More Than a Myth: A Brain-Stimulating Look at the Historical Jesus
Monks and Punks host Sander Hicks, joined by co-monk Luisa Giugliano, sits down with John J. Thatamanil—one of the most incisive theologians working today—for a sharp, accessible conversation on the historical Jesus.
We explore Jesus as a movement figure, not a mythic abstraction—and why that matters now. The conversation ranges from Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus and the Disinherited (Howard Thurman) to Paul Tillich, liberation theology, and the moral stakes of faith in an age of empire, violence, and institutional collapse.
Thatamanil brings deep scholarship without jargon. The result is a genuine brain-stimulator for anyone serious about spirituality, justice, or history.
Thatamanil is a former president of the North American Paul Tillich Society and the founding chair of the American Academy of Religion’s Theological Education Committee. He teaches at Union Theological Seminary and lectures widely in churches, colleges, and universities.
Listen here: https://shows.acast.com/monks-and-punks/episodes/more-than-a-myth-a-brain-stimulating-look-at-the-historical
Hear Rev. Dr. John J. Thatamanil live—beyond the podcast—at the following event in NYC and on Zoom:
LIVE EVENT — February 22
Let Us Stand With Jesus Against Violent Power A half-day micro-conference rooted in the radical tradition of the historical Jesus, convened in the spirit of Friends.
Jesus did not found an empire-friendly religion. He launched a poor people’s movement grounded in nonviolence, truth-telling, solidarity with the oppressed, and resistance to imperial power.
That fire has been dimmed by institutions that bless war, nationalism, and state violence in his name.
This gathering asks a direct question:
What would it mean now to stand with Jesus against violent power—not symbolically, but practically and collectively?
Together we will:
* Examine Christianity’s entanglement with empire
* Reclaim Jesus as a nonviolent movement leader
* Explore how faith communities can organize with moral clarity amid genocide, militarism, and eroding credibility
Speakers
* Rev. Dr. John J. Thatamanil (Union Theological Seminary)
* Amanda Daloisio (Catholic Worker)
* Marah Sarji, Palestinian feminist liberation theologian, Christians for a Free Palestine
Short talks. Q&A. Small-group discussion. Activist sharing.
Sunday, February 22 | 1–4 PM Free (NYC + Zoom) Complimentary Middle Eastern lunch at 12:30 PM
Location 15 Rutherford Place, NYC 10003 15th Street Monthly Meeting (Quakers)
Sponsored by the Speaker Events Committee
Please RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/let-us-stand-with-jesus-against-violent-power-tickets-1980704296871?aff=oddtdtcreator
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