I've visited this site a couple of times and finally decided to join. I'm a retired civil servant with several interests to keep me busy, one of which is the historical Jesus. I attend a United Methodist church, but don't really classify myself as a Christian, since I believe that the Christ was a myth created by early followers of Jesus to explain why he hadn't returned during their lifetimes. I also believe that the Christian Church has put Christ first, God second and pretty much forgotten about Jesus. Despite this, I believe that the Bible has alot to tell us, as long as we understand it as the product of humans expressing their faith and not literal fact.
I have become an Associate Member of the Westar Institute, the home of the Jesus Seminar and various other projects. I enjoy the scholarly pursuit of the bible, particularly as relates to the historical Jesus. I also enjoy the study of the history of early Christianity. Theologically, my beliefs are along the lines of Process Theology.
