Public Forum Archives - Page 31 of 89 - The Bart Ehrman Blog

I’ll Be In Denver November 17. Interested in a Blog Dinner?

I will be in Denver for the annual Society of Biblical Literature Meeting, starting a week before Thanksgiving. Anyone out that way interested in a blog dinner, Thursday November 17? Possibly a drink t in advance. Somewhere near the Convention Center. Are you in the vicinity? Interested? If we can get 3-4 (and no more than 7) people together, I'd be happy to do it. No obligations other than: Being a blog member Showing up Talking Paying for whatever you ingest. Whatever you exgest is free. If you're interested, do NOT reply here as a comment. Send me an email at [email protected]. Hope it happens!

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:00:03-04:00October 13th, 2022|Public Forum|

The Birth of the Trinity – Platinum Webinar September 2022

Dear Platinum Members, Apologies for getting to this in something less than tout de suite! But here it is, our webinar on the Birth of the Trinity, for those of you weren't able to come and ... for those of you who were! Below is the video:

FreedomBen2025-09-10T12:59:48-04:00October 9th, 2022|Early Christian Doctrine, Public Forum|

Is Christianity Responsible for Gender Equality and Consent?

Is the reason women are treated better in today's society than virtually any time in human history (as often bad as it is now, oh boy was it worse in, say, 1950, or 950, or 50), because of the beneficent influence of true Christianity? That is the thesis of the recent work of an evangelical Christian named Glenn Schriver, and I had a remote debate with him about it. You can watch it here. It appeared on one of my favorite interview programs in the world (literally, since it's in London), Unbelievable hosted by Justin Brierley. Oh boy, that program regularly interesting. Every week Justin regularly sets up discussions/debates, often between a well-educated evangelical Christian spokesperson and a decidedly non-evangelical / non-Christian -- e.g., well, people like me. Justin is a terrific interviewer / moderator (he himself is a Christian interested in apologetics). I've done his show a bunch of times, and it's always interesting. Check out the webpage: https: www.premierunbelievable.com/shows/unbelievable This particular back and forth happened a couple of months ago. I must admit, [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:35-04:00October 2nd, 2022|Bart's Debates, Public Forum, Sex and Sexuality in the Bible|

What Do Professional Scholars Actually Do? Part 1: Introduction

I am constantly reminded (from emails and conversations ) that most people would have little way to know what professional scholars at research universities actually do. That’s not surprising. I, frankly, don’t really know (or much understand) what a hedge fund manager does, or a state lieutenant governor, or an industrial chemist. I was thinking about the issue (my position, not the ones I don't know about) last week and suddenly had a vague recollection that I discussed it at some point on the blog; I checked and, lo and behold, I devoted a number of posts to the matter over ten years ago. I've decided to do it again. This first post will repeat how I introduced the topic back then. ****************************** In some of the back and forth that I have been involved with over the past few weeks some blog readers have asked about whether “experts” in an academic field have any privileged standing when it comes to making judgments about the acceptability or force of evidence that is [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:35-04:00September 28th, 2022|Public Forum|

Why Paul Was Persecuted (Or Claimed He Was). Platinum Guest Post by Daniel Kohanski

I am pleased to publish this new Platinum post by Dan Kohanski, on an intriguing and important topic for understanding both the life (and writings) of Paul and the earliest history of the Christian movement. This post is by a Platinum member for other Platinum members. You too can make a post like this. Interested? Just write something up and send it along. It doesn't need to be high level scholarship. Just write up your views about something and get some feedback from others! In the meantime, Dan will be willing to address your feedback on this one. ****************************** (This article is based on research I’ve been doing for my new book, A God of Our Invention: How Religion Shaped the Western World, to be published in early 2023 by Apocryphile Press.)[1] The claim that opposition is persecution is one that occurs throughout the history of Christianity. The last of Matthew’s beatitudes promises that those “who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matt. 5:10) will be rewarded in heaven. The First Letter of Peter reassures its [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:47-04:00September 23rd, 2022|Paul and His Letters, Public Forum|

Our Next Platinum Webinar! Tuesday September 27

We have scheduled our next Platinum-Only Webinar for Tuesday September 27! I hope you can make it: it's a hot topic. (If you can't make it, we'll be recording it and sending it out) (In fact, we'll be doing that even if you *can* make it) Topic: The Birth of the Trinity Issue: Most people don't actually know what the doctrine of the Trinity is (it's not just that there is a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...); fewer still have a good sense of where it came from, why it developed, and how. After this webinar, you will! Time: 7:30 - 9:00 pm Eastern Time. Link: https://unc.zoom.us/j/97931736337?pwd=b0JmTlYvK3dmZ3dxK3haWWdSS2cxQT09 Meeting ID: 979 3173 6337 Passcode: 691689 Hope to see you there! = Bart

