The Omnifarium - Religion/ReadTomHarpur.html

Read Tom Harpur

Category: Religion
Sat, 05 Mar 2005, 21:08

For about the past twenty years, I've been a semi-regular reader of Tom Harpur's column in the Toronto Star. Harpur has had a varied career, ranging from Anglican priest to religion editor of the Star to author. Although I didn't always agree with him, I always found his articles insightful and thought provoking. Generally, he was on the progressive side of Christianity. Occasionally, when reading his articles, I would think: "He's going to say it!". But then he'd always return back to the comfort of conventional Christianity.

That changed a couple of years ago. In his weekly column, he started down a progressive course where the destination was obvious (at least to me). The difference was that this time, there was no going back. After a few weeks of preparation, he finally came out and said it. He proclaimed the fact that Jesus was a myth.

For me, that fact was not news. Previously, I had read The Jesus Mysteries by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy. This is a popular and very readable treatment of the first few centuries of the Common Era, and how the myth of Jesus turned into "fact". Even earlier, I had read a couple of (less-readable) books by G.A. Wells on the same theme. Harpur (and Freke and Gandy) argue that although Jesus was just one of around 18 ancient mythical hero god figures, there is still great power in the meanings behind the stories.

Tom Harpur's analysis differed in that, although he repudiated one of the central tenets of convential Christianity, the discovery actually strengthened his faith! He explained further in his book "The Pagan Christ". In that book, he doesn't attempt to offer a complete argument. Rather, he encourages his readers to research the issue themselves, while discussing his own personal and immensely positive reactions to his discoveries.

For me, a liberal, atheist, Unitarian and secular humanist, Harpur's views have given me a new appreciation of Christianity and its true roots. "The Pagan Christ" should be required reading for anyone proclaiming an interest in Jesus.

Hans

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