I know its been about three weeks since I updated last, but some news.
(1) You’ll notice that I have removed some of the blog posts on here. Not to worry, they’ll return. You may have to update your links to them if you’re linking in. They’ll be back around mid-April.
(2) I’ve been very busy lately working on submissions; too busy to contribute anything here. I apologize to my frequent visitors for not updating as frequently or with new content. As mid-year approaches I will be weighed down with other responsibilities, but I’ll try to keep everyone updated as more good things happen.
(3) There is a certain internet apologist who feels it is his duty as a devout Christian to slander my name across the web. At some point in the future, a portion of this blog will be sectioned off to deal with the claims made by this individual, along with documentation and correspondence which has been omitted or ignored by the perpetrator in order to continue his slander campaign. In light of some recent identity theft crimes that this person may have committed, some other colleagues and I may be launching a full legal investigation. In light of similar identity theft and cyberbullying incidents that happened to Dr. Schiffman (so similar, in fact, that its eerie), along with the charges filed against Normal Golb’s son for committing the crimes, there is a good chance authorities will be looking into the matter. Updates to follow.
Note: Its one thing to have opinions. Opinions are like noses, after all; everyone has them (and its their right to). But engaging in slander and posing as academic individuals to harass somebody else because you feel that it is your god-given duty to destroy that person’s reputation–that is something entirely different. It’s also illegal.
April 15, 2009 at 9:45 am
Tom, so glad to see you publishing under your name. How are things?
April 15, 2009 at 9:48 am
Chris,
Good to hear from you. Things are going well, I can’t complain. Starting school soon. You?
May 16, 2009 at 10:40 am
Good to here from you. Was wondering what you thought about the haggadic midrash strain of scholarship that has arose out of Wolfgang Roth’s work nearly twenty years ago. I had in mind Robert M. Price’s New Testament Narrative as Old Testament Midrash http://www.robertmprice.mindvendor.com/art_midrash1.htm and John MacDonald’s article “The Pious Fraud” at http://www.caseagainstfaith.com under the submissions section. Any thoughts?
May 17, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Ally, thank you for this. I think that there are good arguments for and against the ‘genre’ Midrash. The main criticism is that the Gospels do not best represent the style of Midrash common in antiquity and I agree. I tend to lean more towards the Gospels as Novels which were quite common in the period, even by Jewish authors. My up and coming book will handle some of the burden of presenting an argument for this.