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Throughout Marcus Borg’s book Meeting Jesus Again
for the First Time he has built a case for an alternative to the
popular image of Jesus as Savior and Son of God. The alternative is Jesus
as “spirit person, subversive sage, social prophet, and movement
founder.” Borg postulates that our “image of Jesus [popular verses
alternative] leads to a quite different image of Christian life.” Do you
agree? Why? Is there a flaw in the assumption (page 119-120)?
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What is “story theology?” Page 120-121.
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Why is story theology and theology sometimes at odds
(page 120)?
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In what ways were stories communicated throughout
church history, in ways other than verbally (page 121)?
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What are the three “macro stories” defined by Borg
and what’s at the heart of each (page 121-127)?
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What are the essential two elements of all macro
stories (page 122)?
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Does the Exodus macro story have meaning for us
today (page 124)?
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How do you answer the question (based on the Exodus
macro story) “to what am I in bondage” (page 124)?
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How does the Exodus macro story image the Christian
life (page 125)?
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What are the emotional qualities of the Exile macro
story (page 126)?
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What do the Exodus and Exile macro stories have in
common (page 127)?
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What are the emotional qualities of the Priestly
macro story (page 127)?
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How is the Priestly macro story significantly
different from the Exodus and Exile macro stories (page 127)?
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Which macro story has the most meaning for your
spiritual life (page 124-127)?
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How do the three macro stories show up in the
message of Jesus (page 129-130)?
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What are the six distortions of Christian life if we
accept only the Priestly macro story in the message of Jesus (Page
130-132)?
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Why is the Priestly macro story dangerous for
someone who is victimized (page 132)?
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Do you agree that the Priestly macro story is really
a journey story like the other two macro stories (Page 133)?
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Do the stories of liberation, homecoming and
acceptance have meaning for you (Page 133)?
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What does Borg mean by “the story of discipleship?”
What are the elements of this story (Page 134-136)?
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How does Borg redefine the phrase “believing in
Jesus” (page 136)?
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If Borg offers a summary for the book it is this:
“Believing in Jesus does not mean believing doctrines about him. Rather,
it means to give one’s heart, one’s self at its deepest level, to the
post-Easter Jesus who is the living Lord, the side of God turned toward
us, the face of God, the Lord who is also the Spirit.” What do these two
sentences from page 137 mean to you…now?