Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 11-30-2009, 02:42 PM

What can we learn from a new History of Early Christianity by Charles Freeman

A New History of Early Christianity (or via: amazon.co.uk)

Quote:

When reading the mainstream church histories, I often come across the argument that an event, say the physical resurrection of Christ, certainly happened because there is no other historical interpretation which makes sense. It worries me. Most events in the ancient world are poorly recorded and we simply have no grounds to make any historical interpretation at all! We just have to say we do not know what happened. So when theologians often say they are certain what happened, historians tend to be more cautious. In my New History of Early Christianity I discuss some historical evidence about the resurrection accounts that I think is overlooked though I conclude that, despite the lack of conclusive evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, the important thing was that early Christians believed that it happened.

Some strange speculation about Paul.

Jeffrey Gibson · 11-30-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

What can we learn from a new History of Early Christianity by Charles Freeman

A New History of Early Christianity (or via: amazon.co.uk)

Quote:

When reading the mainstream church histories, I often come across the argument that an event, say the physical resurrection of Christ, certainly happened because there is no other historical interpretation which makes sense.

Is this claim documented? What, according to the author, are the "mainstream church histories" in which the claim noted here is "often" made? Where can it be found? And how often is "often"?

Jeffrey

Toto · 11-30-2009, 03:04 PM

You can, of course, address that specific question to Dr. Freeman. Someone posted something recently that indicated that NT Wrght makes this argument, and it has been picked up and circulated by American evangelicals, in particular William Lane Craig.

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11-30-2009, 03:04 PM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	You can, of course, address that specific question to Dr. Freeman. Someone posted something recently that indicated that NT Wrght makes this argument, and it has been picked up and circulated by American evangelicals, in particular William Lane Craig.

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