The True Myth Begins
Joshua Buzzard and Matthew Coombe Launch the Quest for Jesus’s Victory
"What if every epic, from Homer’s warriors to Norse gods to Shakespeare’s kings, whispered one real story? We say they do. His name is Jesus."
Joshua:
I believe theology is that discipline which strives to give a coherent statement of the doctrines of the biblical faith, based primarily on the scriptures, placed in the context of culture in general, worded in a contemporary idiom, and related to issues of life.1 That task demands a sharp view of Western culture, which I’ve honed through years of reading Homer, Shakespeare, and beyond. Today’s culture pulses with thousands of seemly insurmountable problems for us all. Jesus as the True Myth answers these. His story, a hero facing death and rising victorious, stuns me with its depth. It cuts through our shallow fixes and reveals humanity’s true shape. I want to speak this truth into our time and show how He redefines us.
Matt (Eikon Ash):
I serve as pastor at Crosby Chapel in Seabeck, WA and am an Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Liberty University online. My PhD in Theology and Apologetics emerged from years of early morning Starbucks sessions across Kitsap County and late-night Costco shifts.
Hero Myth speaks to our moral conscience, reminding us how we ought to behave. Luke Skywalker first sparked my love for Hero Myth. Over time, I built a Parthenon of favorite heroes drawn from video games and classic literature, fueling my fascination with Hero Myth. All heroes share the same weakness. A hero may prolong life or limit suffering, but none can truly conquer death. Even the mighty Superman cannot defeat death. When his beloved died, he could not resurrect her, so he reversed time to prevent her death—but only for a while.
Jesus Christ is the best possible hero because He defeated sin and death, while also removing the sting of suffering. He embodies the perfect heroic code without compromise, standing as both the cornerstone and king of my Parthenon. Coffee, books, rumination, and Socratic debates with mentors formed and sharpened my thesis. Jesus transcends a mere tale of heroism but emerges as the True Myth. Every culture tells of heroes battling fate. He outstrips them all. Born humble, He defies temptation, storms the temple, lifts the fallen, dies, and rises to rule flesh and spirit. That truth drives my teaching and preaching. I fought to uncover it and now live to share it.
Together:
This is The True Myth. We stake one claim: Jesus slays death and fulfills every myth from Gilgamesh to Hamlet. We’ll wield theology, philosophy, and narrative, in prose or poetry, to thrust Jesus into 2025’s chaos. Beyond tired arguments, we’ll hunt the truest tale and reveal how He outstrips myths, answers our deepest problems, and meets a culture adrift. We start here and sift truth from noise.
Our hope stands firm. He’s no relic. The hero still speaks, still fights, still wins. Walk with us.
This is roughly quoted from Millard Erickson in his work Christian Theology. 2nd edition. Baker Academic, 1998. Matt brought it to my attention that I had quoted him, though I didn’t realize it. I memorized some quotes from his work years ago and use the ideas often when I speak, so I quoted him (I think, though I’m not sure if it is exact) without thinking of the fact I quoted him. I believe this idea is in the first few chapters of his seminal work, though, because it is from memory, I’m not sure if it is word perfect.
Amen!