2004 Newsletter-Final.Pub

■ 1 ■ October 2004 TMTC Newsletter Vol. 12 No. 1 A publication of the Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre, a graduate teaching and research centre October 2004 of Conrad Grebel University College, affiliated with the Toronto School of Theology. Is There Anything New in Christianity? A Critical Response to Tom Harpur by A. James Reimer The following is a response to a June 17, sources. While I have serious difficulties with Tom Harpur’s life has been 2004, lecture by Tom Harpur at Waterloo Harpur’s claims and sources, I believe that we an intriguing “spiritual journey.” He North Mennonite Church, Waterloo, On- ought to be addressing the dominant cultural tario. The event was conceived of by a group assumptions of our age, no matter how hetero- was once an Anglican parish priest of friends of Conrad Grebel University Col- dox. Because Harpur’s views are representa- and taught New Testament at Wy- lege (CGUC). The fact that CGUC and tive of a growing number of persons inside and cliffe College, an evangelical Angli- TMTC identified with and in effect outside the church—views that could be can seminary at the University of To- “sponsored” the event drew severe criticism loosely characterized as a form of gnostic, new ronto. But in the early 1970s he left from a number of sources, because of Har- age spirituality—they ought to be critically pur’s unorthodox views and controversial engaged and challenged. It is in this spirit that Wycliffe for the Toronto Star, where claims, such as that Jesus of Nazareth never I consented to be a respondent to Harpur at he embarked on a journalism career, existed and that not one thing historic Chris- the June event. The following is the revised during which he served as the Star’s tianity claimed to be true is new. The essen- and shortened version of the written text on religion editor. Since his departure tial claims of early Christianity, according to which my response was based. I do not deal from Wycliffe, Harpur has attempted Harpur’s new bestseller The Pagan Christ here with the academic credibility and histori- (Thomas Allen Publishers, 2004), were all cal accuracy of the historical data on which to uncover the common foundation of plagiarized from much earlier pagan relig- Harpur’s claims are based (I leave that to all religious and spiritual experience. ions, and the historic Christian Church has others), but address the “ideology” that drives (Continued on page 5) in fact been involved in a long conspiratorial Harpur’s book. cover-up of its indebtedness to pre-Christian Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre 47 Queen’s Park Cres. East Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C3 Canada T: (416) 978-6078 F: (416) 978-7821 E: [email protected] W: grebel.uwaterloo.ca/tmtc Director: A. James Reimer Managing Editor and Jim Reimer (L) and Tom Harpur respond to audience questions follow- Administrative Assistant: ing Harpur’s June 2004 lecture. Proceeds from the event went to TMTC. Jeff Nowers ■ 2 ■ October 2004 TMTC Newsletter this is not an inherited condition. While human beings are not Muslim-Christian Dialogue in Iran perfect, God expects them to use their reason to the fullest extent in determining by A. James Reimer, Director what is right and what is wrong and to Qom, known as the most “relig- beautiful Iranian cities of Kashan with its follow the path of obedience to Allah. ious” city of Iran, was the location of phase lavish pre-revolutionary homes, and Es- God the all-merciful and all-compass- two of an academic Shi’ite Muslim- fahan and its world famous 17th century sionate One is ready to forgive directly Mennonite Christian dialogue, February square and market, exquisite ancient those who repent, without any need for 15-16, 2004, as part of a two-week visit. mosques, the old Armenian Christian sacrificial mediation. In their high view Eight North American Mennonites joined a Church, and the Zoroastrian “Temple of of reason, freedom and human responsi- similar number of Muslim scholars for an Fire.” bility and their rejection of the more se- intensive but cordial two-day discussion at Particularly memorable was a vere Protestant notions of original sin, the Imam Khomeini Education and Re- visit to the home of the late Murtada Mu- Mennonite Christians have something in search Institute in Qom, Iran, on the topic tahhari, an internationally known Islamic common with Shi’ite Muslims. of “Revelation and Authority.” This un- thinker whose many volumes of writings Most remarkable in the course usual interchange of ideas is jointly organ- are currently in the process of being pub- of the dialogue was the respect which ized by the Toronto Mennonite Theologi- lished as collected works. Drafter of the both sides showed toward each others’ cal Centre and the Imam Khomeini Insti- constitution of the Islamic Republic, and texts. Both have a high view of the au- tute. It is