Preparing for Session Four

Reading from A New Christianity for a New World—
	Chapter 7: Changing the Basic Christian Myth (pages 113–27)
Chapter 8: Jesus Beyond Incarnation (pages 129–46)

Supplementary reading—
	You may wish to read and reflect on the 114 sayings that comprise the Gospel of Thomas. This early Christian collection of sayings attributed to Jesus seems to have been composed before the end of the 1st C, although this is debated by some scholars. Many NT scholars believe that it preserves some very early traditions even though it is often closer to John than to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) with its spiritualised Jesus. 
	You may also be able to locate other “apocryphal texts” that come from the early Christian period but were not included in the Bible.
	If you have Internet access, the following links are helpful:
	Gospel of Thomas Homepage
http://home.epix.net/~miser17/Thomas.html
	Christian Classics Ethereal Library
http://www.ccel.org/
	Early Christian Writings
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/

	What, if anything, do these alternative descriptions of Jesus have in common?
How well do they relate to your own understanding of Jesus?

Reflection task—
If you have access to a hymn book (no matter what denomination), find the section of hymns that focus on the person and work of Jesus. Browse through these texts, noting the major themes and images in the way that the hymnal celebrates the significance of Jesus. 
Which expressions and symbols mean the most to you? Why? Are there any that no longer speak to you? Why? 
You may wish to record some of your insights in your journal.