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:35-04:00September 20th, 2022|Public Forum|

September Gold Q&A

Dear Gold Members, Here we go! Time for our monthly Gold Q&A. Have a question? Go for it. It can be anything related to the blog. To enter your question on to the list: send it to Diane at [email protected] The DEADLINE for your question is this Saturday, September 24 midnight (whenever midnight is where you live). I will record the session soon thereafter and we'll get it released by Sept. 29 or so. Questions that are relatively short (a sentence or two) are more likely to be chosen. And feel free to come up with a stumper! Bart

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:35-04:00September 20th, 2022|Public Forum|

Why Even Conservative Christians Should Accept Evolution: Blog Anniversary Guest Post by Michael Shermer (part 2)
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Why Even Conservative Christians Should Accept Evolution: Blog Anniversary Guest Post by Michael Shermer (part 2)

Public Forum

Why Even Conservative Christians Should Accept Evolution: Blog Anniversary Guest Post by Michael Shermer (part 2)

For several months now I have been posting Guest Posts that were generoulsly provided by others in honor of the blog's tenth anniversary. These posts have been wide-ranging in their content and the intriguing , each pbased on the posters' unique backgrounds and expertise. This now is the final one in the series, the second of two posts by Michael Shermer, to continue what he was saying in his post of Sept. 3. This one is particularly significant. Why is it in conservative Christians' (and everyone else's) own best interest to accept evolution as a reality of the past? He makes some compelling points. Read and see! ************************* To counter the doubts I mentioned in my previous post, I argue that, in fact, Christians and conservatives should accept the theory of evolution for at least eight reasons (again, for brevity, truncated here): Evolution happened. The theory describing how evolution happened is one of the most well-founded in all of science. Christians and conservatives embrace the value of truth-seeking as much as non-Christians and liberals do, [...]

Diane2025-09-10T12:58:50-04:00September 8th, 2022|Public Forum|

I’m Thinking about Starting a Podcast. Your Opinion?

I am thinking about starting a Podcast and would like your opinion. This would be *different* from the Ehrman Blog podcast that we’ve had for years (and is now in hiatus as we redesign it) and, of course, from the audio versions of the blog already made available to gold and platinum members. It would not be connected with the blog per se – though hopefully it would draw attention to and attract new members to the blog It would instead be my own thing for the Bart Ehrman Professional Services, the site where I host my online courses, push my books, and offer consultation services (www.bartehrman.com) But I mention it to you, my blog readers, because among the members of the human race, you are the ones who most follow my work, and I would welcome your advice. For years people have urged me to do a Podcast, and I’ve always thought – Whoa! Way too much work! But now I’m thinkin’: Hey, why not join the 21st century? If the goals of my [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:21-04:00September 6th, 2022|Public Forum|

Why Christians and Conservatives Should Accept Evolution: Blog Anniversary Guest Post by Michael Shermer (part 1)
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Why Christians and Conservatives Should Accept Evolution: Blog Anniversary Guest Post by Michael Shermer (part 1)

Public Forum

Why Christians and Conservatives Should Accept Evolution: Blog Anniversary Guest Post by Michael Shermer (part 1)

I have been publishing guest posts in celebration of the blog's tenth anniversary, and am pleased to conclude the series now with two posts by Michael Shermer, whom many of you will know from his writings and media appearances discussing (especially) religion and science. Michael was a one-time committed fundamentalist turned outspoken skeptic. Here is the first of his two-parter, on an issue of particular cultural and religious importance. US public acceptance of evolution is growing but is still low compared to other countries. Why? Religion and politics. Here's why that need not be. As a career-long student of the century-long evolution-creationism debate I was encouraged to read the results of a new study on “Public Acceptance and Rejection of Evolution in the United States, 1985-2020” by Jon Miller, Eugenie Scott, Mark Ackerman, and Belén Laspra, published in the journal Public Understanding of Science. “Using data from a series of national surveys collected over the last 35 years, we find that the level of public acceptance of evolution has increased in the last decade after [...]

Diane2025-09-10T12:58:50-04:00September 3rd, 2022|Public Forum|

Vote on your favorite Platinum Post: The Next Round!

