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Tuesday, April 22, 1980
University Daily Kansan
Gnostics unjustly labeled heretics
By KEVIN MILLS Staff Reporter
The Gnostics, a Christian sect in Egypt whose members were branded heretics in the fourth century, were untimely maligned by the early Christians, an expert on Gnostic texts said yesterday.
James A. Brasher, associate director of the institute for Antiquity and Christianity in California, was final lecturer of the "Recessional Bible" conference on Sunday the Bible" conference yesterday and Sunday in the Union. The conference was held at the department of religious studies at KU.
Brashler has devoted much of the last decade to study of the Nag Hammadm cadices, a collection of Gnostic writings uncovered in 1945 along the Nile River.
THE WORKS were found by Muhammed Ali, an Egyptian peasant, near the town of Nag Hammadi.
"Muhammad Ali in Egypt is like John Jones or John Smith in the U.S.", "Brashler said.
Ali found a corpse and a large jar while digging among rocks under a rock, Brasher said. To Ali's dismay, the jar contained old books rather than jewels and trinkets.
The books were written by monks of the Gnostic sect, and scholars believe they were the monks who were expelled from the church for heresy.
Translation of the documents did not come until 1970, after the lessening of political tensions allowed schools to enter Egypt. First English translation appeared in 1977.
"We have in these documents the expansion of what is a rather persistent part of the human religious experience." Brashster can be called the Gnostic phenomenon.
"Many of the texts in Nag Hammadi are the original writings of Gnostics who felt they had experienced a vision."
THE UNORTHODOX thinking of the monks led to the claims of heresy, Brashler said. The word "heresy" is derived from a
"Orthodoxy is really the most successful heresy," Brasher said. "It is the school of thought that has emerged victorious."
Greek word which means body of knowledge, he said.
In one of the text passages, God is described in terms of a cosmic mind, he said. The writer claimed to receive a vision from God's mediator, Hermes.
Some Gnostics conceived of a trinity of father, mother and son.
"Much of Gnostic literature describes a woman as a woman of wisdom, "Sometimes the polarity, like maleform or matter-spirit. But the opposites are rec reconciled or held within a creative union."
One scholar suggested that Gnosticism was rejected by the paternalistic hierarchy of the Catholic church because of the male-female concept, Brasher said.
"What has happened is that persons who have a definite axi to grind have managed to arrange the evidence to fit a conceived theory." The answer goes too far when she says that all the
feminine imagery has disappeared from orthodox Christian religion, because there was no orthodox Christian religion.
"But that it occurred, that the diyeth has been construed as masculine, is incontestable."
"Gnosticism is a system that describes a deity that is incomprehensible, that is beyond human concept." Brasher said.
BRASHLER THE SAID that much of the Gnostic theology is negative in tone but it describes God in impossible terms—God as unlimited, God as unenapproachable.
He read a passage from the text which said that God has no beginning, because 'everyone who has a beginning has an end. No one who starts a journey who has a name is the creation of another.'
A complete set of facsimiles of the Nag Hammad text, plus artifacts and illustrations, are on display in the Helen Foresman Spencer Museum of Art in the New Acquisitions room. The display is on loan to Institute for Antiquity and Christianity.
Bible used in anti-Semitism talk
BY JUDITH LYNN HOWARD
Staff Reporter
Anti-Semitism has its grasp within the church of Christianity, A. Thomas Krabel, a University of Minnesota professor of religion said at the Kansas university.
During a segment of "Archaeological Discoveries and the Bible," sponsored by the Minnesota's department of religious studies, Krabbel's lecture, "Evidence from the Bible: Excavations," outlined evidence of a Christian bias against Jews in the New Testament.
Krabal said the New Testament was an "illustration of a peculiar relationship which has existed between Christians and Jews."
That bias makes it "impossible for both sides to win," he said.
He used excerpts from the Laving Bible, and the Revised Standard Version to illustrate Christian anti-Semitism in the Bible.
Kraabel said the Living Bible has some "unconscious anti-Semitism built in."
FOR EXAMPLE, John 19:11 in the Living Bible reads: "So those who brought Me to you have the greater sin." Here, Krabe said, the Living Bible has transferred the sins of Jesus to Judas, for betraying Christ, to the palace: "those indicating all Jewish leaders.
