Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 01-29-2009, 02:37 PM

This came up on one of my Google alerts:

Canon John Fenton obit

Quote:

. . . In common with most other serious New Testament scholars, he understood the Gospels to consist largely of the teaching material of the earliest Christian communities, rather than historical or biographical fact. He likened New Testament study to the task of removing from an original painting the work of later hands and, while many found this suggestion illuminating, others found the notion of fallibility in the Gospels deeply shocking.

Even more were disturbed (at least initially) by his assertion that because Jesus was a first-century man, speaking and acting within the context of first-century ideas, it was only to be expected that some of His beliefs might be mistaken – in particular, those concerning the supposed imminence of the end of human history and the inauguration of the Kingdom of God. Fenton was quick to add, however, that errors of this sort do not invalidate the insights of Jesus into the meaning of life; neither do they reduce the power of the challenge which the life and teaching of Jesus offers to those confronted by Him. [sic]

Roger Pearse · 01-30-2009, 12:44 AM

When governments have control of clergy appointments, they usually seem to appoint people who don't really believe in it, and don't have the integrity to resign if they cease to believe in it. It's a standing joke that bishops are unbelievers, in Britain anyway.

We might ask why governments do this. The obit contains its own answer, I think:

Quote:

Fenton was, however, needed for the training of the large number of ordination candidates coming forward in the late 1950s, and became Principal of Lichfield Theological College, where he was ideally suited to guiding those excited by the radicalism of the following decade. In 1965 he moved to St Chad's College, Durham, where he would assess candidates by their reaction to the cat who was always present in his room.

When the supply of ordinands suddenly declined he spent the remainder of his 13 years there integrating the college more closely with the university and becoming responsible for students reading a variety of subjects.

The old Soviet Union used to do the same.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

squiz · 02-01-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Pearse

It's a standing joke that bishops are unbelievers, in Britain anyway.

Finally the standing joke is on youtube.

Yes Prime Minister - The Bishops Gambit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf5Mo...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhEmO...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Ha7...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj1Cu...eature=related

BH · 02-01-2009, 06:55 PM

What did the reaction toward the cat tell him? What was he looking for?

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02-01-2009, 06:55 PM	#4
BH Talk Freethought Staff Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: United States Posts: 2,285	What did the reaction toward the cat tell him? What was he looking for?

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