Intro

[thormas]

I'm Thormas - a name given to me by my daughter when she was little.

 

Raised a Catholic and educated in Catholic schools through grad school. My undergraduate degree is in Philosophy, with the Benedictines, my favorites and my master is in Systematic Theology. I taught for 12 years in Catholic HSs in NJ before deciding I had to make money if I ever wanted to have a family and afford a house. I have lived in NC for over 20 years a short distance from 3 great universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill. I have continued to read, discuss and write (for myself) about Christian theology ever since leaving teaching. As a teacher in the late 70s, early 80s I had my students reading Gregory Baum's Man Becoming and Andrew Greeley's The Jesus Myth along with The Velveteen Rabbit and East of Eden (timshal). I found then, as now, both a 'we've heard all this before' attitude with a great hunger to really understand, perhaps to hear it again for the first time.

 

Some of my favorite teachers are Bart Ehrman, a historian of Early Christianity at UNC where I have taken a number of his seminars. He is an agnostic/atheist but I find him brutally honest and like to measure him against others such as Borg, Crossan and, another favorite, Dale Allison. For theologians, in addition to Baum, I find the late John Hick and John Macquarrie still among the best. The topic I have been reading on and off (cause I do have another life) for months is theodicy. And a couple of my favorites seem to be at odds.

 

I also enjoy Spong a great deal (not always agreeing) and comment frequently on his website. I have enjoyed this website in the last few days since joining. For me, such discussions are important but they are also fun.

[JosephM]

Thanks for the intro Thormas and welcome again.. Also raised Catholic here. Not so well read myself as it has never been as passion of mine. However, i am looking forward to reading more of your personal experiences and sharing of your knowledge of life and your theology study. May your experience here be of mutual benefit to all.

 

Joseph

[BillM]

Thanks for sharing some of your background with us, Thormas. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better through our discussions! Welcome!

[Burl]

I like the Benedictines. And the Drambuies, too.

 

Ehrman is a great teacher, but I feel sorry for him. It must depressing to accomplish so much in a career and then beome apostate and adopt a cynical view of your accomplishments.

[thormas]

Burl,

 

I have spoken to Ehrman a couple times and he is actually a very happy historian - and a good man. His website donates, I believe, 100% of earnings to the hungry.

I see no cynicism in him, especially in his accomplishments or ongoing work. Nor does he try to convert anyone to his point of view. I find him a great resource in that he, as much a possible, tries to present what can be known about early christianity, no more, no less.

[PaulS]

Welcome thormas,

 

I myself was raised Christian being told that Catholics weren't really Christians!

 

Welcome to the forum and I look forward to your participation here.

 

Cheers

Paul

[Burl]

I was Catholic and came out as a Wesleyan in adulthood. I'm hoping my baptism will get me into Catholic heaven instead of Protestant heaven.

 

https://youtu.be/idLQ26P9dpQ

[thormas]

Burl,

 

Thanks for this take on heaven, it is hilarious and I intend to send it to my friends.

[soma]

Look forward to your take on things, my cousin is a Catholic priest and I watched him go from an idealistic artist to a manager of people, very business like.