The Marcus J. Borg Foundation is committed to exploring a realistic and meaningful articulation of Christianity for the 21st Century building upon the historical and theological research and teachings of Marcus J. Borg. We will provide resources for conversation, study, and community building.
On this channel find videos from Marcus Borg's lectures, sermons, interviews, discussions, and more. Marcus Borg's discussion topics range from a wide array of Progressive Christian topics to Historical Jesus, Post Modern Christianity, biblical scholarship, and God in the 21st century.
What i would say to Borg is if it is mostly fiction and hereafter is vague. It may be fine for you a college educated Caucasian male living in America having a decent life. If many people living in poverty in rural Appalachia believed this you would take away their hope. My people parish without hope the scripture says. Or as Robert schuller use to say false hope is better than no hope !
Hi Marianne. Thanks for a wonderful chat. Since covid, I have had a continuing interest in the apophatic way and try to meditate daily. It indeed can be a creative process. I have marvelled at how understandings arise that I thought were unique to me but have found them unexpectedly amongst acquaintances & on social media. Maybe the winds of change in our times are just ready for this. I have to say though that when I believed in a personal God my meditative experience was more profound and deep. Lol. I am patient and persistent so I am sticking with my practice. It is a great exercise in not owning God.
I've known about Marcus Borg forever. Never paid attention to him until recently. Am reading "The God We Never Knew". I wish I could thank him. I love this book.
I love hearing from Jack (John). I am one of those people who senses that at the heart of existence is an ultimate mystery in its uncertainty and unknowingness. I am neither a theist nor atheist in the understood terms but like to be mystical. Jack hits a beautiful sweet spot for me. Thanks so much.
The term “poiesis” can refer both to the medical term, such as the production of red blood cells, AND to the process of bringing something into existence through the imagination or intellectual efforts. Poetry certainly fits as a creative effort. Just ask Mary Oliver as poetry is IN her blood. It’s both/and. Such a great listen! Thanks to all.
Dear Belden, I have just read The Great Conversation, and for me, one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring stories in that wonderful book was when you sat by a campfire and read stories to the trees, even explaining references they might not know about. I had a friendship with a tree when I was very young, but I'd quite forgotten about it until I read about you and Grandfather. Thank you!
There is a link to a scrolling transcript. Two very intelligent men sorting out their faith, yet so many people don't get it and just want to judge. Oh well.
Marcus , in his excellent book , " The Heart Of Christianity " commends a rational and thus a somewhat demythologized understanding of the "traditional" Christian doctrines and the oracular status of its historical origins and counsel as recorded and expressed in the Bible . I personally regard this approach as intellectually sustainable and if anything , it has consolidated my conviction of the supreme relevance of the Christian ethos , and my commitment to it . If I have any disagreement with Marcus Borg's perspective , I guess it would relate to his identification of this alternative , more nuanced conception of Christianity as the "emerging " model , or new perspective . But really , many of Marcus's historical , textual reinterpretations were in fact consistent with what most of the Church Fathers of the early post - apostolic era understood as Christianity's authentic content and expression . For example , they , like Marcus , never construed a wholly literal understanding of Scripture , but rather a discriminating metaphorical semantic . . Finally , and as an aside to the above theme , I think the best succinct definition of God that I've heard comes from Immanuel Kant ; " The unconditioned condition of all possibility " .
This is an awesome conversation. I can't express how important it is for people to understand what Holland is working towards. Thank you for bringing this to the internet for others to listen to!
I really love these conversations and postings from Marrianne Borg. We can adopt our faith to a truth that works for us and we can take to our very last breath. Thank you so much for what you do.
To grasp Borg's answer, we have to understand his faith. His Christianity is not about blind, dogmatic belief in specific events. It is internalizing the teachings of Jesus - to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, forgive 70x7 times, to avoid greed and lust, etc. Borg argues for a Christianity based on what we do rather than believe. Whether or not Jesus literally rose from the dead should have no bearing on the mission - to love God and neighbor.
@@quatrecheezeSome people put doctrine first. Doctrine can be a stumbling block for others. Those who put doctrine first want to shove those who see doctrine as a stumbling block yet believe in Jesus and love God out of the church because of doctrine.
