Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science
Revised 31 July 20:30 CST — see shaded paragraphs 4th post in the series by Roger Parvus. The complete series is archived here. TDOP = The Death of Peregrinus by Lucian. Harmon’s translation here. In my previous post I argued that the so-called letter to Polycarp was originally a letter from Peregrinus to the man … Continue reading “[4] THE LETTERS SUPPOSEDLY WRITTEN BY IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH: 4th post in the series”
11 am 18th July 2011, Revised the section “What the Chapter is about” James McGrath begins his review of chapter 8 protesting that Doherty is placing a different interpretation on some known and agreed facts in order to argue a mythicist case. The chapter gets several things right and mentions important information about the context … Continue reading “Doherty’s Chapter 8 in outline & Review of McGrath’s review”
The complete series is archived here. I am genuinely grateful to Neil for allowing me to present on his blog a series of posts explaining my theory about the letters commonly attributed to Ignatius of Antioch. It should be understood that his permission does not imply that he concurs with the theory or any part … Continue reading “THE LETTERS SUPPOSEDLY WRITTEN BY IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH”
Continuing from the previous post, addressing McGrath’s comments on Doherty’s chapter 7. I have so often heard scholars repeat, as if it were a truism, that in pre-modern cultures that relied more on oral traditions and story-telling than on stick-it notes people had trained themselves to have remarkable memories. But I was obviously mistaken. McGrath … Continue reading “Doherty’s chapter 7 (2): reviewing McGrath’s review”
Reviewing James McGrath’s “review” of Doherty’s chapter 7. McGrath begins: Chapter 7 of Earl Doherty’s book Jesus: Neither God Nor Man turns attention to other characters in the Gospels and events that are not mentioned about them (sic) in the epistles: Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial, for starters. Presumably the first thing to note it … Continue reading “Doherty’s chapter 7 (1): McGrath’s attack of transient global amnesia”
The complete set of reviews to date is archived on this blog here and also on the Jesus Mysteries Yahoo Discussion Group. In this chapter of Jesus Potter Harry Christ Derek Murphy argues that Christianity began as a mystery religion formed as a Jewish synthesis of Greek and Egyptian mystery cult traditions. It had different … Continue reading “Jesus Potter Harry Christ – chapter 8. Did Christianity begin as a Mystery Religion?”
Earl Doherty has responded in detail to criticisms by James McGrath and others over chapter 6 of Jesus Neither God Nor Man. I have collated them in this post, and may add any future ones here, too. (Compare comments on my outline of chapter 6) Updated 31st May 2011 Brother of the Lord By now … Continue reading “Doherty answers McGrath and others (continuation of ch. 6 criticisms)”
Added two concluding paragraphs 2 hours after original posting, along with typo corrections. In the first section of the Jesus Neither God Nor Man Earl Doherty had in part argued that the early Christian correspondence is silent on ethical teachings from Jesus, Jesus’ apocalyptic predictions and Jesus’ calling of apostles during an earthly ministry. In … Continue reading “Jesus’ life in eclipse: Reviewing chapter 6 of Doherty’s Jesus Neither God Nor Man”
In his review of the second chapter of Earl Doherty’s Jesus Neither God Nor Man Dr James McGrath faulted Doherty for “deliberately downplaying” or “failing to grasp” that Paul’s letters were not written as treatises for the purpose of laying out all the basics about the life of Jesus: First and foremost, it must be … Continue reading “What McGrath forgot”
James McGrath once “reviewed” a chapter by Robert M. Price in The Historical Jesus: Five Views. In my estimation at that time, one for which I was censured by several people, was that McGrath was being blatantly dishonest in his reading and presentation of Price’s chapter. McGrath has said on several occasions that mythicists should … Continue reading “Why Is McGrath Spending Time on Doherty’s Book?”
All posts in this series are collated here. Chapter three of Derek Murphy’s book, Jesus Potter Harry Christ, discusses the evidence commonly cited for the historical existence of Jesus. In his view the arguments used to support the historicity of Jesus are often a mixture of inferences, deductions and references to common knowledge and unfounded … Continue reading ““Jesus Potter Harry Christ” review, part 3: Where’s the Proof?”
This is the final installment of Earl Doherty’s responses to James McGrath’s Menu of Answers for Mythicists. The previous two posts in this series are at Earl Doherty’s Antidotes for a James McGrath Menu Continuing Earl Doherty’s Antidotes . . . 7 to 12 This post completes Earl’s responses up to McGrath’s menu item #23. … Continue reading “Earl Doherty’s concluding responses to James McGrath’s Menu of Answers for Mythicists”
This post is a continuation of Earl Doherty’s responses to James McGrath’s Menu of Answers to Mythicists. The first installment, items 1 to 6, was posted here. Earl Doherty continues with menu item #7, preceding each of his responses with McGrath’s description in bold italics. Menu Entrée #7: “Demonstrating the likelihood that someone existed means … Continue reading “Continuing Earl Doherty’s antidotes for James McGrath’s Menu Items 7 to 12”
While one sometimes hears it said that the gospel message when first heard in the early Roman empire was “shocking” and “turned the world upside down”, it is in fact more correct to say that the gospel message was a product of its age. In the century or so leading up to the common era … Continue reading “Christianity and the “let’s turn the world upside down” bandwagon”