Dr. Bock:

Since I am not trained as a theologian, I am careful to discourse about methods and tools where I have limited training. But I will try a bit here. Dethroning ensures that the debate over "who is this Jesus" is kept highly professional and civil, consistent with our biblical obligations (e.g., 1 Peter 3:15a AND b). Your book was my current update on the Jesus Seminar though in the past I had read from some of the "scholars" within that group, including Yoder and other liberation theologians. Credible scholars are careful not to engage in ad hominem attacks of others, even when such criticism is seemingly warranted (e.g., claim 6 in Dethroning). However, I am highly concerned with the approach of Borg and Crossan (he especially) and feel that the damage he has done and can do is understated in Dethroning, and I feel that particuarly with Crossan "kid gloves" were used. I recognize that you and Dr. Wallace will run into he and other Jesus Seminar scholars in the future, and that you may find yourselves in a further debate with such folks over hearts and minds in the future. However, I would like to understand what is motivating Crossan to reach his conclusions, since they are inconsistent with the evidence. It is helpful to track and debate his work point by point, but it might be helpful to see what we can learn about his motivations, hopefull without engaging in a psychological examination. Sometimes, the evidence is so overwhelming that we simply conclude that an agenda precedes the consideration of the evidence.

I was introduced to your work by Dr. Ryrie's Dispensationalism, and I am looking forward to reading your work in this area, including Progressive Disp and the Three Views book.

Thanks for your important and outstanding work, with Dr. Wallace, in Dethroning. I have used it in a Sunday School class and have recommended it to many. I find the book timely, and read it in the context of the thoughts, for instance, of Dr. Caneday's article on multiculturalism in volume 3 of 2007 Christian Research Journal. The ability of the six views you review in Dethroning to gain a footing are tied, at least in part, to the continuing decline of the acceptance of the view that there is absolute truth.

Keep up the great work!