Find out about
and note:
Downloads are available
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Workstyle A5 size, 202 pgs
Bethany
A5 size, 115 pgs
1. A Line of Logic
A5 size, 139 pgs
2. Value Frameworks
A5 size, 237 pgs
3. Two World Views
A4 size, 63 pgs
4. Five Pivotal Texts
A4 size, 296 pgs
5. Translation Analysed
A4 size, 254 pgs
For January 2018,
two new sites that "reverse" the approach of RealitySearch.
www.onbuildingasociety.org presents a series of workshops on that subject.
www.valuesclarification.org presents the same workshops but with
links back to the source documents.
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PowerPoints
8 workshops
Gospel of Mark
Animated workshops
Gospel of Matthew
Animated workshops
Animated Workshops Downloads re Mark, Matthew, Luke, Acts, John
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Gospel of the Day
Reality Search -
All pages of the gospel of Mark, Matthew,Luke,Acts and John
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Project Employment Inc |
the writer
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As more archaeology and doctrinal evidence shows, there was a "massive" influence of Hellenism on first Century Palestine. Such
influence went back about 300 years. So by the time of the Gospel writers there had been a long intermingling of the Judaic and
Greek cultures. Judaism for instance did not have its own architectural heritage so such places as the Jerusalem temple
and synagogues were based on Hellenistic (Greek-inspired) models. The Jews wore similar clothes, were organised cf
the Sanhedrin, on similar lines. They used similar money, had a similar education, celebrated festivals at similar times and, according to funerary evidence,
many of them spoke Greek. Certainly Jews living outside Palestine spoke Greek. However this did not mean the Jews forfeited
their own spiritual heritage of the Old Testament.
In fact in distinguishing their identity they used
Greek social models and Greek techniques of rationalism. The monks at Qumran for
instance had many similarities with Hellenism that were not found in mainstream Judaism. But they used the flexibility
of these Hellenistic models to assert themselves as being more "Jewish" than anyone else.
Given such a historical and cultural background there is a weight of evidence to support a claim that when the gospel
writers came to record the life and meaning of Jesus they would use a Hellenistic approach in the overall organisation of their material.
There was a likelihood they set out their material in terms of simple, abstract, universal themes and definitive meanings that
would move logically from one point to the next.
It is believed the first gospel, that of Mark, was written around 70 C.E. when Jerusalem was being destroyed by the Roman army.
It was therefore more imperative than ever to clarify the merits and limitations of both social systems. Judaism
was based on the moral law (and sense of time) and Hellenism was based on rationalistic order (and the sense of place).
Why hasn't biblical scholarship picked up on a Hellenistic, underlying structure for the gospels? One reason may be that
the biblical
scholarship of the present day is very reliant for interpretation on historical critical exegesis. This method goes into the meaning of
single words and the historicity of particular situations. But the approach tends to overlook the extent
to which the environment of Palestine had already been shaped by Hellenism. Thus instead of acknowledging the complexity of a
"Hellenistic Palestine" (c/f Martin Hengels research), there is an assumption that Judaism and Hellenism were quite separate.
According to some biblical scholars, the "Hellenistic" approach that has been taken by the Reality Search analysis
"is based upon conjecture". But the details of the text fit far too neatly into this analysis for it to be
dismissed so easily.
Check out the credibility of the analysis for yourself at www.realityworkshops.org. Or, for a better look at the analysed
textual detail buy some of the animated workshops at www.realityworkshops.com.
A more recent effort at clarification of the Reality Search analysis of the gospels is a work in progress called “Is Christian Morality Unique?” So far only Part 1 has been completed and has been submitted and given an Imprimatur (meaning “it is free of doctrinal or moral error”). Part 1 actually uses historical critical exegesis to trace the priority given in early Christianity to the commandments of “Thou shalt not kill, commit adultery or steal”. Today we label these “problems” of social cohesion as “money, power and sex”. Part 1 however, concludes that these morality concerns are universal and they cut across all religions. Part 2 argues that it is actually the tension between the Judaic and Hellenistic roots of Christianity that make its practice of these moral norms “unique”. (Part 2 is still to come!)
Would you like to have a look at
Is Christian Morality Unique? Part 1 (2019)
On the subject of morality! This material is protected by copyright. Only the www.realitysearch sites
are authorised to use it. Efforts are still being made to get www.docplayer.net to delete this e-book. Apparently
they plus Google, make money from the clicks made on advertisements that are included on their site.
Have a look at Reality Search web sites:
Gospel of Mark
Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Luke
Book of Acts (Part 2, Luke)
Gospel of John
Gospel of the Day
Animated workshops on the gospel
Gospel Workshops
The analysed text
Gospel Sociology
Project Employment Inc
Melbourne Australia 3020
ABN 39 566 577 931
tel 03 9311 5352
email:admin@realitysearch.com.au
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