The End of the World as We Know It

We're getting to the time of year when the readings get apocalyptic. Over the past few years these readings bring to mind Bart Ehrman--religion professor at UNC, once Evangelical, now agnostic--whom I heard several years ago on "Fresh Air" talking about how he lost his faith in part because of passages like these. Particularly ones in the Gospels.

He thinks Jesus expected the Apocalypse during or just after his life. And, because this didn't happen, it changes the way we relate to Jesus. Simply--how can Jesus be God Incarnate and be wrong? And perhaps more to the point, what use is Christianity if the savior it points to cannot save?

Even if Dr. Ehrman is right about Jesus's apocalypticism, and he may by wrong (this is a question that probably never will be answered with certainty), it says a lot more about the nature of certain ways of 'faithing' than it says about Jesus's faithfulness incarnating God.

I don't much like apocalypticism either--particularly when it comes with images of Jesus as King. Jesus seemed always to be running from those who would make him king. And always to be running toward bringing God's kingdom into reality through loving, courageous action.

Read the post below this, Michael Garrett's short bit of wisdom about the re-framing of questions. Perhaps our answers befuddle us because we need a bit more skill with our questions.