Dear Platinum members, It's time again again for you to vote on one of our Platinum guest posts, to see which one will be posted on the blog at large. Take a look. It's a wide range and all very interesting. To vote, just send a quick note to Diane at [email protected] Your deadline: this coming Tuesday, 9/6/2022 midnight your time. And remember — you’re always welcome to submit a post yourself. Is there anything connected to the blog that strikes your fancy that you’d like others to read about? Any ideas/thoughts you’d like to have disseminated and discussed? Here’s your chance. It doesn't have to be highly learned and informed -- just something you'd like some feed back on . If you're interesetd, just zap me a note -- or send me a post! June 24, 2022 Onan the Barbarian: How an obscure Bible character affected reproductive rights. Douglas Wadeson July 2, 2022 Which James in Galatians? Gregory Hartzler-Miller July 8, 2022 A Major Forgery in the Hebrew Bible? Dennis J. Folds August 22, [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T13:00:04-04:00September 1st, 2022|Public Forum|

Are You Interested in Volunteering for the Blog??

WE NEED BLOG VOLUNTEERS! You may know – but probably don’t! – that we have a dozen or so people who volunteer to do various things that have to be done for our blog to work (e.g., help with finances/taxes/etc; read audio posts for Gold members; run the Bart Ehrman Blog Podcast; run the Blog Forum; do social media; and more). Now some new needs have arisen, and I need some more volunteers. Interested? Do you have a few hours a week (amount TBD) to pitch in to help us as we grow, develop, and (we hope) improve? Here are the three tasks we need help with: Re-categorizing Posts As you know, the blog has been going for over ten years now; I post five times a week (counting those by guest scholars) and have done so for our entire history. We currently have over 3000 posts, all of them available in our archives. It is relatively easy to search the archives for posts, either by looking up each category and going through the [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:21-04:00August 26th, 2022|Public Forum|

How Evangelical Apologists Are Changing Their Arguments: Anniversary Guest Post: Kurt Jaros

I continue here with my string of guest posts written by scholars in honor of the blog's tenth anniversary. Here is a post from Kurt Jaros, an evangelical Christian theologian and apologist, in which he explains how apologetics -- the intellectual defense of the claims of the Christian faith -- has grown and changed over the years, to represent something different today from, well, when I was involved with it in my younger days. I imagine the post will elicit a response! Kurt will be happy to address your comments. ****************************** The Growing Landscape of Christian Apologetics When did Jesus cleanse the Temple? In the Synoptics, this event occurs toward the end of his ministry (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 19: 45-46), and serves as a catalyst for his enemies to have him arrested (Matthew 21:15, 23, & 45, Mark 11:18, Luke 19:47-48). In the Gospel of John, the event occurs early on in Jesus’s ministry (John 2:14). One common approach to answering the question is to harmonize the two descriptions into a fuller, [...]

Diane2025-09-10T12:58:51-04:00August 25th, 2022|Public Forum|

I’m Doing a Speaking Event in Waynesville Next Week!
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I’m Doing a Speaking Event in Waynesville Next Week!

Public Forum

I’m Doing a Speaking Event in Waynesville Next Week!

Interested in coming to hear me give a talk/book reading? It’s next Tuesday, August 23, in Waynesville NC. All proceeds go to the local Indie, Blue Ridge Books, a terrific bookstore that managed to survive the crisis. I hope you can come!

Diane2025-09-10T12:59:20-04:00August 19th, 2022|Public Forum|

Why Did Christians Even Need a Canon of Scripture?

In my previous posts on how we got the canon of the New Testament I’ve discussed several books allegedly written by Peter – one that got into the New Testament (2 Peter); one that came close to getting in (the Apocalypse of Peter – the one that gives Peter’s first-hand description of heaven and hell; NOT the “Coptic” Gnostic one that I discussed last week in two posts); one that was thought by some proto-orthodox Christians (but maybe not many) as having a rightful place (the Gospel of Peter); and one that really never had much of a chance (Peter’s letter to James). I can now set forth an overview of what I plan to cover in my book on the canon – when I eventually write it -- and the conclusions I will draw under a series of interrelated rubrics. These can be imagined as chapter divisions, to come after an introduction that explains the importance of the question of how we got the canon, how it has become such a pressing question for [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:07-04:00August 17th, 2022|Early Christian Writings (100-400 CE), History of Christianity (100-300CE), Public Forum|

Reminder: Ask Me Anything! Tomorrow! (Wed. Aug. 17).