the culmination of an exchange personal confidante of the Ayatollah thority of the sacred book. Perhaps the program between Mennonites and Iranian Khomeini, he was assassinated only three most dramatic example of this is the Muslims, initiated by Mennonite Central months after the revolution by a faction wise, senior Muslim scholar, Professor Committee (MCC) and the Khomeini Insti- not in agreement with his views. An Towfiqi, who has taught Christianity to tute, in 1997. international 25th anniversary com- Muslim students for some forty years. He The dialogue, part one of which memorative conference on his thought is knows the four Christian gospels by was held in Toronto in 2002, was overseen taking place at the University of Teheran memory and referred to Jesus as “our by the able leadership of Professor Aboul- in April 2004. The friendliness of the Lord Jesus Christ” on a number of occa- hassan Haghani of the Imam Khomeini Iranian people was reflected in numerous sions. Towfiqi’s expression did not imply Institute. This was religiously and politi- ways, especially by the hospitality of the the divinity of Jesus but represents the cally a propitious time for our visit; it over- extended families and relatives of Yousef respect Muslims have for Jesus as a great lapped with the dramatic 25th anniversary Daneshvar and Mohammed Farimani, prophet. Jesus is for them not God who celebrations in Teheran of the 1979 Islamic Muslim doctoral students at the Toronto died on the cross, but one who ascended revolution and the subsequent parliamen- School of Theology. and will return with their twelfth Imam tary elections, events which received wide Throughout the dialogue itself, (presently hidden) to establish an earthly coverage by Western media. the dominant motif was the relation of kingdom of justice. Still tired from the flight, our revelation to reason. Muslims see no There are of course substantive group was probably the only Western dele- fundamental contradiction between a and methodological differences in how gation to be ushered into the stands to ob- high view of human reason (a gift from Muslims and Christians interpret their serve the celebrations, together with politi- God) and a high view of revelation (the respective texts. Muslims manage to cians, Muslim clerics and various dignitar- divine will as revealed through Gabriel to achieve a much greater consensus on the ies to see the festivities, and to listen to the the Prophet Mohammad in the Qur’an). fundamental meaning of the Qur’anic President of Iran address the people. An This is related to their positive anthropol- text than do Christians (including Men- estimated two million were thought to have ogy, what Yousef Daneshvar referred to nonites) in their interpretation of the Bi- been out on the streets of Teheran on that in his paper as the “human theomorphic ble. Rather than applying the western day. At the end of the two-week visit, on nature (Fitrah),” namely, that human tools of historical-criticism to the Qur’an, election day, two of us were briefly al- beings are naturally oriented toward the Muslims “let the text stand” as God’s lowed into an election polling booth to divine. The Christian doctrine of literal, revealed Word, and then find a observe the carefully monitored and or- “original sin” has no equivalent in Is- rich variety of mystical and spiritual lev- derly voting procedure. lamic theology. els of meaning in the text. The Imam Khomeini Institute The Qur’an mentions the forbid- Apparent throughout the visit generously paid the entire cost of hosting den eating from a tree which has negative and the theological discussions was the our group over the entire two-weeks, in- consequences for Adam and Eve, but it is growing level of trust between our two cluding tours of a model prisoner of war not identified as the tree of the knowl- communities of learning. The proceed- camp which is now a museum, the former edge of good and evil” as it is in Genesis ings of this dialogue will, Insha’ Allah American Embassy grounds, palaces of the 3. In Islamic thought the knowledge of (“God willing” in Arabic), be published former Shahs and the simple dwelling good and evil is not negative but rather a in the near future. The hope is that the place of the revolutionary leader Ayatolla positive, natural knowledge planted dialogue will continue, with a third in- Khomeini (highlighting the contrast in within the human conscience by God. All stalment in Toronto in two years time. lifestyle between the two), visits to the human beings have a tendency to sin but (see photo on page 10) ■ 3 ■ October 2004 TMTC Newsletter A TMTC-Sponsored Panel Confronts the Question by Jeff Nowers With violence in Iraq spiraling Leddy, a well-known Catho- because the United Nations has out of hand, TMTC organized a panel lic activist and writer, made no dis- shirked its own responsibilities.

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