The Future of Christianity – by Arthur Bellinzoni '57

This book may rock your belief system, especially if you take Scripture literally but even if you accept it metaphorically.  You’ll have little choice but to agree with the analysis of our distinguished classmate, a Harvard Ph.D. in religion who spent a career teaching the New Testament at Wells College.

For me, the heart of the book is a study of how the New Testament relates to the Old in the development of the story of some of the most critical aspects of Jesus’ life.  Arthur writes that Jesus' early followers were so stunned by the void his disgraceful death left them (nothing happened), that they turned to the Old Testament for explanation. From there they buttressed what was known about Jesus and built the story we know today of his life and resurrection.  The OT gave them the authority they needed and also allowed them to argue that Jesus' life had been predicted.  The result ended up in the synoptic gospels the Christian world has taken as truth for two millennia.

By analyzing passages from both testaments, Arthur gives you the bridge.  It's shockingly clear.  All you need to do to check it yourself is to open your own Bible and follow the logic.  If such an analysis has been done before, it can't have been any more compelling than Arthur’s.  Arthur believes it may be unique.

From there, Arthur goes on to discuss significances and, eventually, his principal theme, which is that if main-line Christianity isn't to continue to lose membership and become, in effect, a minor sect in the panoply of world religions, it will have to push through sweeping reforms to make itself relevant to today's understandings of science and today's needs, not those of Roman Palestine.  Although this reviewer believes him to be optimistic, Arthur believes that what he recommends can be done.

                                                                                                Turhan Tirana