2007-03-09

Review of “Existential Jesus” by John Carroll

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

by Neil Godfrey

For a little more on where John Carroll is coming from as the author of the Existential Jesus;

and for a link to a review (not a deep one — one of those by a regular newspaper reviewer) of Carroll’s Existential Jesus by Andrew Rutherford —

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21275645-25132,00.html (Link is preserved on Internet Archive’s WayBack Machine)

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"Thanks much for this book review. I think it expands, and contributes to, the effort in honouring Thomas that we with Lukasz originally had in mind with this volume. Best, Emanuel"

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Editor, An English Edition of Bruno Bauer’s 1843 Christianity Exposed
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"Neil, in my mature judgement (I am now an old man), this fine 4-part study is a brilliant reworking, an instructive restatement of Hayden White’s Metahistory (and his subsequent writings). Your critique of certain historiographic representations as imbedded in the case study of the “scientistic”, “empirical” Richard Carrier provides a solid starting point for the more honest “fictive” reading of the New Testament that you encourage. Your last paragraph is a very intelligent call to sensitive readers of these texts. I suspect a whole generation of biblical students has been educated without the insights provided by the incomparable White. Bravo!"

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https://earlywritings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=145080#p145080
Neil made a good synthesis of the work without being an “expert” of the field.

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Mike on Pitfalls in Seeking Authenticity in Ancient Texts: “Was proved centuries ago, God of Abraham was completely invented Cephas (Peter) and Paul invented Jesus from their “visions” Even…” Jul 2, 01:37
Paul Trejo on “Josephus and Jesus, New Evidence” – Review 3 – “received with pleasure”: “In my reading, Morton Smith (“Jesus the Magician,” 1978) offers a more cogent explanation for the text on Jesus by…” Jul 1, 04:34
Neil Godfrey on Pitfalls in Seeking Authenticity in Ancient Texts: “Yes indeed. I had the same reaction when Lucy Worsley read the “trial transcript” of Alice Driver per Foxe’s Book…” Jul 1, 04:01
Gordon Rouse on Pitfalls in Seeking Authenticity in Ancient Texts: “It does remind me of Lucy Worsely’s episode about Queen Mary. (Still on iView I see at time of posting)…” Jul 1, 03:19
Stephen on Speaking of Josephus . . . .: “I have read both links, and I think for the most part they are reasonable, and I agree the real…” Jun 29, 15:29
Stephen on Speaking of Josephus . . . .: “And the Judas Sicariots of the Way conspired with the Zealot chief priests of the Way to betray and murder…” Jun 29, 14:15
Stephen on Speaking of Josephus . . . .: “Thanks for the two links, Neil. They look very interesting. I am reading now.” Jun 29, 13:45
Stephen on Speaking of Josephus . . . .: “Good point about “cults” committing suicide when expecting an end to their group, with the Judas Sicariots on Masada coming…” Jun 29, 13:02
Neil Godfrey on Speaking of Josephus . . . .: “I was persuaded by Steve Mason on this point: https://vridar.org/2018/11/30/is-josephus-evidence-that-a-messianic-movement-caused-the-jewish-war/ and the evidence of no radical militant movement in time…” Jun 29, 02:50

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