Evangelizing A Modern Agnostic Culture

Abstract

Evangelizing A Modern Agnostic Culture Eugene P. Trager (bio) One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then stretch out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!" Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me." (John 20:24-31) In recent years, there has been an effort by biblical scholars such as John Dominic Crossan, Marcus Borg, Bishop Robert Barron, Andrew Newberg, and Eugene D'Aquili to provide interpretations of scripture that would appeal to modern highly educated, scientifically minded agnostic people in our secular culture who live on the fringe of our religious traditions. This is a rather unique evangelistic strategy. The problem with such an approach according to Cardinal John Henry Newman is that in order to be evangelized, people need to believe in something that cannot be apprehended by the senses or understood by reason. [End Page 354] (Apologia 1865-Chapter 5) That's a problem for modern agnostics. This article examines the evangelizing efforts of Crossan, Borg, Barron, Newberg and D'Aquili in their attempt to deal with this problem. Borg and Crossan begin by focusing on the epistles attributed to St. Paul and the text of Acts. They point out that Paul's epistles to the churches he established make up over one-fourth of the New Testament, that he is considered the greatest missionary in Church history and that without him there would not be Christianity as we know it. Therefore to address the agnostic's doubt, evangelization must begin with Paul. First, in trying to make Paul appeal to modern agnostics Borg and Crossan emphasize that Paul was transformed from a radical egalitarian champion of democracy and freedom for all, including slaves, women and the poor, to a conservative defender of the status quo by others writing or editing in his name.1 Clearly this is an appeal to the liberal political sentiments of modern agnostics: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,There is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus: (Galatians 3:28) But then: Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. (Ephesians 6:5-8) Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. (Romans 13:1) I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man, she must be quiet. (Timothy 2:12) Second, they point out that the problem with the biblical account of Paul's trip to Damascus was that he could not have been empowered with authority from a high priest in Judea to go to Damascus to arrest dissident Jewish followers of Jesus, and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment, because a Jewish high priest in Judea could never exercise authority across Roman provincial borders, especially as far away as Damascus.2 More likely, they imply, Paul went to Damascus, his old stomping grounds where he was educated, to ally himself with his former Jewish [End Page 355] colleagues, the members of the Damascus synagogue where he received his Pharisaic education, in order to develop a strategy for punishing members of the Jewish Jesus sect. This alternative explanation appeals to the modern agnostic's concern about scripture's legal and historical inaccuracy and provides a more credible explanation. Third, and more compelling, Crossan and Borg suggest that when Paul...