Weekend event—Marcus J Borg
Speaking Christian:
The Problem and the Need



Highlighted events
Fri-Sat, 26-27 Feb—Robert J. Miller, of the Jesus Seminar
Wed, 10 Mar 11:30-1:00—Clyde Mayo, industrial psychologist
Wed, 14 Apr 11:30-1:00—Les Switzer, Retired professor and author
Fri-Sat, 16-17 Apr—Marcus Borg, Retired professor, speaker and author
Click on an event for more information:
About Marcus Borg…

Fri-Sat, Apr 16-17—Marcus Borg, author and professor emeritus
“Speaking Christian: The Problem and the Need”
Held at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 5501 South Main
You can register for Friday only, Saturday only, or for both days.
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Marcus J. Borg is Canon Theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, OR. Internationally known in both academic and church circles as a biblical and Jesus scholar, he was Hundere Chair of Religion and Culture in the Philosophy Department at Oregon State University until his retirement in 2007.
He is the author of eighteen books, including Jesus: A New Vision (1987) and the best-seller Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (1994); The God We Never Knew (1997); The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (1999); Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (2001), and The Heart of Christianity (2003), both best-sellers. His newest books are Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary (2006), a New York Times Best-Seller; Conversations with Scripture: Mark (2009), and three books co-authored with John Dominic Crossan, The Last Week (2006), The First Christmas (2007), and The First Paul (2009).
His next book will be a novel, Putting Away Childish Things, to be published in early 2010.
Described by The New York Times as “a leading figure in his generation of Jesus scholars,” he has appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” and “Dateline,” PBS’s “Newshour,” ABC’s “Evening News” and “Prime Time” with Peter Jennings, NPR’s “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross, and several National Geographic programs. A Fellow of the Jesus Seminar, he has been national chair of the Historical Jesus Section of the Society of Biblical Literature and co-chair of its International New Testament Program Committee, and is past president of the Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars. His work has been translated into eleven languages: German, Dutch, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian, Italian, Spanish, Portugese, Russian, and French. His doctor’s degree is from Oxford University, and he has lectured widely overseas (England, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Israel and South Africa) and in North America, including the Chautauqua and Smithsonian Institutions.
- In addition to the eighteen books he has authored or co-authored, he is the editor or co-editor of:
The Lost Gospel Q (1996)
Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings (1997)
God at 2000, co-edited with Ross Mackenzie (2000).
- Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time (1994) is the single best-selling book by a contemporary Jesus scholar.
- The God We Never Knew was named “one of the ten best books in religion in 1997″ by Publishers Weekly.
- The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions, co-authored with N. Thomas Wright, a well-known British New Testament scholar from the conservative side of the spectrum. It won the “Best General Interest Book of 1999” award from the Association of Theological Booksellers.
- Reading the Bible Again for the First Time (2001) has made Publishers Weekly “ten best selling books in religion.”
- The Heart of Christianity (Harper San Francisco, 2003) has been a group study book in hundreds of churches.
- Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary is a New York Times best-selling book.
A very useful study guide for The Heart of Christianity is published by Woodlake Books and
authored by Tim Scorer. 160 pages long, it teaches “Heart” in twelve sessions, with suggestions for small group formation and activities, a DVD that includes handouts, visuals, and some video. Similar study guides for Reading the Bible Again for the First Time and Jesus are also available from Woodlake Books.
*Comments about Borg’s books include:
From Peter Gomes, author of The Good Book: “Borg is one of the very few New Testament
scholars of our age whose learning is so lucid that it takes the Bible back from the specialists and
makes it available in all its complexity and splendor to the general reader: nothing short of a
blessing, even a miracle! If Marcus Borg did not exist, we would have to invent him for we
have no better guide to the recovery of an authentic Christian faith for these difficult times than
this articulate and prolific public theologian.
“Writing with a simplicity that never becomes simplistic, Borg manages to convey the essence of Christianity in a way that does justice to those who do not share his views and will greatly enrich the understanding of those who do.”
Frederick Buechner, author of many books, including most recently Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart
“A marvelous book, The Heart of Christianity is both challenging and illuminating, and effecting exactly the kind of transformation that Borg describes so lucidly.”
Karen Armstrong, author of best-sellers A History of God and The Battle for God
“Marcus Borg is a key force in the emerging ‘new paradigm’ of Christian faith.”
Walter Brueggemann, author of more than thirty books on the Hebrew Bible
“With great clarity and pastoral genius, Borg offers questioning Christians a way to keep their faith without shutting down the search for truth.”
Barbara Brown Taylor, priest, professor and preacher and author of many books, including Leaving Church and An Altar in the World
“In every generation there is a handful of writers of whom it can be said, ‘Read everything they write.’ Marcus Borg is one of these today.”
Walter Wink, author of Engaging the Powers, Jesus and Non-Violence, and many others
1001 NW Lovejoy, #408
Portland, OR 97209
Phone: 503-246-8151
Margaret Tucker is a professional musician, developer of a hymn book and composer.
Bob Tucker is Executive Director of the Foundation for Contemporary Theology.
