Hal Taussig

A genuine possibility of reimagining how Christianity began has now come into view. Based within the fields of discourse that have come forth in the last forty years, this book proposes ways that the study of Christian origins can paint subtle and complex pictures of the first centuries of Christianity. Taking as inspiration the work of Burton L. Mack - upon whose sixty-fifth birthday, this volume is issued - Reimagining Christian Origins provides an introduction to and an analysis of the emerging methodologies of the field and presents nineteen new examples of scholars at work in this field. The book is divided into four parts: (1) Reimagining the Social Formation of Early Christian Communities, (2) Reimagining the Galilean Movements, (3) Reimagining the Emergence of Christian Myth, and (4) Reimagining Christianity in the Mediterranean World.

Over the past century, numerous lost scriptures have been discovered, authenticated, translated, debated, celebrated. Many of these documents were as important to shaping early Christian communities and beliefs as what we have come to call the New Testament; these were not the work of shunned sects or rebel apostles, not alternative histories or doctrines, but part of the vibrant conversations that sparked the rise of Christianity. These scriptures are rarely read in contemporary churches, but are discussed mainly by scholars. Yet we have a great deal to gain by placing them back into contact with the twenty-seven books of the traditional New Testament-- by hearing, finally, the full range of voices that formed the early chorus of Christians. To create this New New Testament, Hal Taussig called together a council of scholars and spiritual leaders to discuss and reconsider which books belong in the New Testament. They chose ten books, presented here alongside the traditional scriptures in the new Open English Bible translation.--From publisher description.

A new kind of Christianity is emerging at the grass roots. Full of heart-felt expression, artistic creativity, and liberal social values, progressive churches and small Christian communities have established themselves across the denominational spectrum. Reporting on a national research study that undercuts the impression that right-wing Christianity is the only new development on the contemporary American religious landscape, Hal Taussig identifies thousands of progressive churches and para-churches and describes five characteristics of this new movement. He then proceeds to analyze its blind spots, project its future, and suggest how to start a progressive church.

What were the origins of the Eucharist? Taussig, a founding member of the SBL Seminar on Meals in the Greco-Roman World, brings a wealth of scholarship to bear on the question of Christian origins. He shows that in the Augustan age, common meals became the sites of dramatic experimentation and innovation regarding social roles and relationships, challenging expectations regarding gender, class, and status. Rich comparative material and rigorous ritual analysis reveal that it was in just such a swirl of experimentation that the early Christian assemblies, with their "love feasts" and "supper of the Lord," were born. This cutting-edge monograph sheds new light on the social context of early Christian gatherings, illuminating the origins of the Eucharist and of Christianity itself. Taussig draws important implications for the practice of Christian community today.

"This is the first book-length treatment in English of the Nag Hammadi text, The Thunder: Perfect Mind - a poem of "I am" statements that has garnered a strong following in mainstream culture. This book offers a fresh, current translation (with detailed Coptic annotations) and ten chapters of introductory analysis of the text. Approaching the text from socio-historical, literary, and postmodern gender-theoretical frameworks, the editors situate Thunder as an early Christian text - away from the now suspect category of "Gnosticism" - and offer conclusions on its possible ancient meanings, as well as its interpretive possibilities for the present moment"--Provided by publisher.

"Meals in Early Judaism: Social Formation at the Table is the first book about the meals of early Judaism. As such it breaks important new ground in establishing the basis for understanding the centrality of meals in this pivotal period of Judaism and providing a framework of historical patterns and influences"--