Letter to the editor: Jesus and his 'unqualified compassion'

Notes: "William Cooke rejected my claim (Letters, 'What unconditional love ?', Feb. 2016, p. 5) that Jesus taught and exemplified the 'unconditional love of God'. He cited three supporting texts, but failed to note that the New Testament was the product of an infant church strongly influenced by contemporary Hebrew images of Yahweh as warrior, lawgiver and covenanter. Yahweh punishes the unrepentant sinner and bargains with those who desire his blessing. During the past 150 years, critical thinking biblical scholarship has sifted the gospel texts and exposed the influence of traditional Hebrew theology. We now see a prophetic Jesus, an alternative, radical image of the Holy One as unqualified compassion. In the crucifixion scenes there is no punitive deity -- Jesus reaches out equally to friend and foe with grief and compassion; a long-standing Hebrew theological tradition was successfully challenged (but not eliminated) by this inspired itinerant teacher and healer. This was Jesus of Nazareth's fundamental achievement: to reveal the Holy One as unconditionally loving". [Text of entire article.]

Subjects: Cooke, William G. (William Geoffrey), 1947-; Love - Religious aspects - Christianity - Biblical teaching; Jesus Christ - Teachings; Bible. Gospels - Criticism, interpretation, etc. - Anglican Church of Canada