Marcus Borg: The Heart of Christianity (Rediscovering a Life of Faith)

(2003)

Here's a book for both theological conservatives and liberals. Or maybe ex-conservatives who couldn't cope with the rigidities of the Christianity they were taught, and for liberals whose Christianity is so 'mushy' that they've opted to believe anything or nothing.

Marcus Borg offers a brilliant alternative to the dogma-centric Christian paradigm of the last few hundred years. He is highly critical of Christian right-wing fundamentalism with its wooden adherance to beliefs about an inerrant-Bible-read-literally, and its exclusiveness. His 'emerging paradigm' is about the meaning rather than the historicity of the biblical stories; it's about loving God and respecting others - especially others with differing religious faith-traditions.

Is Jesus 'The Way'? Yes, says Borg, but it all depends on what you mean. If you want the John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 texts to mean there's no truth in other religions, then you've got it wrong. All 'transformational' religion is about death and resurrection, about dying to what is old ('sin' if you need to use that term) and 'rising' to a new life of faith, hope and love. All the great religions are, in essence, about this, but all of them have developed 'monstrous' distortions as well - including, of course, Christianity.

Now conservatives will have problems with Borg's skepticism about an 'interventionist' God (and therefore, by inference, with his disbelief in 'Jesus as God') and the biblical miracle stories. The most important questions about the creation-stories, or the Exodus, or Jesus walking on water, or Jesus' resurrection are not about 'Did it happen exactly like this?' but 'Why are these stories preserved in our faith-tradition/s, and what do they mean?' His question is not 'Could that have been video-taped?' but rather 'What did/does it mean?'

Borg's God is the one in whom we live and move and have our being: it's his favourite biblical description of God. He likes Tillich's 'God as Ground of Being', and the notion of panentheism (God is the life in every living entity). But above all, God is 'the More'.

But Borg's God is also the creator of the universe. Which raises obvious questions for conservatives and liberals alike: Can't a Creator-God go on creating (see John 5:17), and, ergo, be involved in the world and the lives of God's creatures in ways we might not understand (ie. miracles)? And what are we supposed to believe about intercessory/petitionary prayer? Borg believes in intercessory prayer (Bishop Spong apparently doesn't).

Another important question Borg revisits regularly in this book is the meaning of 'salvation'. His 'Emerging Paradigm' is highly critical of the simplistic 'repent and be saved so that you will go to heaven' notion. Salvation - wholeness/shalom - is about the whole of life; and it's about this life in addition to - or rather, in preference to - a preoccupation with the afterlife. And salvation is not merely personal (his chapter on being 'born again' is terrific), it's also about social and political transformation. So compassion and justice are integral to the New Paradigm.

You may not agree with everything here, but I would now put this book in the Top 10 thoughtful Christians, 'ex-Christians' and 'wannabe Christians' should read. Borg is irenic and respectful: a few times he says 'If your paradigm works for you, fine. You don't have to agree with what I say and buy into this Emerging Paradigm. But at least give it some thought.' He's also humble enough to say from time to time (e.g. about the after-life) 'I don't know'. Theologically he's to the left of Brian McLaren, and to the right of Spong. (See McLaren's A Generous Orthodoxy for an equally important book offering an intelligent purview of contemporary Christianity. [1] Borg says McLaren's thinking is a 'form' of the Emerging Paradigm).

Borg writes as a passionate Christian, whose faith is rooted in a church community/tradition and worship (Episcopal, you guessed it). The book begins with Borg's hermeneutic, where he engages our minds; in the second (homiletical) half he speaks to the heart; some of the latter chapters have an eminently preachable lyrical quality.

In another article I'll list some quotes from this book which 'gave me pause'.

[1] For a review of McLaren's book visit http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/19626.htm

Rowland Croucher March 31, 2009. --

Shalom/Salaam/Pax! Rowland Croucher

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/

Justice for Dawn Rowan - http://dawnrowansaga.blogspot.com/