The Face of God

Scholar Lectures About the Image of Jesus

by Kimberly Kelley

Des Moines, Iowa (Feb. 12, 1997)-- Professor Marcus Borg, a well-known theologian and professor at Oregon State University, lectured to an audience at Drake's Bulldog Theater Sunday night about the image of the "historical" Jesus and why this image mattered.

In his lecture, largely attended by persons from of Des Moines, Borg examined the idea of different images of Jesus, including the view of the historical Jesus. He first discussed the vision of Jesus received as a child, with religion being full of clear questions and answers about Jesus' identity, purpose and his message. According to Borg, the main message expressed through the church to the young is "believe in Jesus now for the sake of heaven later."

But the question of the evening addressed by Borg was why seeing and understanding the "historical Jesus" mattered. The main reason, according to Borg, why the vision of the historical Jesus is so important is the value of distinction between the pre-Easter Jesus and the post-Easter Jesus, distinguishing between Jesus as a man and Jesus as the "messiah," even though, as Borg pointed out "Jesus didn't recognize himself as the messiah." He also pointed out the importance of realizing how the image of Jesus permeates the image of a Christian life. But it was Borg's second point that seemed to affect the audience the most.

"My favorite metaphor he used was that the Bible is a lens through which we see God. And the Bible, as a lens, shouldn't be believed, but the focus of your belief should be on God," said Kimberly Southern (AS1).

Others said they felt as though his entire lecture gave them a way to experience religion in a different way or to view it on a different level.

"I agreed with what he said because it gave me a way to still feel Christian and religious without having to be a part of a Christian community and without feeling ostracized," said Nate Ruble (AS1).

Even those who did not necessarily agree with Borg still found his words to be moving.

"I was powerfully impressed by the spirit of the man so that even when I disagreed with him, I liked to hear what he was saying," said Dale Miller, guest professor of religion.

Besides traveling through the country lecturing, Borg, who said of himself "my own devotional live is very God-centered, not Jesus-centered," also found time to write another book to follow the success of his very popular book "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time." His new book, titled "The God We Never Knew," should be out in late March.

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