EPISTLES FROM A MODERN CHRISTIAN
by
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Introduction
This book, "Epistles From a Modern Christian" is a collection of e-mails
that I wrote to friends who are interested in the story of Jesus Christ.
I am a member of a group of
ex-Jesuits who regularly correspond by e-mail with one another on matters of
faith and morals. There are presently two list-serves, one on the East coast
made up mainly of
It has been said that if you put
three Jesuits in a room you will get five opinions on any given subject. The
dialogue among the ex-Jesuits is brisk and brutal: no one gets a free ride on
any opinion. Everything is up for debate. The topics range over all the
spectra: the sex abuse scandal in the Church, homosexuality, gay marriages,
Republicans vs. Democrats, WMD and the war on Iraq, liberal interpretations of
the Bible vis-a-vis fundalmentalistic
views, etc. You name it and we will talk about it.
This collection of my e-mails is
but a snapshot of time amidst an on-going dialogue. There is, however, one
event that dominates and that is the release of Mel Gibson's movie, "The
Passion of the Christ". Released on Ash Wednesday of 2004, the movie has
galvanized the debate over how Americans interpret the story of Jesus of
Nazareth, as reported in the Gospels, and as interpreted by Mel Gibson in his
movie. Does the movie present the story of Christ accurately? Is it as it was?
Or is it a distortion based on Gibson's pre-Vatican II understanding of
Christianity?
I come down on the side of
approval for Gibson's desire to present the last twelve hours of Christ's life
on the big screen to educate the masses on how brutal and bloody the events
really were. The movie is indeed shocking in its brutality but, I say, not
unrealistically so. Most Christians grow up with a sanitized view of the
Passion and Death of Jesus of Nazareth. This movie adds flesh to our weekly
profession of “he suffered under Pontius Pilate, died and was buried”.
So, as one can see from the Table
of Contents, the subject matter for these e-mails is the life and death of the
Son of God, the Messiah, long predicted by the prophets of
My antagonists are those on the
list-serve who no longer believe that Jesus is God. Yes, there are some
ex-Jesuits who now think that the religion we once served is based on a false
interpretation of who Jesus of Nazareth was. They like his teachings, but do
not confess that he is the Lord of heaven and earth, the Second Person of the
Blessed Trinity, God Himself. They take every opportunity to point out to me
the errors of my faith in Him. I, on the other hand, say with that great
Christian writer, Martin Luther, "Heir stehe ich; Ich kann
nicht anders.
So hilf mir
Gott!"
Here is where I stand. I can do no other. So, help me God!
Wallace S. Jungers,
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Book Details
About the Book
This book, "Epistles From a Modern Christian" is a collection of e-mails
that the author wrote in 2004 to friends who are interested in the story of
Jesus Christ. Mr. Jungers is a member of a group
of some three hundred ex-Jesuits, who regularly correspond by e-mail with one
another on matters of faith and morals.
This collection of his e-mails is
but a snapshot of time amidst an on-going dialogue. There is,
however, one event that dominates, and that is the release of
Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ". Released on Ash
Wednesday of 2004, the movie has galvanized the debate over how Americans
interpret the story of Jesus of Nazareth, as reported in the Gospels, and
as interpreted by Mel Gibson. Does the movie present the story of Christ
accurately? Is it, “It is as it was”? Or is it a distortion based on Gibson's
pre-Vatican II understanding of Christianity?
The author comes down on the side
of approval for Gibson's desire to present the last twelve hours of Christ's
life on the big screen to educate us on how brutal and bloody the events really
were. The movie is, indeed, shocking in its brutality, but, Mr. Jungers contends, not unrealistically so. Most Christians
grow up with a sanitized view of the Passion and Death of Jesus of Nazareth.
This movie adds flesh to our weekly profession of “he suffered under
Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried”.
The content of these e-mails is
further education on the “vera
et sincera” of Jesus of Nazareth, from a modern
Christian, well versed in the Scriptures and traditions of the Christian
Church.
About the Author
Wallace S. Jungers, S.T.B., is a
graduate of
Mr. Jungers
taught Chemistry at
With this book, “Epistles from a
Modern Christian”, he continues his research into Early Christianity, which he
began with his other books:
Jesus Christ in
Glory (Rev. 2nd Ed.),
Reflections on
Christ in Glory,
Prayers of Early
Christianity,
Of the Holy
Spirit,
Resurrection,
The Beautiful One,
Augustine Latine,
The Evidence of
Christianity,
The Confessions of
The Passion of
Jesus Christ, and
Ancient Christian
Prayers,
And
The
Victory of the Early Christian Martyrs.
From the viewpoint of a modern
Christian, Mr. Jungers has been explaining the New Testament to believers who
are searching for a better understanding of the “vera
et sincera” (true and honest) deeds of Jesus of
Nazareth. Well versed in Greek and Latin, Mr. Jungers translates from the Greek
text of Mr. Kurt Aland et alii (4th Ed), called UBS4.
As an advocate of the modern
trend of “Praying the Scriptures”, Mr. Jungers brings life to these ancient
documents, which form the basis of the Christian Faith.
He lives in