101 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD IN CHURCH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NUMBER HEADING PAGE

INTRODUCTION 1

PREFACE 2

PART I JEWISH SCRIPTURE (The Old Testament)

1 FACTS VS. TRUTH 3

2 SCIENCE IS BLESSED 3

3 THE INHUMAN ADAM 4

4 TAKING THE FALL 5

5 THE “MODERN” CREATION STORY – A MOST UNPOPULAR TRUTH 7

6 “START BUILDING, YOU IDIOT!” 7

7 GOD'S NAME 8

8 GOD AS HE/SHE 9

9 WHEN GOD GET ANGRY 10

10 GOD AS SPIRIT – ALWAYS A SHE 10

11 CONTRADITIONS? YOU BET! 11

12 IS IT HISTORICAL? THE BEST SOURCE OF ALL! 12

13 BUT “IT AIN'T NECESSARILY SO!” 12

14 WHO'S FEEET GOT WET? 13

15 THE UNCONQUERED PROMISED LAND 13

16 A BLOOD THIRST OLD TESTEMENT GOD? 14

17 A COSTLY COVENANAT 15

18 PROPHETS – THE MOST THANKLESS CALLING 16

19 DILEMMA – MESSIAH OR YAHWEH AS KING? 17

20 WHENCE THE TEN LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL? 18

21 THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN? NO SUCH THING! 19

22 THE JEWISH APOCALYPTIC TRADITION 20

23 CLOSING THE JEWISH CANNON 20

24 WRITINGS THAT WERE EXCLUDED 21

PART II JESUS OF NAZARETH

25 ISRAEL – FROM INDEPENDENCE TO ROMAN CONTROL 22

26 WHICH KIND OF JEW? 24

27 BEGINNINGS 25

28 FIRST CALLINGS 26

29 CHOOSING A DANGEROUS PATH 27

30 AGAINST THE ESTABLISHMENT 27

31 JESUS AND THE ZEALOTS 29

32 FINDING A NEW WAY 29

33 A NEW NAME OF GOD 30

34 THE BIGGEST SCANDAL 30

35 THE CHALLENGE OF THE MIRACLES 31

36 JESUS AS TEACHER 33

37 THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS HERE! TAKE IT! 33

38 DON'T JUST BELIEVE. FOLLOW! 34

39 THE FINAL DAYS 34

40 GUILTY AS CHARGED! 36

PART III BEGINNINGS

41 THE ULTIMATE SURPRISE 36

42 THE CHRISTIAN JEWS IN JERUSALEM 37

43 SAUL OF TARSUS – THE APOSTLE PAUL 38

44 THE MESSAGE (GOSPEL) OF PAUL 39

45 THE PROBLEM OF SACRIFICES 40

46 THE EXPECTED PAROUSIA 41

47 THE SCRIPTURE OF PEOPLE OF THE WAY 42

48 JEWISH VS. GREEK THOUGHT 42

49 THE FALL OF JERUSALEM FORCES CHANGE 43

50 JESUS – FROM HUMAN TO DIVINE 43

PART IV FORMING THE GENTILE SCRIPTURES (The New Testament)

51 ANSWERED IN THE GOSPELS 44

52 NOT TO BE THE LAST WORD 45

53 WHO SAYS NOT WRITTEN BY WOMEN? 45

54 THE ROMAN PROBLEM? – BLAME THE JEWS! 46

55 THE BIRTH NARRATIVES 47

56 THE VIRGIN BIRTH – A PROBLEM FOR THE UNINFORMED 48

57 THE PAULINE WRITINGS – THE EARLIEST WE HAVE 48

58 PSEUDO-PAULINE WRITINGS 49

59 THE OTHER “LETTERS” 50

60 REVELATIONS – THE MOST MISUSED 50

PART V THE EARLY CHURCH

61 THE “PEOPLE OF THE WAY” 52

62 FIRST MENTIONED AS AGAINST “FAMILY VALUES” 53

63 THE CONTINUING SCANDAL OF SEXUAL EQUALITY 53

64 THE RISE OF SEXISM 53

65 WRITING SEXISM INTO SCRIPTURE 54

66 THE UNORGANIZED EARLY CHURCH 54

67 ETERNAL DISAGREEMENT 55

68 THE SECRET WORLD OF GNOSTICISM 56

69 A NEW WAY OF LIVING 57

70 A NON-VIOLENT WAY 57

71 EVANGELISM AND GROWTH 57

72 PERSECUTIONS 58

PART VI CHRISTIANITY AS A RELIGON

73 CONSTANTINE THE GREAT: SAINT OR S.O.B.? 59

74 THE TRADE-OFF AT NICAEA 60

75 MOMMY DEAREST – ST. HELENA 61

76 IMMEDIATE CHANGES TO CHRISTIANIT 61

77 A CHURCH OF POWER 62

78 THE RISE OF ISLAM 63

79 SOME LIGHT IN THE DARK AGES 63

80 A PACT WITH THE DEVIL? 64

81 PITY THE POOR JEWS 65

82 A TIME OF CHANGE 66

83 THE “REFORMATION”: POLITICS AS USUAL-THE POOR LOSE 67

84 NOT REFORMED BY LOVE 68

85 THE RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM 68

86 GREAT THINKING AND TURMOIL 69

87 TRANSLATING THE BIBLE 70

88 BEING “RIGHT WITH GOD” = THE RIGHT TO EXPLOIT 70

89 EVENTUAL MODERATION 71

90 THE SHORT LIVED “SOCIAL GOSPEL” 72

PART VII CHRISTIANITY IN NORTH AMERICA TODAY

91 LOUD AND UNTHINKING FUNDAMENTALISM 72

92 THE PASSIVE BUT THE MORE THINKING “MIDDLE” 73

93 A POX ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES! 74

PART VIII WHAT FAITHFULNESS NOW REQUIRES

94 NON-VIOLENCE 74

95 LOVE OF CREATION 75

96 ONLY ONE FUNDAMENTAL - LOVE 75

97 INTOLERANCE NOT TOLERATED 76

98 THE SCANDAL OF CLERGY 76

99 A FAITHFUL LIFE-STYLE 76

100 DEATH AND RESURRECTION 77

101 THE TIMES ARE RIGHT! 77