I love Brian McLaren's writings. The revelation he had about "the kingdom of God" in the 1990s didn't happen for me until the early 2000s. I remember the major impact Brian had on me when I saw him speak at a Richard Rohr conference in Albuquerque around 2008 or 2009. I have read many of his books since then. He's a bright light! Bizarre as it seems to me now, I think many if not most churches still don't have a clue about Jesus' seeming central theme of "the kingdom of God"! Thanks for this interview!
Barbra’s transparency opens the door wide for those searching for a safe place to find meaning in the present . The host is vulnerable and honest and admits deep feelings that allow the listener to fell safe as well. Outstanding discussion. The book Leaving Church is a an open door for anyone searching for spiritual meaning beyond a church experience. I found her book at a used book sale. It is a treasure to me and one I visit often with a glass of wine and celebrate my own exodus.
Marcus Borg, we miss you so much!!! Your views are so brilliant and they have inspired my faith for years!! I just love to remember your beautiful way with words, your talks were truly “holy moments”!
Every writer in the NT proclaims a physical resurrection. So I'd like to ask Borg why he thinks they felt it was important to proclaim such a resurrection. Does he think they were lying? Because it certainly doesn't look they are proclaiming a metaphor. If they are lying about it, or to be generous, mistaken, then where does this leave Christianity? Does it just become a fairy tale we tell ourselves so we can feel good? Does it become a vehicle for an essentially hollow church? Although I appreciate a lot of what Borg has to say, especially his critique of Anselm's atonement theory, I cannot go with him this far. Borg often compares Jesus to the Buddha. From his perspective, it makes sense: they are both important moral teachers, And that's it. He could throw the influential Stoics and Socrates in there as well. And can we have a "spiritual relation" with those people? Of course. But if that's all it is, to quote Flannery O'Connor, then to hell with it.
I have read Borg. Borg is straightforward, and his approach is different, but nowhere does he say that he believes the resurrection was a only fairy tale. Nor does Borg say Jesus is only a Great Teacher to him. Yes, each of the gospel writers tell of the resurrection, and then they diverge about what happens next, and quickly end their books. Matthew says the arisen Jesus 1st appears to women, but John says to Mary; then Mark and Luke say he appears to the disciples, and John adds Thomas separately. Only Matthew says the tomb was guarded. So the writers diverge on who, where, when, and how they saw the arisen Jesus. Paul also retracts that women saw Jesus 1st. OK, but many faithful saw. And then the gospel writers end their stories. If these were fictional novels, then the writers come across as giving us a cliffhanger or ending without much resolution. Thankfully Luke continues the story with Acts and finally Paul hears the arisen Jesus too. Or did Paul see Jesus?? Both accounts exist. :) Basically, my faith doesn't hinge on these various versions or whether folks "literally" saw a physical Jesus after his death. Jesus' *life* was a living ministry -- practicing what he preached. Whatever happened, the early Christians were those moved to become baptized and evangelize about Jesus' teachings.
@@vap0rtranz , yes you are right about all of the variance in the gospels. So what is Jesus to Borg besides a minister and teacher? Does he believe in the resurrection? That’s one that can be answered yes or no. What bugs me about Borg is his refusal to answer-quite cagey Borg.
@@craigbernthal7388 @craigbernthal7388 Well nobody can speak for Borg or judge him, and he says some of his views here in the speech. That the resurrection is not folks imagining silly things that science now laughs at. The early Christians experienced this. So Borg, why not come out and say things directly? Well, John would answer with a 'feed my sheep' analogy, like he did post-Easter, Luke would answer that the Spirit filled people, etc. We don't get a simple, direct answer in language until the catholic Church Fathers centuries later and Borg is no Catholic :)
@@formerfundienowfree4235 of course. Just as I might live out Stoicism. But you are making my point. It places Christianity as one among a group of moral teachings, and nothing more.
Oh my goodness, here is yet another session that is so full of the most beautiful spirit, I can hardly describe it. The information is fascinating, but more importantly, it is illuminating, amazing, radical... even earth-shattering, if you will!!! I am so thankful that you have been willing to share the Second Saturday recordings with everyone, freely. This is an absolute blessing for all of us, to help us to see anew and have HOPE!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! Brilliant!
Is the Greatness of the human spirit the Holy Spirit living in us 24/7 ...always available to accompany us in each breath and each decision we make. Or always living in us even when we ignore the Being in us.
Suggestion: Listen to the Massey Lectures with Tomson Highway. They can be found online on the CBC Radio show Ideas. Just a suggestion. Another perspective. The first one is on language.
