Bede

Is there any evidence for Docetists being mythicists beyond invoking the rather dubious authority of Freke and Gandy? If so, please present it and if not then the point can hardly be called contentious.

For a rather more balanced view of Christian book burning than the site linked by Toto see my own work on Christians and Classical Literature.

Yours

Bede

Toto

There is no evidence one way or the other. The question depends on what you think the Docetists had in their minds, and we are unlikely to ever know that.

Ted Hoffman

Lets look at what Bede writes therein:

Regarding Rufinus Tyrannius - Ecclesiastical History, Bede writes "The only English translation of his work is still very much in copyright so until I have produced another myself the reader will just have to take my word for it."

Theophilus, partriarch of Alexandria, who wrote "Realising they had no chance, the priests and priestesses fled their temple and the mob moved in. The vast structure was razed to it foundations and the scrolls from the library were burnt in huge pyres in the streets of Alexandria.", Bede exclaims that Thophilus "has never been made a saint!" (meaning he wasn't a good enough Christian - so we cannot rely on him).

Bede writes "The contention made is that there was another library in the Serapeum temple that a Christian mob destroyed during their sacking of the temple. We need to establish if there really was a library there and also if Theophilus[?] destroyed it."

As if it matters which specific library was destroyed. It is always entertaining to read venerable apologetics.

Bede

Jacob,

What are you talking about? Theophilius didn´t write anything about the library and I don´t understand what the point you are making about Rufinus is. Which page of my website are you quoting? Not the one linked to in my post.

Toto,

The beliefs of Docetists are explained by early Christian writers such as Iraeneus as being that Jesus was a spirit who appeared to do all the things that the Gospels say he did. Apart from Freke and Gandy´s assertion, is there any evidence that Docetists were in fact mythicists in the modern sense to justify your contention that the point is contentious?

Yours

Bede