In contrast, the Revised Standard Version reads: "Therefore he delivered me to you has the greater sin."
Kraabel said that in the Books of Luke and Acts, Luke exaggerates the role of the persecuting Jew in the founding of Christianity.
Luke describes the Jews as those who reject Christianity. Some Gentiles, rejected by the Jews, instead convert to Christianity and reach it to the Gentile world, Kraeban.
However, archaeologists now have reason to believe that it was the Diaspora Jews.
those who later became Christians, who spread the gospel. An example of such a Jew is Paul, he said.
The term "Diaspora" also refers to Jews dispersed throughout the Roman Empire, outside of Palestine.
THE ADVANTAGE of the Diaspora Jew, according to Krabal, that he could relate to the Jewish and Gentile cultures.
However, Luke's depiction of the Jews as a monolithic group that persecuted Christians is false, he said.
Color slides of Jewish culture in Sardis and Athens illustrated archaeological findings that suggest a more diverse group of Jewish people.
For example, a synagogue in Sardis, included in the construction of a Roman bath and gymnasium, indicates Jewish parish in that Roman society, Kraebal said.
Another slide was a photograph of a menorah and a palm etched into a marble
scrap. The piece of marble was found in the marketplace of classical Athens, which also indicates established Jewish diversity, he added.
A NEGATIVE image of the Jew was funneled into western civilization, Krabel said today, some Jews and Gentiles alike were under the Book of Acts depicts the Jewish people.
Kraabel said Luke wrote the story as he did for theological reasons.
It was necessary that the Jews reject Christianity to fit Luke's philosophy, he explained. It was also necessary to show a sacrifice. The Jews because they rejected Christ, he said.
Krabal said that in the study of humanities and the arts these issues should be confronted on neutral ground such as an academic perspective, seeing progress toward discussing the issue.
"I'm pleased that the exposure of this false story is being carried out," he said.
Satellite Union to be dedicated Sunday
Nine months after opening its doors to students, the Satellite Union will be dedicated Sunday at 2 p.m.
An open house after the dedication ceremonies should last from about 2:45 to p.m., Pat Wolf, building superintendent for the United Station, said yesterday.
The ribbon will be cut by Marion Springer,
president of the University of Kansas
Memorial Corporation, the governing body
of the Union.
Bands will play on each level of the Union.
she said, and free refreshments will be provided.
Among the speakers at the dedication ceremony will be David Ambler, vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Jeff Ed Rolfs, former student body president.
Rofs was president in 1976 when the Student Senate passed a referendum to build the Satellite Union.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were Nov. 1, 1977.
Summer, fall Kansan editors named
The editor and business manager for the summer and fall Kansans were selected yesterday by the Kansan Board. Jennifer Roblez, Lawrence junior, will be summer editor and Mike Panethe, will be summer business manager.
Carole Beier, Kansas City, Kan,
senior will be editor in the fall semester
and Elaine Strahner, Overland Park
senior, will be fall business manager.
All completed applications are due in 105 Flint Hall by 5 p.m. today.
The Kansan is now accepting applications for the summer and fall 1980 application form and edithal staff. Application form number 105B Kansas Student Senate Office, 105B Kansas Union; in the Office of Student Services, 220 Strong Hall; and 105 Fint Hall.
Bus...
"The program has been growing," Marshall said. "You should just assume you will probably get a grant—if it just might not be enough." He always had a backlog in applications."
From page one
Marshall said federal grants were based on funding requests for bus systems on the volumes of first priority. He said that, with requests for funds climbing, plans for expansion were still underway.
Although UMTA seems well-stocked with dollars, there is a catch. As soon as a transit authority accepts federal grant money, a net of government regulations closes in.
For example, whenever federal money is involved, all workers must be paid minimum wage. Lawrence Bus Co. drivers must earn more than the federal minimum wage.
Carter said the needs for priority transportation, such as for the elderly and handicapped were already met. He said the organization sponsored by the Council on Aging, and the
MARSHALL SAID that because of a number of government regulations, smaller bus systems were opting for independence.
