Antiquitopia

One of the benefits of reading a lot of German scholarship the past six months--a lot more than I typically do anyway--is that my reading comprehension is much higher and, therefore, it spills over into other, more enjoyable fields, such as poetry.  So, putting my German to good, and more relaxing, use, I have been reading some Rilke.  And I repeatedly return to this poem from The Book of Hours , which, so far, is one of my favorites: Ich bin, du Ängstlicher.  Hörst due mich nicht mit allen meinen Sinnen an dir branden? Meine Gefühle, welche Flügel fanden, Siehst du nicht meine Seele, wie sie dicht vor dir in einem Kleid aus Stille steht? Reift nicht meine mailiches Gebet an deinem Blicke wie an einem Baum? Wenn du der Träumer bist, bin ich dein Traum. Doch wenn du wachen willst, bin ich dein Wille und werde mächtig aller Herrlichkeit und ründe mich wie eine Sternenstille über der wunderlichen Stadt der Zeit.

Just an idea I have been thinking about...

Other people have been sharing this video.  It is a nice appetizer for people to read the Gospel of Thomas for themselves and consider its role in the development of early Christianity.

Anthony LeDonne, that ever-imaginative scholar embracing new ways of thinking and teaching, is offering a new online course on Jesus.  Here is his course description: In this course we will examine some of the different "Jesuses" who have emerged through the ages, including several interpretations of Jesus in historical studies, and several interpretations of Jesus from art and literature. This course will weave together three primary threads: 1) the Jesus of history; 2) ancient representations of Jesus; and 3) the various modern Jesuses who embody various symbols, ideologies, collective memories, and cultural identities. Through lecture and discussion, we will examine diverse portraits of Jesus in history, literature, art, song, and film throughout history. This is a summer course and has no prerequisites.  It actually sounds a lot like how I teach my Jesus course.  I've been wanting to include more artistic representations as well.

Larry Hurtado gives a brief history of the "Early High Christology Club," and what it really means.  I should note that I have had the privilege of joining the club on a couple occasions on the coattails of my late adviser, Alan Segal, and that one of the coveted Early High Christology Club mugs currently sits on my office desk.  To Scottish Irrigation!