Virtually all scholars agree that Jesus did one very risky thing: he exorcised demons. Exorcism was an illicit activity in the Roman world, so why would Jesus risk condemnation, arrest, and even death for the sake of the demon-possessed? Some point to his compassion. Roger Busse, a thirty-nine-year veteran of risk analysis and a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, has another answer from the world in which he lives: risk assessment. People engage in risky ventures only when not doing so would pose even greater risks. What was the greater risk for Jesus? He believed that his land and home, then suffering under foreign occupation, was filled with demons. He believed that if he did not drive them off, all might be lost and the forces of darkness might win out, leaving only the kingdom of Satan. Given this context, Busse reassesses the gospel traditions. Using risk analysis, Busse provides a new approach that recovers the specific charismatic practices, sayings, and parables that the exorcist Jesus' employed in his deliberate and dangerous strategy to drive Satan from the land and reestablish the kingdom of God. To Be Near the Fire offers a new portrait of Jesus and the origins of Christianity.
How would ancients, particularly Jesus' enemies, have understood what he was doing in his exorcisms--the mechanisms, the techniques, and the outcomes? And why would anyone have risked associating with a man thought possessed by Beelzebul and engaged in illegal, shadowy, even disreputable activity? The result is an engaging and enlightening read of the Jesus tradition in its contemporary setting that is sure to surprise, and perhaps even delight the reader whose mind is open to new ideas and able to handle the subtleties of cross cultural exploration. Why was Jesus labeled a dark magician, an "evildoer?" Why did he use illegal practices to expel demons? Why was he crucified and not stoned, stabbed, or beheaded like other Roman antagonists, such as John the Baptist? Why was his body entombed in stone and not thrown into the city dump? Most important, why would anyone accept the perilous risk of admitting to have seen this condemned dark magician after crucifixion, and then proclaim him "master?" Roger Busse, a forty-year veteran of risk analysis and graduate of Harvard Divinity School, carefully analyzes these questions and the post-crucifixion encounters with Jesus in their contemporary setting, recovering nine highly reliable encounters.
Paul's conflict with viscous enemies, human and otherwise, led him to employ efficacious powers, charismata (charismatic powers), and controversial and sometimes illegal practices that are only coherent when placed in context of the first century Hellenistic-Roman world. These included soul and spirit transportation, possession, and exorcisms, special techniques to repel demonic attack, as well as what was considered the darkest of black magic in the ancient world--the casting of death curses, which called on Satan to infect, harm, and even kill his enemies. All of these can be recovered in striking detail using risk analysis of his undisputed writings and comparing them with contemporary sources, papyri, and documents independent of the New Testament. The results demonstrate that Paul's letters are so much more than simply intellectual and rhetorical correspondences--they are infused with dangerous mystical and charismatic powers feared in an ancient world that was saturated with prevalent, active dark forces and multi-layered human and supernatural conflicts; of angels and demons at war; of charismata and anathemata (deadly curses); and Paul's expectation of the hemera kuriou, "Day of the Lord," that would defeat Satan and the curse of death via pistis (faith) in the efficacious euangelion (gospel) of agape (love).
Paul’s conflict with viscous enemies, human and otherwise, led him to employ efficacious powers, charismata (charismatic powers), and controversial and sometimes illegal practices that are only coherent when placed in context of the first century Hellenistic-Roman world. These included soul and spirit transportation, possession, and exorcisms, special techniques to repel demonic attack, as well as what was considered the darkest of black magic in the ancient world—the casting of death curses, which called on Satan to infect, harm, and even kill his enemies. All of these can be recovered in striking detail using risk analysis of his undisputed writings and comparing them with contemporary sources, papyri, and documents independent of the New Testament. The results demonstrate that Paul’s letters are so much more than simply intellectual and rhetorical correspondences—they are infused with dangerous mystical and charismatic powers feared in an ancient world that was saturated with prevalent, active dark forces and multi-layered human and supernatural conflicts; of angels and demons at war; of charismata and anathemata (deadly curses); and Paul’s expectation of the hemera kuriou, “Day of the Lord,” that would defeat Satan and the curse of death via pistis (faith) in the efficacious euangelion (gospel) of agape (love).
Virtually all scholars agree that Jesus did one very risky thing: he exorcised demons. Exorcism was an illicit activity in the Roman world, so why would Jesus risk condemnation, arrest, and even death for the sake of the demon-possessed? Some point to his compassion. Roger Busse, a thirty-nine-year veteran of risk analysis and a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, has another answer from the world in which he lives: risk assessment. People engage in risky ventures only when not doing so would pose even greater risks. What was the greater risk for Jesus? He believed that his land and home, then suffering under foreign occupation, was filled with demons. He believed that if he did not drive them off, all might be lost and the forces of darkness might win out, leaving only the kingdom of Satan. Given this context, Busse reassesses the gospel traditions. Using risk analysis, Busse provides a new approach that recovers the specific charismatic practices, sayings, and parables that the exorcist Jesus' employed in his deliberate and dangerous strategy to drive Satan from the land and reestablish the kingdom of God. To Be Near the Fire offers a new portrait of Jesus and the origins of Christianity.