However, Lawrence is not even in the market for federal funds, according to Ed Carter, Lawrence mayor, who said there were no plans for a city bus system.
"Eighty percent of the cost of public transportation is labor," Marshall said, "and if you have to pay twice the labor costs for a small amount of money then you ruin the economy of it."
Jitney service, a small van that travels door-to-door at a low cost, as two examples.
CLYDE WOODS, Kansas Department of Transportation rural and regional planning engineer, was also less optimistic about extending KU's bus service.
"It it isn't always cut and dried," Woods said. "It is an awkward time in Lawrence."
There is some confusion over what federal funding category lawrence falls into, and what type of designate Lawrence as an "urbanized" area which would shift it to a new set of federal
In previous population counts Lawrence had fewer than 50,000 people, the federal cutoff for the "urbanized area" classification.
"if taxpayer's money is involved you must to cover the entire city, you can't pick your areas of service. That is an awful burden on the taxman."
"I don't know of a city in the United States that has a transportation system that is self-supporting," Ogle said. "There is no city that looks like to be in the transportation business."
Diane Ugle, Lawrence Bus Company
operated a percentage of "KU on Wheels" ridesharing
and there was no financial incentive for
their use in the costs of a mass
transportation system.
Ogle said prospects for "KU on Wheels" federal grant money for private operators as such himself looked dim. There are 25,000 private operators and 29,000 private operators in the U.S.
Waxman denies charges, validity of memorandum
By STEVE MAUN Staff Reporter
David Waxman, executive vice chairman of the College of Business and Information Center, chaperoned his daughter yesterday to discuss a statement he had issued denying charges that he manipulated funds and forced adamant actions against him.
The statement was prepared by Waxman, Earth Hoogstraten, former director of the Medical Department at the University of Lowland, dean of the School of Medicine in response to rumors generated from an initial memorandum allegedly sent by Waxman to Chancellor Archie R. Dyess last
THE MEMORANDUM alleged that Waxman forced two administrators, including Hogstromer, to their positions, and that Waxman would fire other administrators, including Lowman.
It also alleged that Waxman tried to manipulate funds to cover a $2.5 million deficiency in the cancer center's federal grant to keep the center operating.
Waxman said, "I met with our chairmen and they all seemed to be interested in what I had to say. I'm going to circulate the statement."
The statement said that the memorandum was a fake and that Hoogstraten resigned Jan. 25 because he intended to seek another position.
Darlom Sobdon is acting director of the Mid-America Cancer Center. Hoogstraten remains on the faculty as a professor of Oncology and the director of the South Oncology Group.
The oncology group is composed of 48 medical centers including KU. The group's headquarters is always located at the medical center where the chairman works.
WHEN HOOGSTRATEN moves the onco-headquarters also will be moved, taking with it about $1 million in operating funds at National Cancer Institute Waxman said.
"The whole thing is that the memo was false and as far as we are concerned there was no manipulation of funds." he said.
The cancer center was funded by a three year federal grant from the NCI that expired March 31, but the University ha
applied for a one-year extension grant.
Dykes is in Washington discussing federal funding but Waxman said he did not expect approval because federal education funding has been going down.
Park Plaza South Apartments Now leasing 1 and 2 br. apartments for fall semester Furnished and unfurnished apartments, on bus route, air conditioning, wall to wall carpeting.
1912 W. 25th Special summer rates available.
Offer good 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mon.-Fri. till April 30th
...
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SENIORS
LAST "Farewell to Bars"
PARTY
at
THE WHEEL
Tues., April 22
8-12 p.m.
all you can drink
$1 from class members
$3 from non-class members
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The University of Kansas Concert Series Proudly Presents
YOURI EGOROV
Pianist
"The biggest sensation among concert pianists since Van Cliburn . . ."
Tuesday, April 22, 1980
8:00 p.m.
Hoch Auditorium
Tickets on sale in the Murphy Hall Box Office
Public reserved seats for $6, $5, $4
KU students free with ID
Students must pick up tickets in advance
Friday's tickets will be honored
The Jayhawker Yearbook is now accepting applications for the 1981 Editor and Business Manager positions. Applications are available in the Jayhawker Office, 121B Kansas Union and must be received by 4 p.m., April 30, 1980.