Assignment Task:
In Chapter 6 Rausch summarizes what we know about the death of Jesus and how it was interpreted by Jesus and his followers. Please summarize briefly what Rausch says about 1) "The offense behind Jesus' death" (96-98); 2) the "theological perspectives" generated by his disciples to make sense of "the stunning shame ... and their own embarrassment" (99) including a.) the rejected prophet (99), b.) the suffering righteous one (100), c.) a redemptive death (101), and d.) the stone rejected by the builders (101) (99-103); and 3) what we can gather from the Last Supper and other sources about how Jesus understood his own approaching death (103-109)? Then briefly state whether this portrait is consistent with what you have heard and/or learned about Jesus in the past.
Chapter 7 examines the experiences and the process of reflection that led his followers to believe that Jesus had been raised by his Father (God) from the dead. Briefly summarize 1) what Rausch calls "the Easter experience" (111-113); 2) the elements of "the Easter tradition" (113-118); and 3) Rausch's answers to the following questions: a) Is the resurrection an "historical event or the product of faith?" (118-120), b) "Is 'faith' necessary to perceive the risen Jesus?" (120-121), and c) what is the mission of those who have seen the risen Jesus (122-123)?