Previous weekend speakers have included:
Armstrong, Karen
- (2002) Fundamentalism: Myths and Methods
Ball, Ben
- (2007) Bending History
“Bonhoeffer”—the film (2004)
Borg, Marcus
- (1997) The God We Never Knew
- (1999) Revisioning Christianity
- (2000) Eyeballing the Bible: Its History, Metaphors, Visions, and the Battle
- (2003) Seeing Christianity Again: The Heart of the Matter
- (2005) Two Visions of Christianity Today
- (2007) Mysticism, Empowerment & Resistance
Campbell, Rev. Fred
- (2003) Four Faiths—A Workshop
Capon, Robert
- (2000) The Fingerprints of God: Tracking the Divine Suspect Through a History of Images
Carroll, Jill
- (2005) Religion, Spirituality and Tolerance: Finding a Path to a More Peaceful Planet
Chittister, Joan
- (2007) Mysticism, Empowerment and Resistance
Cobb, John
- (2000) American Empire and Christian Theology
- (2000) Thinking the Faith: Saving our Future
- (2006) American Empire and Christian Theology
Cox, Harvey
- (2005) Frontier Issues in Contemporary Religion & Theology
Crossan, John Dominic
- (2001) The Historical Jesus and Contemporary Theology
- (2003) Victory and Peace or Justice and Peace? *
- (2006) God and Violence
- (2007) Mysticism, Empowerment and Resistance *
Curran, Charles
- (1998) Role of Religion in American Political Life: Catholic Theology vs. Protestant Theology, American Individualism vs. Christian Communitarianism
Fox, Matthew
- (1997) Creation Spirituality
- (1999) Techno-Cosmic Mass *
Funk Robert
- (2000) Jesus Seminar on the Road: The Incredible Creed, The God of Jesus, God Questions
Hall, Douglass John
- (1999) What Time is It? Twenty-First Century Challenges to the Christian Movement
Hartshorne, Charles
- (1990) Process Theology
Hefner, Phili
- (2001) Faith, Science and the American Reality
Hinnels, John
- (1997) The Magi and Christianity
Hobbs, Edward
- (1998) The Heart of the New Testament
- (1999) Superman is Dead
- (2002) Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?
Hoover, Roy
- (2005) Tradition and Faith in a New Era
Horsley, Richard
- (2000) Jesus and Paul in THEIR World
- (2006) Jesus, Paul and Power
Jensen, Robert
- (2007) How Inclusive is Inclusivity? An Atheist Joins the Church
Kunkel, Robbie
- (2001) Revisioning Christianity—workshop
LeBacqz, Karen
- (2002) Ethics and the Human Situation
Levine, Amy-Jill
- (2004) Interfaith Dialogue and Biblical Studies
Linden, Bill
- (2001) Revisioning Christianity—workshop
Marshall, Gene
- (1996) Workshop
- (1998) Religious Studies 1 (RS1)
- (1999) Religious Studies 1 (RS1)
- (1999) Earth Care 21—workshop
- (2005) Religion and Science: Controversy or Convergence?
Marty, Martin E.
- (1997) Islam & Christianity: Similarities, Differences and Bridge Building
Miller, Keith
- (1998) The Secret Life of the Soul
Mistree, Kojestee
- (1997) The Magi and Christianity
Nelson, James
- (2003) Erotic Theology and the Body of Christ
Patterson, Stephen
- (2000) Jesus Seminar on the Road: The Incredible Creed, the God of Jesus, God Questions
- (2003) The Gospel of Thomas
- (2007) Rethinking the Death and Life of Jesus
Quinn, Daniel
- (1998) Dialogue with Daniel Quinn (Ishmael) Story of B, My Ishmael)
Rigby, James
- (2007) How Inclusive is Inclusivity? An Atheist Joins the Church
Rubenstein, Richard
- (2005) Theology, Creativity and Conflict: Sources of Violent Religious Conflict & Prospects for Peace
Schroeder, Gerald
- (2005) Religion and Science: Controversy or Convergence?
Scott, Bernard Brandon
- (2003) Re-Imaging the World in Parables
Shlain, Leonard
- (1999) The Alphabet vs. The Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and Image
- (2000) The Alphabet vs. The Goddess—Updated
Sinclair, Don
- (2007) Bending History
Spong, John Shelby
- (1994) Resurrection: Myth or Reality?
- (1998) Why Christianity Must Change or Die
- (1999) The Experience of Christ Separated from the Explanation of Christ
- (2000) Here I Stand: My Struggle for a Christianity of Integrity, Love and Equality
- (2002) A New Christianity for a New World
- (2002) Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: The Future of Christianity
- (2004) From Tribal Religion into the Limitless Love of God
Suchocki, Marjorie
- (—-) Christian Salvation in a Pluralistic World
Tucker, Robert
- (2004) On Being Your Own Theologian (“Birth” of Gatherings)
- (2007) Bending History
Vincent, Ken
- (1999) The Magi – From Zoroaster to the Three Wise Men
White, L. Michael
- (2006) The Shaping of Ancient Gospels and How They Shape Our Images of Jesus
Wigglesworth, Cindy
- (2005) Religion, Spirituality and Tolerance: Finding a Path to a More Peaceful Planet
Wink, Walter
- (1999) Understanding the Powers that Be
- (2002) Jesus Before the Church: The Enigma of the Son of Man
Wink, June Keener
- (2002) Jesus Before the Church: The Enigma of the Son of Man
Wren, Brian
- (2004) Convinced That All Are Welcome: A Hymn-Poet’s Exploration