How would ancients, particularly Jesus' enemies, have understood what he was doing in his exorcisms--the mechanisms, the techniques, and the outcomes? And why would anyone have risked associating with a man thought possessed by Beelzebul and engaged in illegal, shadowy, even disreputable activity? The result is an engaging and enlightening read of the Jesus tradition in its contemporary setting that is sure to surprise, and perhaps even delight the reader whose mind is open to new ideas and able to handle the subtleties of cross cultural exploration. Why was Jesus labeled a dark magician, an "evildoer?" Why did he use illegal practices to expel demons? Why was he crucified and not stoned, stabbed, or beheaded like other Roman antagonists, such as John the Baptist? Why was his body entombed in stone and not thrown into the city dump? Most important, why would anyone accept the perilous risk of admitting to have seen this condemned dark magician after crucifixion, and then proclaim him "master?" Roger Busse, a forty-year veteran of risk analysis and graduate of Harvard Divinity School, carefully analyzes these questions and the post-crucifixion encounters with Jesus in their contemporary setting, recovering nine highly reliable encounters.
What was Galilee actually like in the first century? Whether one was a peasant or a wealthy landowner, a member of the Herodian ruling class or Roman aristocracy, Galilee was known to be inhabited by dangerous, malevolent phantasms, demons and evil spirits. The evidence, drawn from an exhaustive review of contemporary sources and literature, is overwhelming—a world completely alien to our own. There was no middle class, only the powerful and the poor. Poverty, foreign occupation, demonic proliferation, corrupt overseers, and onerous quotas, all underscored the daily struggle for subsistence among the peasants of Galilee who lived tiny, poor working villages. Life lasted only twenty-six years; forty percent of children died by the age of twelve. Contextual risk analysis allows entry into this first-century world of Jesus with remarkable clarity. How and why did Jesus engage with demons and condemn the elite and demonic imperialism? Why was he labeled an “evil-doer?” Why were traditions about the Galilean women suppressed? Why was Jesus ritually killed? The figures of Jesus, his opponents and those who followed into peril emerge in startling clarity, leaving us standing with Jesus in Galilee.
Pulmonary rehabilitation programmes are now a fundamental part of the clinical management of patients with chronic respiratory diseases. This comprehensive reference book places pulmonary rehabilitation within the wider framework of respiratory disease, and the health burden that this now poses worldwide. Part one of the book examines the evidence
Paul's conflict with viscous enemies, human and otherwise, led him to employ efficacious powers, charismata (charismatic powers), and controversial and sometimes illegal practices that are only coherent when placed in context of the first century Hellenistic-Roman world. These included soul and spirit transportation, possession, and exorcisms, special techniques to repel demonic attack, as well as what was considered the darkest of black magic in the ancient world--the casting of death curses, which called on Satan to infect, harm, and even kill his enemies. All of these can be recovered in striking detail using risk analysis of his undisputed writings and comparing them with contemporary sources, papyri, and documents independent of the New Testament. The results demonstrate that Paul's letters are so much more than simply intellectual and rhetorical correspondences--they are infused with dangerous mystical and charismatic powers feared in an ancient world that was saturated with prevalent, active dark forces and multi-layered human and supernatural conflicts; of angels and demons at war; of charismata and anathemata (deadly curses); and Paul's expectation of the hemera kuriou, ""Day of the Lord,"" that would defeat Satan and the curse of death via pistis (faith) in the efficacious euangelion (gospel) of agape (love). ""This work represents a new approach to the problem of Paul's opponents. If you are willing to hear what an intelligent, attentive, risk expert and sojourner has to say about these texts we know as familiar, and yet are still strange, I recommend this work and its author to you."" --Stephen J. Patterson, Willamette University ""Busse has an extensive background and expertise in the application of risk analysis. This new approach evaluates responses to risk evidenced in ancient texts when placed in their contemporary setting. I recommend this study and author to you."" --Paul Slovic, University of Oregon, President, Decision Research ""It happens rarely that someone who is well educated in a completely different field makes a serious effort to engage in Bible scholarship from the perspective of one's own discipline. Extending his use of risk assessment methods to the historical Jesus in his previous book, Busse now applies them to the problem of understanding Paul and his enemies. Offering a rich, textured reading of the historical Paul in his first century background, Busse succeeds in presenting Paul and the early church in their complexity."" --Loren Crow, PhD Roger S. Busse is a recognized specialist in risk analysis, and a graduate of Reed College and Harvard Divinty School. His awarded career has spanned over forty years, from CEO of a nationally recognized institution to SVP of risk administration. Busse is a certified management consultant, adjunct professor, and author of two industry texts, The Essentials of Commercial Lending and Business Profiles, and two books on risk analysis and Christian origins, To be Near the Fire and Jesus, Resurrected.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.