Video lecture of Marcus Borg's Religious Pluralism: Seeing Religions Again

David Hymes of the blog Hebrew Scriptures and More ... posts an interesting looking one hour video clip of a lecture given by Marcus Borg on Christianity and religious pluralism. As usual, I'm having to add this link "to favourates," as I just don't have time to watch it right now, but it'll be fairly high on my list of what to watch when I do have time.

Most helpfully, David posts a detailed outline of the major points of the lecture in order to make it easier to follow. To save myself from stealing too much from someone else's post, I'll post the video clip here and link you to his course outline here.



I should add that I posted a short critique Christopher Seitz made of Borg here, drawing on Augustine.

Borg and Augustine on the Particularity of God

I'm a bit slow on responding to comments at the mo. Stephen asked some good questions on how to read the final form of the text given contradictions at that level. Read his comments and my response here. I'll get back to the others tomorrow!

Some thoughts for today:

Seitz cites from a report of a national conference called "God at 2000", held at Trinity Church Wall Street.

One of the most celebrated speakers was [Markus] Borg, who advocates a brand of pantheism that rejects notions of a personal God in favor of a broader universal spirit. "I grew up in a time and place where it was taken for granted that Christianity was the only true religion and Jesus the only way to salvation," Borg recalled with distaste. "That's why we had missionaries. ... I find it literally incredible to think that that God of the whole universe has chosen to be known in only one religious tradition".*

Seitz then compares the remarks of St. Augustine.

What are you then, my God - what, but the Lord God? For who is Lord but the Lord? Or who is God save our God? Most high, most excellent, most powerful, most almighty, most merciful, and most just; most hidden, yet most present; most beautiful, and most strong; stable, yet mysterious; unchangeable, yet changing all things; never new, never old; making all things new and bringing age upon the proud, though they know it not; ever working, yet ever at rest; still gathering, yet lacking nothing; sustaining, filling and protecting; creating, nourishing, and maturing; seeking, yet possessing all things. You love without passion; you are jealous without anxiety; you repent, yet have no sorrow; you are angry, yet serene; change your ways, yet your plans are unchanged; recover what you find, having never lost it; never in need, yet rejoicing in the gain; never covetous, yet requiring interest. You receive over and above, that you may owe - yet who has anything that is not yours? You pay debts, owing nothing; remit debts, losing nothing. And what have I now said, my God, my life, my holy joy - what is this I have said?**

At least one Trinity Conference speaker got it right when she said, "Surely there is no one participating in this conference who really believes that this conference is about God at 2000. This conference is about us at 2000."

*"Apostasy at 2000: Episcopal Institute Promotes Pantheism, Syncretism," by Mark Tooley, Touchstone (January 2001)

**Book 1, 4; The Confessions of St Augustine, Hal M. Helms, trans. (Brewster, Mass.:Paraclete, 1986), 3.