Jesus: Revolutionary or Mystic? (FULL)

Workshop Number
16
Gail
Thomas
Audience
Who may register: 
Open to All (adult & high school)
Time breakdown
Worship/worship-sharing: 
30%
Lecture: 
15%
Discussion: 
25%
Experiential Activities: 
30%
Description
Short Description: 

Do we find in Jesus an upholder of “Sabbath economics”— a prophetic voice calling us to right sharing and covenant renewal— or a Wisdom figure with a message of personal transformation? Can Jesus be both? What power does combining these traditions create in the historical Jesus? In us?

Long Description: 

Last summer I took a Bible Study at BYM which drew inspiration from the Ched Myers' book on "Sabbath Economics". What a powerful, challenging way to read the Gospels! Then preparing for a workshop I gave in September on the 5 Gospels (including Thomas) I was reminded of the powerful wisdom tradition in Matthew, John and Thomas. Both camps seem to dismiss the other (today and in history) - but does the power and life giving energy of Jesus come from his combining these Jewish traditions, promising us, as it does for me, a transformational relationship with God?
In the workshop we will look at both traditions (both in the Hebrew Scriptures, including the prophets, Proverbs and several Apocryphal texts), see how the various Gospel writers transmit the two traditions, and use various formats and exercises to go deeper both individually and as a group.
My usual format is to begin with @ 1/2 of worship, have two separate topics or activities (with a break in between) and a closing worshiping sharing using a query which has come to me as speaking to the core of the day.
I ask folks to have The Biblical Vision of Sabbath Economics by Ched Myers. It's available from FGC, is short and only costs $8.50. We will be looking particularly at cpts 3, 4 & 5. It would be helpful to have a Bible with an Apocrypha (which would include most Catholic bibles and study bibles), though we can probably share and I can make copies - Also, texts are on line-particularly the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach ([also known as Ben Sirach] and the Letter of Jeremiah [also known as Baruch].
If you'd like to read further I suggest Cynthia Bourgeault, The Wisdom of Jesus; Laurence Freedom, Jesus: The Teacher Within; and Marcus Borg, Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary. I also highly recommend Dorothee Soelle: The Silent Cry: Mysticism and Resistance.

Available at QuakerBooks.org
The Biblical Vision of Sabbath Economics - Find it now!
Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary. - Find it now!
I also highly recommend Dorothee Soelle: The Silent Cry: Mysticism and Resistance. - Find it now!