bar_enosh - Book: "Did the First Christians Worship Jesus?"
An interesting new book (2010) by James D. G. Dunn, Professor of Divinity Emeritus, University of Durham, England.
In the order of the earlier "The Only True God" by James F. McGrath, it appears that at least some Trinitarians are willing to look more deeply into Biblical evidence that challenges that dogma.
McGrath examined the concept of Agency, Dunn examines what Monotheism must have meant to the earliest Christians.
Although Dunn retains a Trinitarian supposition that colors his presentation, he acknowledges that this was not likely the outlook of the earliest Christians.
He correctly concludes that the earliest Christians worshipped God through Jesus. But they did not worship Jesus. That, he says, would have been "Jesus-olatry," akin to idolatry. Rather, he affirms that the earliest Christians "recognized that God was still Jesus' God, even the God of Jesus as Lord." (P. 145)
Not a perfect book, but at least some apparent modification of traditional Trinitarian views. And certainly an attempt to actually reason on the Scriptures, rather than a mere appeal to tradition.
Solomon
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