TJP FULL EPISODE 1360 Wednesday 050725 James and the Giant Preacher Apostolic and Nag Hammdi

On todays Show we celebrate the return of Texas Jim and we talk about Jimbo's paper on early Christian liturgical and catechetical patterns, which identified 12 features of apostolic Christianity. These include beliefs in God's unity, Jesus' divinity and humanity, and the resurrection. Jimbo compared Apostolic Fathers' texts with Nag Hammadi texts, finding that only the Secret Book of James and some Valentinian texts partially aligned with the narrative pattern. The paper concluded that early Christianity was unified around these beliefs, despite diverse practices. The conversation also touched on the implications of these findings for modern Christian orthodoxy and the importance of implicit versus explicit theological statements. The discussion delves into the interpretation of the Bible, emphasizing the depth beyond literalism. Speaker 2 critiques the shallow approach of Richard Dawkins and others, advocating for a deeper understanding of Christianity's narrative and salvific plan. The conversation highlights the unity of Christianity through 12 core features, despite diverse practices like communion. They contrast this with Gnostic texts, which deviate significantly from Apostolic Christian principles. The narrative pattern unites major Christian denominations, including Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Catholicism. Don't miss it!