John Dudley Willis
John earned his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1989, with a three-volume study, "'Love Your Enemies': Sixteenth Century Interpretations." This was the era of the Wars of Religion, and the study laid bare the theological reasoning used by Christian leaders whose Churches were warring, slaying, torturing, raping, plundering, and expatriating Other Christians, whose beliefs and religious practices were different.
That work contained the seeds for a book that appeared 30 years later, "Our Violent World and the Ethics of Jesus" [ISBN 978-1-6847-1228-1 (sc); ISBN 978-1-6847-1230-4 (hc); ISBN 978-1-6847-1229-8 (e)]. John calls this nonreligious historical work a literary "declaration of war against 1700 years of Christian destruction."
Part 1 is a deeply footnoted summary of the history of Christian violence, in Europe and the United States, prompted by Churches and Nation-States.
Part 2 contains fresh translations from the Greek New Testament of all violence-related commands, teachings, and interactions of the Biblical Jesus, alleged to have been those of the Historical Jesus.
Part 3 demonstrates how the Apostle Paul, the Emperor Constantine, and the theologian Aurelius Augustine each played decisive roles in undermining the Biblical Jesus Traditions on violence.
Part 4 shows World War 3 in progress, with the United States and Russia both poised 24/7/365 to fire nuclear weapons at each other, IRONICALLY each with nearly the same percentage of Christians (ca. 75%), i.e., a Christian political super-majority, ready to annihilate millions of innocent Fellow Christians.
John is President of Leadership Ethics Online LLC [LEO], a company promoting ethical values and ethical leadership in all organizations, in the United States and world at large (www.leadershipethicsonline.com).
Phone: 502-232-0506
Address: John D. Willis PhD, President
Leadership Ethics Online LLC
7957 HEMPRIDGE RD
Shelbyville, KY 40065
That work contained the seeds for a book that appeared 30 years later, "Our Violent World and the Ethics of Jesus" [ISBN 978-1-6847-1228-1 (sc); ISBN 978-1-6847-1230-4 (hc); ISBN 978-1-6847-1229-8 (e)]. John calls this nonreligious historical work a literary "declaration of war against 1700 years of Christian destruction."
Part 1 is a deeply footnoted summary of the history of Christian violence, in Europe and the United States, prompted by Churches and Nation-States.
Part 2 contains fresh translations from the Greek New Testament of all violence-related commands, teachings, and interactions of the Biblical Jesus, alleged to have been those of the Historical Jesus.
Part 3 demonstrates how the Apostle Paul, the Emperor Constantine, and the theologian Aurelius Augustine each played decisive roles in undermining the Biblical Jesus Traditions on violence.
Part 4 shows World War 3 in progress, with the United States and Russia both poised 24/7/365 to fire nuclear weapons at each other, IRONICALLY each with nearly the same percentage of Christians (ca. 75%), i.e., a Christian political super-majority, ready to annihilate millions of innocent Fellow Christians.
John is President of Leadership Ethics Online LLC [LEO], a company promoting ethical values and ethical leadership in all organizations, in the United States and world at large (www.leadershipethicsonline.com).
Phone: 502-232-0506
Address: John D. Willis PhD, President
Leadership Ethics Online LLC
7957 HEMPRIDGE RD
Shelbyville, KY 40065
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Papers by John Dudley Willis
Drafts by John Dudley Willis
The Introduction explains how the main body of the book is a direct response to historical studies and current observations.
All the violence-related texts found in the Greek Gospels--the Biblical Jesus' commands, teachings, and deeds--are (1) translated, with the Greek put in the footnotes; (2) critically examined only for what the texts contain, with some footnotes on texts and historical data; (3) evade no substantive issues in the "hard sayings"--such as "do not resist an evildoer...turn the other cheek...love your enemies," directly addressing how these are biologically anti-instinctual and irrational; and (4) demonstrate from Jesus' violence-related deeds he had a direct role in events leading up to his death, which texts allege he understood and foreknew.
