesus and the Church," "the Christian era as one of destruction and futility," the Faith characterized as "judgmental" and "NOT Christ like" - all of which Cooper recognizes as attitudes which are becoming "part of the contemporary landscape of Western culture." Further, using a Druid-friendly source, Cooper observes: "Druidry has moved from the very fringes of alternative spirituality to occupy a position almost on a par with the established religions, even though many within Druidry do not consider it a religion at all - preferring to see it as a philosophy and a way of life."

Last, the "three lessons" drawn are that: "the institutional church has somewhat tainted Jesus' teachings"; "Christians have had a superior attitude toward other religions"; and "Christianity is generally pessimistic about life and the future." Missiology, 36:2 - 2008, pp171-183.

--------

Sources, Digital:

1 - http://everything2.com/title/Ar%2520nDraiocht%2520Fein

--------

Sources, Monographs:

2 - "Is There a Christian Zodiac, a Gospel in the Stars?" by Charles Strohmer (Christian Research Journal [5], 22:4 - 2000, pp22-25, 40-44)

3 - The Gospel of Judas: Second Edition, Rodolphe Kasser, Marvin Meyer, and Gregor Wurst, eds. (National Geographic, 2008, paperback, 224 pages)

<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/142620048X/apologiareport>

--------

( - next issue - )