---
title: "1 Called Reality Quotes By John Dominic Crossan"
description: "1 Called Reality quotes by John Dominic Crossan. Plus more from John Dominic Crossan and more Called Reality sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/john-dominic-crossan-29819_metaphor_when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tr_511611.jpg"
---

> [“When a metaphor gets big, it is called “tradition”; when it gets bigger, it is called “reality”;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tradition-when-it-gets-bigger/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/john-dominic-crossan-29819_metaphor_when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tr_511611.jpg)

## More by John Dominic Crossan

> [Jesus called for nonviolent resistance to Rome and just distribution of land and food. He was crucified because he threatened Roman stability -- not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/jesus-called-for-nonviolent-resistance-to-rome-and-just-distribution/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [“When a metaphor gets big, it is called “tradition”; when it gets bigger, it is called “reality”;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tradition-when-it-gets-bigger/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [Jesus is what God looks like in sandals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/jesus-is-what-god-looks-like-in-sandals/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [I can be absolutely comfortable with an apocalyptic Jesus because he was simply wrong. As long as he's wrong I don't worry about him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/i-can-be-absolutely-comfortable-with-an-apocalyptic-jesus-because-he/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [I'm talking from the point of view of the States, we tend to assassinate people like Jesus, or if we don't we simply marginalise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/i-m-talking-from-the-point-of-view-of-the-states-we-tend-to/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [Jesus told parables. When he wanted to say something really profound about God, he went into parable. I don't find it surprising then that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/jesus-told-parables-when-he-wanted-to-say-something-really-profound/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [If somebody says, you know, to love your enemies, you could say, 'Well I'm going to love them to death.' We've done that sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/if-somebody-says-you-know-to-love-your-enemies-you-could-say-well-i-m/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [“The ecstatic vision and social program sought to rebuild a society upward from its grass roots but on principles of religious and economic egalitarianism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/the-ecstatic-vision-and-social-program-sought-to-rebuild-a-society/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [“. . . I still hold two truths with equal and fundamental certainty. One: the British did terrible things to the Irish. Two: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/i-still-hold-two-truths-with-equal-and-fundamental-certainty-one-the/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [My point, once again, is not that those ancient people told literal stories and we are now smart enough to take them symbolically, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/my-point-once-again-is-not-that-those-ancient-people-told-literal/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [Now when you get something like the Apocalypse of John, when this avenging God is going to have blood to the bridle bits for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/now-when-you-get-something-like-the-apocalypse-of-john-when-this/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [Jesus' death by crucifixion under Pontius Pilate is as sure as anything historical can ever be. For if no follower of Jesus had written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/jesus-death-by-crucifixion-under-pontius-pilate-is-as-sure-as/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [The ... challenge of Christmas is this: justice is what happens when all receive a fair share of God's world and only such distributive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/the-challenge-of-christmas-is-this-justice-is-what-happens-when-all/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [“To obtain and possess the kingdoms of the world, with their power and glory, by violent injustice is to worship Satan. To obtain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/to-obtain-and-possess-the-kingdoms-of-the-world-with-their-power-and/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

> [It is impossible to avoid the suspicion that historical Jesus research is a very safe place to do theology and call it history, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/it-is-impossible-to-avoid-the-suspicion-that-historical-jesus/)

[John Dominic Crossan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dominic-crossan/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/john-dominic-crossan/#itemlist",
            "name": "1 Called Reality Quotes By John Dominic Crossan",
            "numberOfItems": 1,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "“When a metaphor gets big, it is called “tradition”; when it gets bigger, it is called “reality”;”",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "John Dominic Crossan"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dominic-crossan/when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tradition-when-it-gets-bigger/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/john-dominic-crossan-29819_metaphor_when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tr_511611.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/john-dominic-crossan-29819_metaphor_when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tr_511611.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/john-dominic-crossan-29819_metaphor_when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tr_511611.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“When a metaphor gets big, it is called “tradition”; when it gets bigger, it is called “reality”;” — John Dominic Crossan",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/john-dominic-crossan/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/john-dominic-crossan/",
            "name": "Called Reality Quotes by John Dominic Crossan",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/john-dominic-crossan/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba9/john-dominic-crossan-29819_metaphor_when-a-metaphor-gets-big-it-is-called-tr_511611.jpg"
            },
            "description": "1 Called Reality quotes by John Dominic Crossan. Plus more from John Dominic Crossan and more Called Reality sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/john-dominic-crossan/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/john-dominic-crossan/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Called Reality",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "John Dominic Crossan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-reality/john-dominic-crossan/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```