I'm surprised (but not surprised) by the strong reaction to this thread/article. Most of the criticism I've received are from people who did not take the time to click into the article and read the argument. Typical social media reactions to headers without reading the content.

https://twitter.com/postbarthian/status/1633263204263694337

For example, I am not criticizing Paul or dismissing him based on his decision to leave his wife (it does appear to be mutual too). If I am correct, this does not change anything Paul has done or written. It only criticizes people who ostracize Christians with broken marriages

Why is it so difficult for Christians to accept that Paul abandoned his wife when he converted to Christianity? Paul boasted that he excelled as a pharisee of pharisees. And an unmarried Pharisee is as unthinkable as a married Catholic priest.

In my next thread, Raymond E. Brown delivers a deadly strike to Albert Schweitzer’s lynch pin argument that Jesus’ cleaning of the temple could have only happened once in The Quest for the Historical Jesus. Ready… Set… Go… Raymond Brown continued (see my other threads) “For the ministry in general John's picture of Jesus going back and forth between Galilee and Jerusalem and of many conflicts with the Jerusalem authorities may be closer to history than Mark's picture of Jesus entire ministry…

Raymond E. Brown argues that there was an oral tradition with some written blocks of text behind the Gospel Mark that laid the foundation for the Passion Narrative genre Mark or UrMark may be the first written gospel genre but the passion program may have its origin in church praxis, that was used to organize the events of the passion into liturgical exercises where groups of memories were recalled for meditation

I admit I’m still highly influenced by C. H. Dodd’s summary of Peter’s apostolic preaching points. And his argument that the Gospel of Mark was built off of this list. But… Raymond E. Brown keenly reminds us that Luke used Mark as his source material (along with Q) and so the order must be reversed. That more likely Acts didn’t have access to Peter’s sermons and so instead used Mark to construct Peter’s sermons and it’s unlikely Peter said any of it

POLL: Does “apostolic succession” require a sheer chain of ordinations? Robert Jenson argues that apostolic succession does not require a chain of official ordinations.

Karl Barth said that Hebrews 1:14 is the locus classicus for the definition of the nature of angels. Barth said “it was the exegetical error of Thomas Aquinas to show far too lively an interest in the equation of ἄγγελοι [angels] and πνεύματα [spirits]” CD III/3 p. 453

Karl Barth summarizes the rationalistic angelology of the 18th, 19th, and 20th century by summarizing seven theologian representatives as follow... #1. "The angels as inhabitants of the other heavenly bodies (Reinhard)."

Karl Barth summarizes Thomas Aquinas’ proof for the existence of angels as noncorporeal distinct substances (e.g spiritual creatures) in 8 points in CD III/3 1. The survival of the human soul after the dissolution of the body in death

Karl Barth calls the work of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite a “secular myth” and a “metaphysical basis for a define hierarchical but again unbiblical conception of the Church” CD III/3, 388 Barth says that (c. 500 ce) Pseudo-Dionysius epitomized angelology of the earlier church fathers and his Neo-Platonic teacher Proclus

“when the Bible speaks of angels (and their demonic counterparts) it always introduces us to a sphere where historically verifiable history … passes over into historically non-verifiable saga or legend.” Karl Barth, CD III/3, 374 Barth this argues that all biblical passages involving angels or demons are saga or legends.

The entire chapter of 1 Nephi 20 in the #TheBookOfMormon is an altered text of the entire chapter of Isaiah 48 from the King James Version of the Bible. Here's a screenshot of the beginning of 1 Nephi 20. Notice the textual similarities between 1 Nephi 20:1 [ churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptur… ] and Isaiah 48:1 in the KJV [ biblegateway.com/passage/?searc… ]

Lehi's Journey in 1 Nephi is an odd fusion of the Exodus and the age of exploration wandering through the Arabian peninsula and then across the Atlantic ocean, navigated with mysterious #scifi objects like the Liahona compass. It has the hallmarks of apocalyptic 19th c. americana Joseph Smith is believed to have found the Liahona (with the gold plates) that is like a magic 8-ball with changing words that includes a compass that works if you don't grumble. As I read #TheBookOfMormon I find gold nuggets every time I google an oddity mentioned in it.

S. D. Morrison tackles the issue of #LawAndOrder in his book "James Cone In Plain English" in this paragraph: #LawAndOrder was a theme of the #PresidentialDebate2020 last night that highlighted the brutality of police and the call for change.

"The harsh reality of Cones critique comes off as a total rejection of all white-skinned people, but this is to ignore the unique way he uses the term 'whiteness'." — S. D. Morrison

#JamesConeInPlainEnglish Many white-skinned evangelicals have told me that Cone was racist towards white people. In reality, this response is intrinsically racist because of the unwillingness to consider if oneself is racist. It is an expectation that I must justify why said evangelical is racist.

Ernst Käsemann insists that 1 Corinthians 14 shall be the cipher for decrypting the doctrine of inspiration and pneumatic enthusiasm in this book "Jesus Means Freedom". (Thread to follow!) Käsemann argues that "enthusiasts" are necessary to the church, because--despite being on the fringe of heresy--they prevent the Christianity from becoming anemic and lifeless.

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jürgen Moltmann explains that "Here for the first time, he does not want to be alone with his God, and seeks protection of his friends." WJC p. 166 Moltmann keenly observed that Jesus had previously gone into isolation to pray for long durations. But in the garden, Jesus does not want to be alone for even an hour.

Jürgen Moltmann lists four differences between Jesus of Nazareth and John the Baptist in the Way of Jesus Christ p. 89 #1. In the way they proclaimed the kingdom of god.

JOHN: A judgement of wrath on this unrepentant generation.

JESUS: A previent grace to the poor and sinners.

A thread on #Moltmann and @SpaceForceDoD: In 1989, Jürgen Moltmann prophetically announced that the advent of the nuclear age heralded the impending end of humanity and all life on earth. (The Way of Jesus Christ) At that time Moltmann lamented that "It has been calculated that more than 50% of scientific intelligence and technical resources is at the disposal of the military and industrial complexes of the highly industrialized countries of the First World, for 'security' purposes."

Strong #moltmann vibes in this meme!

https://twitter.com/beingjasonelam/status/1271944106168778752

Where was god in the lynching of #GeorgeFlyod? Moltmann would answer, that Jesus was there suffering with George Flyod, calling out "I can't breathe" and "mom, I"m scared" with him.

James H. Cone argues that Black Liberation Theology developed independently from Liberation Theology in his book "For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church. Where have we been and where are we going." James H. Cone studied Karl Barth and did his doctoral dissertation on Karl Barth's theology. Cone went on to develop Black Liberation Theology.