Have you signed up yet? See the annoucement below. I hope you can come! ******************* We will be holding a blog fundraiser, donations voluntary, on Wednesday August 17, 8:00 - 9:15 PM Eastern Time. It will be an Ask Bart Anything. Any question on any topic is welcome. If I am unable to answer, I won't. I can only think of a few things I'd be unwilling to answer, and I'm not going to tell you what they are. We are raising money for the people suffering in Ukraine, and will split the proceeds between two of our charities: Doctors without Borders and CARE. We are asking for voluntary donations of $30. We would LOVE it if you could give more for this worthy cause. Anyone who comes up with $30,000, I'll buy you a Happy Meal. But if you can't afford $30, or can't afford anything, we completely understand. Give what you can, if you can, and come anyway! All are welcome. I will personally match the amount of donations we bring in up [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:20-04:00August 16th, 2022|Public Forum|

Critical Scholarship from a Sophisticated Faith Perspective. Blog Anniversary Guest Post by Judy Yates Siker

This incredibly thoughtful guest contribution by Judy Yates Siker is part of an ongoing series I'm posting in honor of the tenth anniversary of the blog. All the guest posts in the series are by serious scholars who have provided us with us with guest posts before, over the years; one of the striking features of these posts, as a group, is just now different they are in perspective and insight. I've known Judy well for thirty-three yeas, since she entered the UNC PhD program in New Testament Studies (in the field of Ancient Mediterranean Religions) 1989. While doing her degree and then afterwards Judy taught at an intriguing range of schools to very different groups of students: Meredith College; American Baptist Seminary of the West, Loyola Marymount University, and San Francisco Theological Seminary -- where she eventually became Vice President. All these years Judy has long been one of my closest and dearest friends. She is an ordained Presbyterian minister, active in church ministry now that she's retired from teaching, and living in Raleigh [...]

Diane2025-09-10T12:58:50-04:00August 13th, 2022|Public Forum, Reflections and Ruminations|

August Gold Q&A

Dear Gold Members, Yet again, it's time for our monthly Gold Q&A. Have a question? Ask it! It can be anything related to the blog. To enter your question on to the list: send it to Diane at [email protected] The DEADLINE for your question is this Sunday, August 14 midnight (whenever midnight is where you live). I will record the session soon thereafter and, if all goes to plan (does it ever?) have it released by August 18. Questions that are relatively short (a sentence or two) are more likely to be chosen; and feel free to trip me up! Bart

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:20-04:00August 10th, 2022|Public Forum|

Ask Me Anything! Mark Your Calendar.

We will be holding a blog fundraiser, donations voluntary, on Wednesday August 17, 8:00 - 9:15 PM Eastern Time. It will be an Ask Bart Anything. Any question on any topic is welcome. If I am unable to answer, I won't. I can only think of a few things I'd be unwilling to answer, and I'm not going to tell you what they are. We are raising money for the people suffering in Ukraine, and will split the proceeds between two of our charities: Doctors without Borders and CARE. We are asking for voluntary donations of $30. We would LOVE it if you could give more for this worthy cause. Anyone who comes up with $30,000, I'll buy you a Happy Meal. But if you can't afford $30, or can't afford anything, we completely understand. Give what you can, if you can, and come anyway! All are welcome. I will personally match the amount of donations we bring in up to $5000. Moreover, if there are any individual donations over $1000, I will be happy [...]

BDEhrman2025-09-10T12:59:20-04:00August 9th, 2022|Public Forum|

Reading Genesis—Are You Lost in Translation? Anniversary Guest Post by James Tabor
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Reading Genesis—Are You Lost in Translation? Anniversary Guest Post by James Tabor

Public Forum

Reading Genesis—Are You Lost in Translation? Anniversary Guest Post by James Tabor

Several scholar-friends and colleagues graciously have written guest posts for the blog to celebrate our tenth anniversary. I am posting one a week and we will gather all of them together down the line to make them available as a group. This week's contribution comes from James Tabor, retired Professor of Christian Origins and Bible from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (a scholar many of you will know) who has written a large number of popular books, along with serious scholarship, and most recently his own fresh translation of the book of Genesis. This post is especially interesting: James deals with problems of translating the Hebrew Bible that I bet you don't even realize are problems. ****************************** What is the best-known verse in the Bible—one that millions could quote immediately by heart? Christians might say John 3:16—after all, one even sees placards and signs reading “John 3:16” at sporting stadiums! But I think the very first verse of the Bible—Genesis 1:1—most likely would win the universal familiarity content: In the beginning God created the [...]

Diane2025-09-10T12:58:50-04:00August 6th, 2022|Public Forum|

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