Erhman Review Down the Road
By bock - Posted on March 8th, 2009
Bart Ehrman's Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them) was released Tuesday. I am reading it. It actually is more of the same from him as the subtitle suggests. He opens with a contrast of devotional reading versus historical reading as if the two must function in completely different universes (as well as repeating his biography of former evangelical gone agnostic). The book makes many common claims about what "scholarship" (note the singular monolith here) teaches about the gospels. We teach a class on gospels at the Seminary that works through the issues he is raising (so I am not quite sure who he is claiming this material is hidden from, since the claims are circulating widely in books and on TV through many shows on cable niche channels). I will be commenting more fully once I get back from Indonesia (as I leave tomorrow morning). The plane ride should give me just a little bit of time to read it through!
Dr. Bock,
I very much look forward to reading your comments on this book. I heard it advertised on NPR, so I looked it up on Amazon.com. When I saw it was written by Dr. Ehrman, I knew it would contribute nothing new to what is already known about the Bible. He is an avowed critic of supernaturalism, and therefore his book will simply recycle old arguments to support his view. More of the same.
Nonetheless, I'm glad there are responsible scholars out there, such as yourself, who can interact with this material on a peer level. The ideas circulating in academia eventually filter down to lay people, and Christians need to know how to respond to these claims in everyday conversation.
All the best,
Stephen
Stephen:
It will be a few weeks, but I will do something once I get back from overseas.
dlb
In your full review, please be objective and not allow your predisposition to your personal Christian agenda to get in the way. I find so often that so-called "experts" on just about any subject, except those based on quantifiable evidence, fool themselves and their readers by being unwilling or unable to objectively assess arguments opposing their ingrained beliefs. Although I hold out the possibility that you will be open minded in your review, my predisposition is to the high probability that you will spout forth the traditional Christian line without offering valid counter-arguments. I come to this view by your petty personal invectives,( "It actually is more of the same from him" -- So you knew that in advance, did you? How insightful of you.); ("devotional reading versus historical reading" - Ehrman makes a good point; you do not.); ("former evangelical gone agnostic" - so, what's your point? Is this a bad thing?); ("since the claims are circulating widely in books and on TV through many shows on cable niche channels" -- but not in mainstream Christian churches - especially evangelical, fundamentalist churches - but, they are not mainstream.) So, after second consideration, I won't waste my time looking for your review with Ehrman's book; I already know what it will say. Stephan's reply is ridiculous.
Nathan:
Glad you have the open mind you espouse. The distinction between devotional reading and historical reading is Ehrman's not mine. It is how he opened the book. As for "more of the same," he retells his journey story and says himself he is not saying anything new. No invective here, just description of what he himself presents and says. Same is true of his move, which he narrates. The issues he raises have all been dealth with, although you'd never know it from what he writes. So just a short note to say that before you make a judgment, check out the details.
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