RNA Q and A with controversial biblical scholar who visited Moorhead less than a year ago

John Dominic Crossan

Controversial biblical scholar and Jesus Seminar co-founder John Dominic Crossan spoke at Concordia last November, addressing the topic “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.”

Like Crossan himself, the Jesus Seminar has been controversial among Christians. Its participants voted on the historic authenticity of sayings and events attributed to Jesus in the New Testament Gospels. Their work flew in the face of more traditional interpretative methodology and raised hackles.

The Religion News Service recently conducted an interview with the former Roman Catholic priest. Here’s an excerpt:

“Q: You call the Lord’s Prayer Christianity’s “greatest prayer,” but also say it can be prayed by followers of all religions. Why would non-Christians recite it?

“A: Any religion’s greatest prayers should be addressed to the whole world. If a prayer only speaks to you, that’s fine. But I would like to hear you speaking to all of us. The Lord’s Prayer is the greatest because it comes from the heart of Judaism and the lips of Christianity—but speaks to the conscience of the world”

“Q: You also call it Christianity’s “strangest” prayer.

“A: Ask a Christian what’s the most important things about Christianity, and see if you find those in the Lord’s Prayer. When Christians emphasize what’s most important for them, it’s usually not in the Lord’s Prayer, and they almost never mention that “give us this day our daily bread” means exactly that—that everyone has a right to the material basis of life. It’s “strange” in that there’s a huge discrepancy between what most people think Christianity is really about and what Jesus thinks Christianity is really about.”

Read the full story: http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/tenminutes/10_minutes_with_john_dominic_crossan1/

Influential Minneapolis pastor John Piper releases update during leave of absence

www.christianpost.com

The Christian Post reports:

“Halfway into his first leave from ministry, evangelical pastor John Piper released an update to let supporters know how he is doing on the soul, family and vocational front. 

“‘[W]e continue to probe the roots of our most characteristic sins with a view to confessing them and repenting and seeking God’s transforming power through prayer and Bible-saturated counsel,’” he said of him and his wife, Noel, in a brief update Sunday.”

Read the full story: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100914/piper-still-working-on-soul-family-during-leave/index.html

Bone fragments of saints right here in Fargo-Moorhead? Check out this story on relics…

The Apostle Paul wrote more of The Bible’s New Testament than anyone else, and a piece of him is resting in north Fargo.

In the altar at the Newman Center in north Fargo is a bone fragment believed to be from the body of Paul. It’s a relic, an item of religious significance.

And it’s not the only one in Fargo-Moorhead.

Among the numerous relics in the metro area are some that can be traced back to saints who lived hundreds of years ago, one believed to be a piece of a great philosopher and even the bone fragment of a pope.

Read the story: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/285166/group/Life/

Despite a hole in the roof and traffic restrictions, a church in tornado-ravaged Wadena holds Sunday worship

Despite and hole in the roof and restrictions on traffic around St. John Lutheran Church in southwest Wadena, the congregation held its regular service Sunday.

The Rev. Stephen Meltzer said it was important for the congregation and other community members to gather despite the devastation throughout town.

Read the rest of Forum reporter Heidi Shaffer’s story from tornado-ravaged Wadena: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/282549/

A two-part series on church architecture in Fargo-Moorhead hits the racks today

I’m pretty excited about this two-part series on church architecture in Fargo-Moorhead. The first story came out today and features a look at Gethsemene Epicsopal Cathedral,First Congregational Church and St. John the Divine Episcopal Church. The second part of the series is slated for next Saturday. The Forum’s Dave Wallis shot the photos for the piece and did a bang-up job. Check it out at: www.inforum.com/event/article/id/278721/.