Jesus is a fable, says dissident Australian priest
July 27, 2011
Father Peter Kennedy, a dissident Australian priest who was removed from his pastorate in 2009, says that Jesus is a “fable” or “metaphor” and that God does not answer prayers.
“There is no corroborating evidence for the existence of a person called Jesus,” he told the AAP news agency. “The Gospels must not ever be taken literally. Scripture scholars tell us that.”
“It's true I've given up on that sort of a God, that sort of a being that sits up there in heaven somewhere and intervenes in human affairs,” he added. “If you believe in a God that intervenes into human history, why didn't God intervene in the massacre in Norway? Whatever God is, God is not that sort of God, obviously.”
“I do not believe in worshipping God,” he continued. “Whatever God is . . . that God does not need to be worshipped.”
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Further information:
- Priest still believes, but not in Jesus (AAP)
- Rebel priest Peter Kennedy gives up on worshipping God (Courier-Mail)
- Brisbane's Catholic 'community in exile' walks out of church (CWN, 4/20/09)
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Posted by: lauriem5377 -
Jul. 28, 2011 8:28 AM ET USA
Another lost priest for whom we should pray...and also for those being led astray - that they will open their hearts and come back to our Lord. We have a generation of souls many of whom have never had strong instruction in their faith - it is so easy for them to be led astray by dissendent clergy. I would like to see our churches undertake aggressive adult education in the basic truths of our faith in whatever manner would work for individual parishes.
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Posted by: -
Jul. 28, 2011 1:45 AM ET USA
To Justin: Empirical Science and Rationalism is not the enemy! The Church invented the Sciences! Why? As a pursuit of truth! The truth will set us free, and the truth can be found in many places, including History, Science and Philosophy. The problem with this priest is that his History is wrong, his Science is not Science, and his Philosophy is illogical.
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Posted by: nicholas.oswald2522 -
Jul. 28, 2011 12:30 AM ET USA
@Cornelius -- Well said, Sir!
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Posted by: Justin8110 -
Jul. 27, 2011 5:03 PM ET USA
He is just spouting off what the rationalist historical critical scripture scholars of today actually say. It's high time we return to interpreting scripture with the saints, fathers and doctors of the Church and stick to simple faith. By making a god of reason and trusting in empirical science and rationalism instead of God we move closer to apostasy. Did not our Lord say we must become as children...?
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Posted by: DrJazz -
Jul. 27, 2011 12:50 PM ET USA
Fr. Kennedy needs a lot of sorting out. Perhaps he could read Josephus, and find out that there is corroborating evidence of a person named Jesus who was crucified. That would be a start. How he got the idea that God deflects car bombs, I'm not sure. Was he unaware of other tragedies and massacres in human history before he was ordained? He's just finding out now how cruel the valley of tears can be? To paraphrase Archie Bunker: "Honestly, Father, sometimes you are so nave."
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Posted by: AgnesDay -
Jul. 27, 2011 12:27 PM ET USA
And this man is a priest? Why did he pursue ordination--to get deeply discounted airline tickets?
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Jul. 27, 2011 11:26 AM ET USA
Sadly what we have here is an apostate priest. He needs our prayers.
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Posted by: -
Jul. 27, 2011 8:13 AM ET USA
It is true, God most certainly does not need our worship. The need to worship God exists in us, however.
