Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Vorkosigan · 02-26-2005, 02:30 AM

I've blogged my book review of Decoding Mark. Enjoy!

Yuri Kuchinsky · 02-27-2005, 10:09 AM

Hi, Vork,

When you say in your review that Morton Smith is a "probable forger" of the Secret gospel of Mark fragments, what is your basis for saying so?

Do you have any actual evidence of that? If not, then this is a false accusation.

Yours,

Yuri.

ficino · 02-27-2005, 10:20 AM

One critic who insinuated that Morton Smith may have forged his famous fragment of a secret gospel of Mark was Quentin Quesnel in a review of Smith's book, The Secret Gospel, in Catholic Biblical Quarterly, I forget the year (in the 1970s). Quesnel said that a modern scholar skilled in paleography could have forged the fragment, etc. etc. Myles Bourke, another Catholic biblical scholar, told me Quesnel believed it was quite likely that Smith had forged the fragment, and I think Bourke believed this as likely, too. Bourke died last year.

I took courses taught by Morton Smith. Smith told us that he had solved the problem of the historical Jesus; i.e. Jesus was a "magus," a magician. Smith won the Lionel Trilling prize for his follow-up book, Jesus the Magician.

Yuri Kuchinsky · 02-27-2005, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficino

One critic who insinuated that Morton Smith may have forged his famous fragment of a secret gospel of Mark was Quentin Quesnel in a review of Smith's book, The Secret Gospel, in Catholic Biblical Quarterly, I forget the year (in the 1970s). Quesnel said that a modern scholar skilled in paleography could have forged the fragment, etc. etc.

Hello, ficino,

Q. Quesnell, "The Mar Saba Clementine: A Question of Evidence," C.B.Q. vol. 37 no. 1, 1975, pp. 48-67

This is old news. He has no evidence that Smith was a forger.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficino

Myles Bourke, another Catholic biblical scholar, told me Quesnel believed it was quite likely that Smith had forged the fragment, and I think Bourke believed this as likely, too. Bourke died last year.

It's one thing to make malicious accusations in a private conversation (the only thing that this really proves is the cowardice of the accuser). But it's an entirely different matter to make such scurrilous accusations publicly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficino

I took courses taught by Morton Smith.

Good for you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficino

Smith told us that he had solved the problem of the historical Jesus; i.e. Jesus was a "magus," a magician. Smith won the Lionel Trilling prize for his follow-up book, Jesus the Magician.

I don't think that Smith really solved the problem of the historical Jesus... But I also don't think that he was a forger.

Now that Smith has passed away, the malicious accusers may be emboldened to accuse him of anything they want (since he can no longer defend his honour in a court of law). And yet, unfortunately for these unscrupulous individuals, they still remain answerable in the court of public opinion, where some universal moral principles are still respected.

All the best,

Yuri

02-26-2005, 02:30 AM	#1
Vorkosigan Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Barrayar Posts: 11,866	Book Review: _Decoding Mark_, John Dart I've blogged my book review of Decoding Mark. Enjoy!

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

02-27-2005, 10:09 AM	#2
Yuri Kuchinsky Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,146	Hi, Vork, When you say in your review that Morton Smith is a "probable forger" of the Secret gospel of Mark fragments, what is your basis for saying so? Do you have any actual evidence of that? If not, then this is a false accusation. Yours, Yuri.

02-27-2005, 10:20 AM	#3
ficino Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New York Posts: 252	One critic who insinuated that Morton Smith may have forged his famous fragment of a secret gospel of Mark was Quentin Quesnel in a review of Smith's book, The Secret Gospel, in Catholic Biblical Quarterly, I forget the year (in the 1970s). Quesnel said that a modern scholar skilled in paleography could have forged the fragment, etc. etc. Myles Bourke, another Catholic biblical scholar, told me Quesnel believed it was quite likely that Smith had forged the fragment, and I think Bourke believed this as likely, too. Bourke died last year. I took courses taught by Morton Smith. Smith told us that he had solved the problem of the historical Jesus; i.e. Jesus was a "magus," a magician. Smith won the Lionel Trilling prize for his follow-up book, Jesus the Magician.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.