‘Is This Not the Carpenter’ in the Mail Today!

So my coedited volume ‘Is This Not the Carpenter?’ The Question of the Historicity of the Figure of Jesus arrived today, much to my excitement (and confusion).  This is not due out for another two months (June 2012) but somehow a copy made its way to a third party bookseller on Amazon and I picked [...]

Richard Carrier’s Response Makes Ehrman Look Foolish

Which is a shame because I like Ehrman generally and think his work is generally good (though occasionally dated).  Because of Richard’s response I see no need to write a Part 2 to my response to Ehrman, since I don’t think I can say much more.  Though I will add a few things.  But first, [...]

‘Is This Not the Carpenter?’ is at SBL San Francisco!

My forthcoming collection of essays, edited with Thomas L. Thompson (book details here), is being featured at the Equinox Publishers table at SBL this year!  Here are some pictures provided by the estimable Jim West: UPDATE 11/20/11: Joel Watts Sent along this photo!  UPDATE 11/22/11: Barnes and Noble is offering this book for pre-order at [...]

Defining Mythicism: Post Compilation of Articles on Jesus

Some have expressed interest in a compilation blog post combining all my articles on mythicism and the figure of Jesus from this site.  So below I have compiled a list of blogs I’ve written for the series ‘Defining Mythicism’. Defining Mythicism: My Struggle with the Question of the Historicity of the Figure of Jesus Defining Mythicism: [...]

Is Mythicism Close to its End?

Many readers now are quite aware that I am no longer a ‘mythicist’ so I am not against James’ assertion that it is dying.  But I’d like to state quite plainly that the lack of historical veracity for a figure of Jesus is still a problem that has yet to be adequately addressed by scholars.  [...]

Richard Carrier on ‘Sources of the Jesus Tradition’

I have my own problems with this book.  Especially in light of the other superb books Joe Hoffmann has put together in the past; this one seems to have been rushed.  As someone who had been a big part of the JP for about a year, it’s a shame to see some of the interesting [...]

New Blog (to me) Which Asks ‘Where is Jesus this Year?’

‘Larry Tanner’ (a nom de blog) asks ‘Where is Jesus?’ in his brief discussion of my forthcoming volume with Thomas Thompson.

Introduction to ‘Is This Not the Carpenter?’

Read the full article over at Bible and Interpretation.  Here is a snippet: Historical Jesus research did not come about through the discovery of an actual historical Jesus as focus for such research. Despite what many have suggested, the data we have is no more useful for an understanding of an historical Jesus today than [...]

A Wonderfully Macabre Overview of ‘Is This Not the Carpenter?’

Someone alerted me to this tantalizing preview of my forthcoming volume with Thomas Thompson.  Here’s a taste (go there to read the rest): Oh my goodness, who let the minimalists out? Thompson, Lemche and Boer. Boer! Quick Abigail, pack up the emergency provisions, we’re heading for the hills. What, they’re coming in from the other [...]

Is This Not the Carpenter?

So I guess the news is out!  My forthcoming book with Thomas Thompson is nearly here! Blurb from the publisher: For some time, New Testament scholarship, particularly in its conservative and evangelical wings, have avoided direct questions regarding the historicity of Jesus. Many have followed Rudolf Bultmann, who had suggested that “The Jesus Christ who [...]