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Professor Avalos has constructed a strongly argued case against the need for biblical studies in his book, The End of Biblical Studies. This attack examines the relevance of continuing studies in areas of: translation, biblical history and archeology, historical Jesus studies, literary criticism, and biblical theology. He maintains that professionals in these areas present an illusion that the Bible is relevant for our lives.
It appears, for Avalos, the religious establishment has created and maintained a profession that is a house built on shifting sand. They have taken the truth about their religious construct and hidden it beneath a web of half-truths and illusion. The paradigm of Judeo-Christian religion is at the point where Newtonian physics was in the 1920s. The accumulation of evidence against the reliability and credibility of the Bible is now at a point where we are able to identify its uninspired nature.
However, even with this acknowledged condemnatory evidence, the religious continue to sell the public on the merit of the Bible – not as literature, but as a source of history, science, and guidance in all affairs of life. In the book of 2 Timothy 3:16, the writer speaks of “all scripture being inspired by God.” Avalos would note that means all the errors and opinions in the many translations. Religionists cannot have it both ways when their own “sacred” source argues that it is “all” scripture and not just what we like.
Once Avalos argues successfully the problems of translating the Bible, he exposes other areas of weakness in biblical scholarship. Through the examination of: 1) textual problems (which text is the “Received Text”), 2) contradictions found in secular history and archeology with the biblical record, and 3) the questionable historicity of the figure of Jesus. These areas should be enough to expose the Bible as just ancient literature. However, Avalos also strikes at the theological conspiracy among theologians to keep resuscitating the Bible as the inspired word of God.
In the final chapters, Avalos examines the business of religion and biblical studies. These chapters are an exposé of how a profession, invested in keeping the Bible as a viable source, struggles to find evidence that they are right and there is an inspired word of God.
“Biblical studies as we know it should end.” – This is Avalos’ concluding comment. He wants, “… liberation from the very idea that any sacred text should be an authority for modern human existence.” For the business of Christian theology and religion this sounds extreme. However, from a paradigmatic point of view the Christian god has joined the pantheon of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and other ancient gods. It is now time for the priests and ministers of this failed system to join the priests of Osiris and Zeus. – Grant Steves
Stephen Prothero, author of American Jesus and chair of the religion department at Boston University, believes there is a crisis at hand in America. The crisis is the lack of religious literacy among America's citizens. His book, Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't, talks in length of the problem, and offers a solution. If only Americans knew more about the worlds religions, then society would be better off. Religion is all around us, and yet, no one talks about it, and no one knows anything about it. Why, we could have prevented WACO if we only gave Koresh enough time to decode the Seven Seals, rather then helping him fulfill his end times prophesy. A Sikh was shot by a man at a gas station after 9/11, because the man thought he was a Muslim. If only he knew the difference between a Sikh and a Muslim, this killing wouldn't have happened. Also post 9/11 problems, such as a lack of Arabic speaking people in the government, and no understanding of Islam (Bush said, "Islam is peace," Falwell called Muhammad a terrorist), could be solved with greater religious literacy. Another problem, but less severe, is that Americans don't "get" religious references made in books, movies, plays, television, or in politics. "When we see that wounded traveler on the road to Jericho, we will not pass to the other side." George W. Bush quoted the bible in his first inaugural address, but even some members of the media were clueless and didn't know that Bush was referring to the New Testament story of the Good Samaritan. "Shouldn't the people whose votes put them in office be able to understand what their elected officials are saying, to evaluate whether they are reading the Bible correctly or abusing it for partisan political purposes?," Prothero questions.
