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Reading the Four Gospels: The Power of Different Perspectives

#Bible #Christian #Gospels #Christianity #TheGospels #NewTestament #Religion Christians have a habit of trying to harmonize the discrepancies found in the Bible. Yet this practice contributes to stripping the Bible of what makes it interesting, and what can make it speak powerfully. Harmonizing involves eliminating differences, usually by pretending they aren't there or by forcing incongruous pieces into a clumsy agreement. It's like trying to explain to children why it's no big deal that the poem "The Night before Christmas" doesn't mention Rudolph, whom a certain song has led them to expect when the reindeer are named. At first, they'll let you contort the stories, but soon they figure out you're playing tricks. We do this all the time with the Bible, especially by combining distinctive elements from different Gospels into a composite narrative. Sometimes we have to do it, to keep track of all the pieces available to us for envisioning the big