Jesus and the Gospel Movement: Not Afraid to Be Partners

281 Pages·2006·0.92 MB·English

by  William Thompson-Uberuaga

Jesus and the Gospel Movement
ERIC VOEGELIN INSTITUTE SERIES
IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY:
STUDIES IN RELIGION AND POLITICS
Michael Oakeshott on Religion, Aesthetics, and Politics,
by Elizabeth Campbell Corey
The Religious Foundations of Francis Bacon’s Thought,
by Stephen A. McKnight
Other Books in the
ERIC VOEGELIN INSTITUTE SERIES
IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
The American Way of Peace: An Interpretation, by Jan
Prybyla
Faith and Political Philosophy: The Correspondence be-
tween Leo Strauss and Eric Voegelin, 1934–1964,edited
by Peter Emberley and Barry Cooper
New Political Religions, or an Analysis of Modern Terror-
ism,by Barry Cooper
Art and Intellect in the Philosophy of Étienne Gilson, by
Francesca Aran Murphy
Robert B. Heilman and Eric Voegelin: A Friendship in
Letters, 1944–1984,edited by Charles R. Embry
Voegelin, Schelling, and the Philosophy of Historical Ex-
istence,by Jerry Day
Transcendence and History: The Search for Ultimacy from
Ancient Societies to Postmodernity, by Glenn Hughes
Eros, Wisdom, and Silence: Plato’s Erotic Dialogues, by
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The Narrow Path of Freedom and Other Essays, by Eu-
gene Davidson
Hans Jonas: The Integrity of Thinking,by David J. Levy
AGovernment of Laws: Political Theory, Religion, and the
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Augustine and Politics as Longing in the World,by John
von Heyking
Lonergan and the Philosophy of Historical Existence, by
Thomas J. McPartland
WILLIAM THOMPSON-UBERUAGA
and the Gospel Movement
Not Afraid to Be Partners
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI PRESS COLUMBIA AND LONDON
Copyright © 2006 by
The Curators of the University of Missouri
University of Missouri Press, Columbia, Missouri 65201
Printed and bound in the United States of America
All rights reserved
5 4 3 2 1 10 09 08 07 06
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Thompson-Uberuaga, William, 1943–
Jesus and the Gospel movement : not afraid to be
partners / William Thompson-Uberuaga.
p. cm. — (Eric Voegelin Institute series in
political philosophy)
Summary: “Thompson-Uberuaga reconsiders the
image of Jesus Christ by examining his relationships
with others and the bonds he formed as the gospel
movement took shape around him. He engages the
works of Voegelin, Gadamer, and others to explore fully
the political dimensions of the emerging church.
Includes internet links for supplementation”—Provided
by publisher.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8262-1633-5 (hard cover : alk. paper)
1. Jesus Christ—Person and offices. I. Title. II. Series.
BT202.T473 2006
232—dc22
2005037962
This paper meets the requirements of the
American National Standard for Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, Z39.48, 1984.
Jacket Designer: Kristie Lee
Text Designer: foleydesign
Typesetter: Crane Composition, Inc.
Printer and binder: Thomson-Shore, Inc.
Typefaces: New Century Schoolbook and Papyrus
Publication of this book has been assisted by a generous
contribution from the Eric Voegelin Institute and the
Pierre F. and Enid Goodrich Foundation.
For my colleagues and students over the years . . .
partners in the community of learners

Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
CHAPTER I
Consider Participation 4
Participation as Knowing, Feeling, and Willing 4
Participation in the New Testament 5
Characteristics of Participation: Between Familiarity
and Strangeness 6
The Burning Bush 6
The Burning Heart 9
Characteristics of Participation: Faith, Hope, and Love 12
Characteristics of Participation: Reason, Imagination,
Language, Affection, Willing 16
Geography, Society, and History 27
Three Forms of Participating in Jesus 36
Supplement 41
vii
Contents / viii
CHAPTER II
Jesus, His Companions, and Their Movement
The Engendering Experience and the Bible 42
Participation and Interpretation 42
The Bible as Window 44
On Not Bypassing the Gospel Form 45
Originary Genres and Engendering Experiences 48
Abstract, Portrait, and Photo 49
The Jesus Christ of History, His Companions, and
Their Gospel Movement 52
Chronology and Geography 53
The Humane and Transcendental Dimensions 55
(1) Challenges from Matthew, Mark, and Luke
(1.1) Beginning with the Synoptics 56
(1.2) The Alternative Community of God’s Reign 57
(1.3) Inclusiveness and Divine Personalism 60
(1.4) The Alternative Community’s Temporal and
Geographical Dimensions 63
(1.5) The Paschal Shape of the Gospel Stories 66
(2) Challenges from John 81
(3) God, Community, and Jesus: AGlance Back 95
Supplement 97
CHAPTER III
Affection, Action, and Thought in
the Advancing Jesus Movement 98
Groups in Participation 99
Individuals in Participation 113
Common Participation 118
The Conspiracy of the Three Types of Participation 128
Supplement 133
Contents / ix
CHAPTER IV
Not Afraid to Be Partners
Challenges and Hopes 134
Soul, Self, Subject, or Heart? 134
Soul 135
Self 137
Subject 140
Heart 143
Society, Community, and Institution 150
Representative Acutely Social Tensions 151
Jesus’Alternative Community 156
The Cross-Cultural Challenge and Mystical Tolerance 160
World 168
ASoteriological Transition 174
The Divine Ground 183
Evil, Sin, Salvation, and Trinity 189
The Trinity and the Other 191
The Trinity, Language, and Women 193
Supplement 197
REPRISE 198
Considering Participation 198
Jesus and the Gospel Movement in the New Testament 206
The Advancing Jesus Movement 216
Not Afraid to Be Partners: Emerging Challenges
and Hopes 223
Bibliography 235
Index 251