Show msamssK 2E h Jewish) sdhieDair spcflies Jesans’ lliffe airodl dleatilto HeraldTJoumalTLbgartTUtahlO'huredayTOctobef 23T2003 Enjoy Life Without Drugsor Violence By Richard N Ostllng AP Religion Writer i I 1003 “Some literary scholars have suggestedjhat the Holy Bible would have been a better read if they had left die New Testament out” said Deborah Solomon in posing an interview question in The New York Times Magazine (She didn’t say which scholars or explain why she thinks Mary Magdalene was “Christ’s girl- R133QN W£EK friend”) Her remarkable remark followed the fury about Mel Gibson’s forthcoming movie on Christ’s crucifixion and die intriguing new feature film “The Gospel of John” (which has a Jewish producer) all focusing attention on Jewish-Christidifferences So there's timely interest in “Jesus in His Jewish Context” (Fortress Press) by Geza Vermes of England’s Oxford University a premier Jewish studies professor Quite unlike Solomon’s unnamed scholars Vermes judges Jesus’ teaching to be “incomparably superior” to that of other Jewish holy mm in his era: “Second to none in profundity of insight and grandeur of character (Jesus) is in particular an unsurpassed master of the art of laying bare the inmost core of spiritual truth and hinging every issue back to the essence of religion the existential relationship of man and man and ' man and God” Regarding why Jesus was crucified and who was responsible — issues raised by the two movies — Vermes says Jesus clashed with Jewish and Roman leaders because he was considered “a potential threat to law and order and consequently to die well-beiof the Jewish people” They decided Jesus “had to be eliminated for the common good” Jesus who came from despised northern Galilee received “nothing hit hostility” from religious authorities in southern Judea he adds The spark was Jesus “doing the wrong thing" (throwing out the moneychangers and causing a ruckus) “in die wrong place” (the Temple) “at the wrong time” (Passover season mix f-M-fUE V an i I ng - in teeming Jerusalem) The result? “A miscarriage of justice and one of the supreme tragedies of history” Vermes thus shuns the Gospels’ explanation that the dispute involved Jesus’ claims to be the Messiah and the unique Son of God who exer- cised divine powers Like Christians and other Jews Vermes thinks those beliefs weren’t Jesus’ originalmessage but developed in the church later on However Vermes is no automatic follower of liberal theologians as he takes a fresh look at what we know about Jesus Though far from being a fundamentalist Vermesfigures the Gospels tell us much about Jesus’ career and what he taught - left-wi- ng ) r 9 am Saturday October 25 Mt Logan Middle School 875 N 200 E AP photo Geza Vermes author of ’Jesus in His Jewish Context’ published by Fortress Press During die past century many university and seminary scholars have undermined that possibility In 1926 German scholar Rudolf Bult-man- n famously asserted that “we can know now nothing concerning the life and personali- ty of Jesus since the early Christian sources show no interest in either” More recently the “Jesus Seminar” took ballots that mostly rejected the authenticity of Gospel passages To Vermes such attitudes discredit historical inquiry in general since everything we know about ancient times comes from written documents including the Bible He admits to “run- ning against the tide” of liberal scholarship in which he finds “fundamental flaws” - Vermes thinks Bultmann and his followers in Germany and elsewhere felt at home in the Greek setting of the early church and lacked “any real familiarity with the literature cul- ture religion and above all spirit” of the Jewish world from which Jesus and his disciples ' WATER BOTTLES conference S Greenville Elementary School will have parent ' i teacher conferences on Thurs- day and Friday All parentsguardians are encour- aged to attend For more information call 750-788- 8 i Common Ground : Common Ground will travel to Crystal Hot Springs at 2:15 j pm Friday departing from j the Whittier Center 290 N 400 East Logan The cost is $5 which includes transporta-- v tion Common Ground is a I non-proorganization that provides recreation for people I with disabilities For informa-8 tion call ! fit 713-028- V Without Shirt: $4 Run $2 Walk Against Christian liberals Vermes doubts that the Gospels simply reflect the doctrinal needs of the early church because they were ry written as biographies uniquely among Christian writings The Gospel writers “wanted to recount his- tory however unprofessionally” Vermes concludes Bultmann niade a “plain Race Day: Singles meet Starting Over Single will have a video and pot luck night at 7 pm Friday Newcomers are welcome For more information call Joan at 753-55- 75 Fall festival Greenvillle Elementary School in North Logan is having their annual fall festival from 5:30 to 8 pm Friday There will be inexpensive games pizza pop and cotton candy Halloween Haunt j The Logan Parks and Recre- ation Department is having a Halloween Haunt from 1 to 4 I pm Saturday at the LoganCache County Fair- pounds 400 S 500 West Logan The cost is a $1 per I person This is for children i preschool age through fifth ! grade Activities include j! games crafts treats story tellers and more For more information call 716-925-0 I misjudgment” i 'S - Arts is having a Halloween party from 6 to 9pm Satur-- day in the Bullen Center 43 S Main The party will feature a haunted house art activities for children games prizes S’ V Halloween Party The Alliance for the Varied t or Walk at ' f : t Nature Center The Stokes Nature Center’s “A Howlin’ Good Tune” program is from 9 to 10 am Saturday at theNature Center This program is for all ages Fees are $5 for adults $3 for children half price for SNC members for information call 9 or visit wwwlogan-natureor- g The Nature Center’s coyote research facility field trip will follow ' Spirits parade Rainbow’s fifth Planet annual Halloween new age1 event “Spirits on Parade” is from 11 am to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday at Rainbow' Gardens mouth of Ogden Canyon Everyone is welcome For more information 2 call Wednesday October 22 and snow blower tune-u-p fundraiser Saturday Service includes oil change blade sharpening change spark plug clean air filter and steam cleaning Mowers can be dropped off at the ASTE Building 1500 N 800 East from Thursday to Friday before 4:30 pm or Saturday before noon Push mowers $20 riding mowers $40 pickup and delivery $15 Call 797- 6378 for reservations spooky stories refreshments Halloween photo portraits dancing and Dexter the Magician at 7 The cost is $2 per person or $10 per family Everyone is welcome and costumes are encouraged Lace ‘N’ 38 655 E A practical pistol match open to the public is at 9 am Saturday at the Cache Valley Hunter Education Center three miles west of Logan on Hwy 30 The match will be free to e participants Otherwise the entrance fee is $12 for CAPS members and $17 first-tim- for Minimum caliber is 9mm Luger For information contact Rich 1 Meacham at or via email at non-memb- 787-813- Rmeachamsisnacom tune-u- p The USU Engineering Club will be hosting a lawn-mow- at Sports N Feet in the Cache at wwbrhdorg 5ufpori the : - 753-020- day Adopt-a-p- et Utah State University’s is holding an adopt-a-p- et day and raffle from 1 1 am to 5 pm Saturday at PetsMart 1050 N Main Logan Proceeds will benefit the Cache Humane Society Everyone is -C- aur yauth camtmwHy wHh e phdqe ta b Pru$ I ampus-2-Community welcome SCHREIBER The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus are having a free concert at 7 pm Sunday in the USU Kent Concert Hall Everyone is welcome Post-Mormo- KqsamilleriinKB yUlcsribboiM — MK AUtOlIV I’ ns The Cache Valley Support Group is a nonsectarian group of former Mormons that meets regularly at Tony Roma’s for dinner and socializing All former Mormons are encouraged to attend The group meets at 6:30 pm every Sunday For more information call Jeff at 770-42or go to Post-Mormo- ns Herald ’ ibljournal 63 er 4 - ! V Concert Pistol match 1300 Valley Mall or online the Senior Citizens Center 240 N 100 East Logan Alternating rounds and squares with Wayne Crawford calling and Russ Francis cue- 4 or ing Call for more information 563-35- at the Bear River Health Department Levi’s Lace ‘N’ Levi’s square dance club will dance from 7:30 to 10 pm Saturday at : Registration forms are available 392-390- Mower $1 5 Run first-centu- 755-323- $ T-SHIRTS E ELECTRONIC TIMING Happenings I LONG-SLEEV- "S'- emerged S: Greenville PRIZE DRAWINGS FOOD - i I - 4 |