A chapter follows the Greek analyses answering the question, "What happened to Jesus' authority, after he no longer was on the earth"? An examination of The Book of Acts and Pauline Epistles shows the Apostles (1) basically never referred to the alleged commands and teachings of Jesus and (2) are absent interest in either the life and work of the Biblical Jesus left to us, other than the crucifixion and resurrection. Forms of faith communities arose with a Dogmatic Jesus, disconnected from the Biblical Jesus who gave many commands, apparently forever applicable.
No theology is allowed in the book, other than any theology contained in the alleged words and deeds of Jesus. The Gospels' writers' views are omitted, and all Church dogmas. The results are dramatic. The author believes readers who are Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, who have other religious, who are "spiritual but not religious," who are skeptics and atheists, will find the core contents both surprising and refreshing.
The author is candid as to his religious motivations, which do not infect in any way the core content. Orthodox Christians will find reading the Greek texts, without the support of their theology, produces heterodox results. In fact, some of the Biblical Jesus' commands suggest that militaristic Christians will be rejected and condemned by him, precisely due to disobedience, which proves they are not the Children of God.
The author admits belief that God motivated and helped the work because, in the author's faith, there is some divine concern for the slaughter of the innocent by religious people. However, because the author has empathy for atheism generated by religious violence, the book was written as historical-textual demonstration that whoever the Historical Jesus was, the Biblical Jesus utterly destroys the Dogmatic Jesus and the violence of 1700 years and counting, done by Christians who follow the dead theological construct.
The attached Introduction may have a few errors, which will be corrected upon final editing. You may contact him at [email protected], for questions and comments.
Books by John Dudley Willis
The Introduction explains how the main body of the book is a direct response to historical studies and current observations.
All the violence-related texts found in the Greek Gospels--the Biblical Jesus' commands, teachings, and deeds--are (1) translated, with the Greek put in the footnotes; (2) critically examined only for what the texts contain, with some footnotes on texts and historical data; (3) evade no substantive issues in the "hard sayings"--such as "do not resist an evildoer...turn the other cheek...love your enemies," directly addressing how these are biologically anti-instinctual and irrational; and (4) demonstrate from Jesus' violence-related deeds he had a direct role in events leading up to his death, which texts allege he understood and foreknew.
A chapter follows the Greek analyses answering the question, "What happened to Jesus' authority, after he no longer was on the earth"? An examination of The Book of Acts and Pauline Epistles shows the Apostles (1) basically never referred to the alleged commands and teachings of Jesus and (2) are absent interest in either the life and work of the Biblical Jesus left to us, other than the crucifixion and resurrection. Forms of faith communities arose with a Dogmatic Jesus, disconnected from the Biblical Jesus who gave many commands, apparently forever applicable.
No theology is allowed in the book, other than any theology contained in the alleged words and deeds of Jesus. The Gospels' writers' views are omitted, and all Church dogmas. The results are dramatic. The author believes readers who are Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, who have other religious, who are "spiritual but not religious," who are skeptics and atheists, will find the core contents both surprising and refreshing.
The author is candid as to his religious motivations, which do not infect in any way the core content. Orthodox Christians will find reading the Greek texts, without the support of their theology, produces heterodox results. In fact, some of the Biblical Jesus' commands suggest that militaristic Christians will be rejected and condemned by him, precisely due to disobedience, which proves they are not the Children of God.
The author admits belief that God motivated and helped the work because, in the author's faith, there is some divine concern for the slaughter of the innocent by religious people. However, because the author has empathy for atheism generated by religious violence, the book was written as historical-textual demonstration that whoever the Historical Jesus was, the Biblical Jesus utterly destroys the Dogmatic Jesus and the violence of 1700 years and counting, done by Christians who follow the dead theological construct.
The attached Introduction may have a few errors, which will be corrected upon final editing. You may contact him at [email protected], for questions and comments.