OH FOR THE GOOD OLE DAYS OF TAKING A HAMMER TO THE FAITH OF CATHOLICS…

 

Figurative representations around the birth of Jesus in the form of Christmas cribs still inspire children and adults alike.

There’s artificial intelligence and then there is artificial intelligence intelligence:

Raymond Brown, in his influential study The Birth of the Messiah (1977), did not explicitly use the term "demythologizing" but applied a method similar to it by separating the historical core of the infancy narratives from their theological, symbolic, and poetic elements. He argued that the accounts in Matthew and Luke are primarily "theologized" history rather than modern historical reporting, emphasizing their christological message over strict biographical accuracy. 

Key Aspects of Brown’s Approach:

• Historical Doubt: Brown expressed doubt about the historical character of many aspects of the infancy narratives.
• "Theologizing" over "Demythologizing": While similar to Bultmann’s process of demythologizing, Brown focused on identifying the specific christology (who Jesus is) conveyed by the evangelists.
• The Virginal Conception: Brown examined the virginal conception through a form-critical lens, acknowledging it as a dogma of the Church but questioning the sufficiency of the historical evidence.
• Differences in Narrative: He argued that the differences between Matthew and Luke’s accounts suggest they are not based on the same direct source, which, according to some interpretations, strengthens the argument for a "historical core" at their base.
• Focus on Meaning: Brown emphasized that the purpose of the narratives was to present theological truths about Jesus, such as his identity as the Son of God and Messiah, using OT imagery (e.g., Joseph's dreams, Moses parallels). 

Controversy and Reception:

• Criticism: Brown's approach was controversial and criticized by some traditional Catholic scholars for being overly liberal, potentially placing his findings in tension with traditional Church doctrine on the historical accuracy of Scripture.
• Focus on Intent: Other critics argued that the evangelists did not intend to write non-historical "allegories," but that the theological message was meant to rest on historical fact. 

Brown was a key figure in applying modern, critical biblical scholarship to the infancy narratives, separating the "what happened" from the "what it means."