Gospel Lite

It's "Jesusanity":

"Jesusanity" is a coined term for the alternative story about Jesus. Here the center of the story is still Jesus, but Jesus as either a prophet or a teacher of religious wisdom. In Jesusanity, Jesus remains very much Jesus of Nazareth. He points the way to God and leads people into a journey with God. His role is primarily one of teacher, guide, and example. Jesus' special status involves his insight into the human condition and the enlightenment he brings to it. There is no enthronement of Jesus at God's side, only the power of his teaching and example. In this story, the key is that Jesus inspires others, but there is no throne for him. He is one among many – the best, perhaps, and one worthy to learn from and follow.

The post (which is a review of a book debunking the idea) caught my eye because while I've heard a goodish bit of this kind of talk lately, I've never seen a name put to it. It strikes me as a way to rationalize being able to say nice things about Jesus ("He was kind to children! He didn't kill cute puppies! He separated his plastics!") while at the same time avoiding the leap that true Faith demands.

UPDATE: Dropped below the fold for the benefit of certain of our regular readers, I can't resist reposting this little a propos gem. (If you don't want to look, don't click. Then everybody's happy, right?)

Heh. Hey, don't blame me - blame the Elves!