A third of Prothero's book is on the history of religion in America, basically how Protestantism spread, how Catholicism grew after years of oppression, various influxes of smaller religions, like Mormonism, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism and Taoism. This section is really well done. If you scratch your head and wonder how there are so many people who consider themselves, "Born again," this will explain how. If you've ever wondered what role religion has played in America's schools, this will tell you all about the heavily Protestant education students received until the years after the Civil War, when the goal of the public schools was to establish moral character, rather then indoctrinating students. Even then, this education was nonsectarian, but Protestant in practice. America moves further away from religious literacy by popularizing Jesus after the Civil War, changing sola scriptura to sola Jesus, or the Bible alone, to Jesus alone. This new American Jesus changes with the times. Preachers were very successful when "Preaching Christ," rather then preaching the Bible. This led Christianity in America to be more about raising moral Christians then raising Christians who knew the Bible, memorized commandments, prayers, or Catechism's. Once Christianity is focused on morals, the unity with Judaism, with similar morals, is easy enough, and before you know it, America is a Judeo-Christian nation, and now a Judeo-Christian-Islamic nation.
The next third deals with the question, "How to solve the problem of religious literacy in America?" In short, Prothero prescribes two classes as the answer. Fitting as he is a teacher, and a teacher of religion, no less. He orders one dose of Biblical study, and one dose of World Religion study, in public high schools. The Bible must be taught apart from other religions because it is so important to American culture. He believes you can't be a good citizen without a strong knowledge of the stories in the Bible. But, because we live in a global society, we need a course on World Religions as well. This should cover the seven major religions of the world-Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These courses would be repeated in greater depth in secondary courses as well. In both cases, the courses should be mandatory. Parents can choose to opt their children out of any course which they find offensive.
If you are afraid this will create an American Theocracy where the Bible is given strong emphasis over the beliefs of minority religions in America, or that Prothero's Proposal is unconstitutional, Prothero has thought of that. Proper certification and training will be necessary for anyone teaching these courses on religion. The classes aren't unconstitutional, as they don't endorse, or support any one particular religion. He believes there is a difference between teaching doctrine, and teaching about religion. He contends that the current philosophy, that religion should not be made a mandatory subject, is unconstitutional, in that it supports a religion of secular humanism above all others. But, with proper training, teachers will be able to control their inner Sunday school teacher, or their inner atheist, and objectively teach religion. I think the controversy is understated, even though most Americans support teaching about world religions, and about using the Bible in literature, history, and social studies classes. While I feel that knowledge of Biblical stories is helpful to keep politicians and the media in check when they use or misuse scripture to suit their own means, the Bible is tricky, because different sects treat the Bible differently, based on their faith. This could be difficult when testing about certain books or stories. There is a problem with teaching the Bible objectively, in that no matter how it is taught, the students will be arguing about the interpretations of passages, each arguing from their own sects foundations, and the outsiders will be looking for inaccuracies to criticise the believers. The teacher can not criticise the Bible, and can't preach either. That is such a fine line, I don't know if it's possible at this time in American history, to do so widely across the country. Would a class on the Bible be taught the same in New York as in Alabama?
The last third of the book is a dictionary of religious terms every American should be familiar with. It contains an emphasis on Christian characters and stories, but you'll also be taught the sacred texts of Hinduism, and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. Here is where Prothero's bias comes out. He tries to be objective, prefacing certain definitions with, "according to Hinduism," or "according to Islam," however, tends to skip this preface when speaking about Christian subjects. That may be nitpicking, but highlights how difficult it is to be completely impartial when discussing religion, even when taking care to be objective.
Americans don't know anything about religion, even their own. The side effects are that those in power can misuse scripture, we don't understand why world cultures do what they do, and we don't understand our own cultural history. While Prothero's goal is noble, it may be too little, too late for America. Prothero describes himself as religiously confused, but still attends Lutheran services. His Protestantism echoes through this book, but that should be understood as his unique background, and explains any bias which may be in his book. While you may not agree with Prothero's Proposal, this book is valuable in describing the history of religion in America, and why things are the way they are today. Religious Literacy is published by HarperSanFrancisco and is available in most book stores, and as an audiobook. - Bjorn Watland
Mormon, atheist, Mormon and then spiritualist. How? Martha Beck, a Harvard graduate of Sociology, now a life coach, tells the story of her life growing up Mormon, leaving for Harvard, turning atheist, giving birth to her son Adam, who has Down syndrome, returning to Utah and the warm embrace of Mormon hospitality, and eventually leaving the Saints. An easy read, it may be a good break from deep theology or philosophy.
Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith is for Mormons and non-Mormons alike. If you are curious about Mormonism, you’ll find value. If you are Mormon, you may relate to the struggles of Beck, and even have the same concerns, but choose to practice Mormonism to change things from the inside.
Forgiveness, hope and compassion are the strongest subjects Beck presents. It’s these lessons that the author cherishes, despite the hardships described in her story. The book is more about forgiveness than it is about Mormonism. The opinion Beck has of Mormonism and Mormons is pretty positive.
People in Provo, Utah, home to Brigham Young University (the place to go if you’re a Mormon itching for higher education), are genuinely nice to each other. Beck recalls how amazingly nice everyone was, from the movers who moved them into their new house, to the members of her Ward and how they fawned over her little son Adam (who was headed straight to the best part of the Celestial Kingdom). If you don’t know anything about Mormonism, this can be a good starter. You’ll get a little glimpse of one person’s family life, a greater view into the quirks of Mormon doctrine, and a peek at the end into the dark side of Mormonism.
While in Utah, Beck embarks on a serious spiritual quest. Driven by experiences she had while pregnant with Adam, she seeks to find the source of this overwhelming feeling of compassion. She begins to explore the universal myth of a spirit world, diving into Eastern religions, practicing meditation, and earnestly praying to a God she is sure is there. Throughout her story, she has several supernatural experiences, mostly in childbirth or under anesthesia. It’s these experiences, her lust for truth, and finally her reconstructed memories of sexual abuse, that urge her to pack her bags and leave the Saints.
As quickly as Beck fell in love with Mormonism and its Saints, she turns on them. As a teacher at BYU, she had grown tired of the censorship there, the efforts to control what people could learn, especially about Sonia Johnson and the Equal Rights Amendment. She felt she could not be open about criticism of BYU, even outside of campus, without being “called in.” While she only taught part-time, her coworkers had more to
lose. The thought was that once you had been at BYU for five or six years you were tainted and no school outside of Utah would hire you. Beck does leave the school, but not because she is unhappy there. Her exodus is triggered by “lost memories,” which resurface after an examination by a gynecologist. Her recollections involve her father and herself, when she was five, mumbling in an ancient language, and sexual abuse. She was her father’s Isaac.
The method Beck uses to tell her story is to weave the retelling of an uncomfortable meeting to confront her father in a hotel room, before he dies, and the rest of her experience. The telling is tragic. You really feel envy for Beck’s life when she first moves back to Provo. Everyone is genuinely nice. But, by the end, you feel that women are treated as second-class citizens, the LDS employ ex- CIA to spy on members who go astray, and there is a giant cover-up of sexual abuse in Utah. The intent of the book is to tell a story, not to bash Mormonism, or convince others to leave. Beck takes the time to show Mormons whose love and compassion embody everything good about Mormonism, and whose values she believes are worth emulating.
While Beck used to be an atheist, you could view her as nonreligious. There is no serious mention of her deciding she was atheist. However, her spiritual questioning and quest for truth are noble. If you are an atheist, you may find yourself skeptical of her supernatural experiences while her body is under extreme stress, or under chemical influence. If you are not an atheist, you may find truth in a belief that everything is connected, and hold out hope for a place where “all our hearts will sing in unison.” – Bjorn Watland
Professor Eller teaches Cultural Anthropology in Denver, Colorado. In his research on religion, he gained great insight into the affects of religion and the advantages of freethinking.
Natural Atheism has some challenging material, but it appears Professor Eller’s aim was to address a general audience. At the beginning, he clarifies what he means by a natural atheist. As Eller writes, “All humans are born Atheists. No baby born into the world arrives with religious beliefs or knowledge.”
To return you to this natural state, Eller offers twelve steps to atheism. In his twelve steps, he attacks the traditional arguments for the existence of god and the support theists use to justify their position. This chapter leads to a lesson on reasoning. For Eller, a rational approach is imperative for understanding the issues he presents.
