The AFC Book Group met on Tuesday to discuss Marcus Borg’s
‘Speaking Christian’. Borg is fast
becoming one of my favourite writers.
His clarity and insight make for a very stimulating read.
I have a friend who used to say whenever he read Shakespeare – ‘How did he know I felt like that’. The idea being that somehow across the centuries the Stratford Bard ‘communicated’ in a timeless way that still touches the heart even in this age of ipads and YouTube!
I feel the same about Borg. In this book he takes words most of us in church have been using for years – like ‘God’, ‘Jesus’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Bible’ and ‘Eucharist’ and he explores them. He does this by putting them in context and so brings to light many often neglected connotations around them. In many ways Borg follows a long line of ‘liberal’ theologians in de-mythologising the bible – thus making it, in my view, something that is more relevant (not less) for today’s society.
Maybe you can tell I simply loved this book (as, I have to say did the rest of the group) – and it would certainly be one of the ones I’d take to my desert island! Of everything I’ve read recently ‘Speaking Christian’ sums up for me best the place I currently occupy on the theological spectrum.
I have a friend who used to say whenever he read Shakespeare – ‘How did he know I felt like that’. The idea being that somehow across the centuries the Stratford Bard ‘communicated’ in a timeless way that still touches the heart even in this age of ipads and YouTube!
I feel the same about Borg. In this book he takes words most of us in church have been using for years – like ‘God’, ‘Jesus’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Bible’ and ‘Eucharist’ and he explores them. He does this by putting them in context and so brings to light many often neglected connotations around them. In many ways Borg follows a long line of ‘liberal’ theologians in de-mythologising the bible – thus making it, in my view, something that is more relevant (not less) for today’s society.
Maybe you can tell I simply loved this book (as, I have to say did the rest of the group) – and it would certainly be one of the ones I’d take to my desert island! Of everything I’ve read recently ‘Speaking Christian’ sums up for me best the place I currently occupy on the theological spectrum.
This book uses clear language and is brilliantly written –
why not borrow a copy from a member of the Book Group and give it a read!
With best wishes,
With best wishes,
Ian
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