The second part clarifies his understanding on important concepts that influence an atheist. He addresses epistemological concepts, a clarification of types of atheism, science’s role in promoting atheism and finally toleration and truth. These chapters give a wider approach to being an atheist than just using a standard atheist’s defense. What is often a problem in books on atheism is a lack of application, but a lot of theory.
In his third part, Eller explores the issues of separation of church and state, recruiting members into atheism, and how to deal with the fundamentalist in our culture. He concludes with a presentation of an atheist’s attitude toward being an atheist.
The book has a good bibliography but has no index. This makes it more difficult to use as a quick reference. The table of contents is more thorough and helps recall of the chapters.
Eller has created a book that could be used as an introductory text. It is accessible and does not gloss over sections. It is understandable for most readers and thought provoking for the novice. – Grant Steves
Bob Schadewald could – and would – talk to just about anyone. There wasn’t a crackpot too cracked or a true believer too deceived that Bob wouldn’t talk to. Bob died in 2000 at age 57, but he left behind files filled with articles he wrote about the pseudoscientists he had met, interviewed, and even formed deep friendships with.
Fortunately for us, Bob’s sister Lois Schadewald combed through Bob’s files, talked to Bob’s friends from around the country, and put together a remarkable compilation of Bob’s work.
In Worlds of Their Own, you will meet some amazing characters. Immanuel Velikovsky, for example, was a Russian immigrant and psychoanalyst who took biblical mythology, Greek mythology, and some comets no one else ever heard of, mixed them all together, and “proved” that biblical stories like Noah’s Flood, the Parting of the Red Sea, and the Sun Stopping for a Day thing really happened.
As Bob put it, Velikovsky was like many other pseudoscientists and true believers: “Facts inconsistent with his conclusions never troubled him in the least.”
In 1978, Bob published a spoof in Science Digest about a perpetual motion machine. That article led to his meeting people (including engineers) who truly believed they could build a perpetual motion machine that violated the laws of thermodynamics. Bob’s conclusion: “A perpetual motionist typically concocts a scheme so complicated that he can’t see why it won’t work. He then assumes that it will work.”
After Velikovsky and the perpetual motionists, the reader may be prepared for the flat-earthers. Yes, there really are people who believe the earth is flat, shaped like a phonograph record with a sky dome over it. North is in the center, and South is at the outer edges where you will find huge mountains of ice (Antarctica).
Bob even joined the Flat Earth Society and became friends with the president. Bob was kicked out for a time because of “spherical tendencies,” but he was allowed to rejoin. In a history of flat-earthism, Bob notes that, for flat-earthers, to deny the earth is flat is to deny the Bible is true. Indeed, they feel the spinning ball theory is just a way to get rid of Jesus and say the Bible is a big joke.
While Bob had a sense of humor about pseudoscience, he drew the line at people he felt were deliberately lying for God – the “scientific” creationists. In 1983 until well into the 1990s, he went to every national creation conference. To fight creationism masquerading as science, he was a board member of the National Center for Science Education, edited their newsletter, and was president of NCSE for two years. He also debated prominent creationists.
In Worlds of Their Own, he makes a clear distinction between creation “scientists” and other religionists: “Most religious people see no conflict between their faith and the findings of science. Educated Christians, Jews, and Muslims typically believe that evolution was God’s method of creation, and some of them therefore call themselves ‘creationists.’ It’s not of them that I speak.”
But don’t let that make you feel less worried. In the conclusion of the Lying for God section of Worlds, Bob wrote: “Scientific creationism is the best organized movement in the history of American pseudoscience, and thus the most dangerous. Since they cannot win by the rules of science, creationists promote their doctrines by religious, political, and legal means.”
We all owe thanks to Lois Schadewald for spending her sabbatical and a lot of nights and weekends in this well-conceived effort to share her brother’s humor, wisdom, and, yes, foreboding.
Worlds of Their Own will be published in late September 2006. - Sue O’Donnell
. This attack examines the relevance of continuing studies in areas of: translation, biblical history and archeology, historical Jesus studies, literary criticism, and biblical theology. He maintains that professionals in these areas present an illusion that the Bible is relevant for our lives.
