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The Jesus legend
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Jtwarren

28 Posts
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1
July 6, 2022 - 12:22 pm

Has anyone ever read the Jesus legend by Paul Rhodes eddy and Greg Boyd?

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CEJ

361 Posts
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2
July 6, 2022 - 12:30 pm

Jtwarren said
Has anyone ever read the Jesus legend by Paul Rhodes eddy and Greg Boyd?

  

I have not.

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CEJ

361 Posts
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July 6, 2022 - 1:19 pm

Jtwarren said
Has anyone ever read the Jesus legend by Paul Rhodes eddy and Greg Boyd?

  

BTW, are you recommending it?  And if so, why?

I note that one of the authors studied under Metzger with Ehrman.

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TTHorne56

172 Posts
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4
July 6, 2022 - 2:13 pm

This is from the Amazon description of the book:

“Even mature Christians have trouble defending the person and divinity of Christ. The Jesus Legend builds a convincing interdisciplinary case for the unique and plausible position of Jesus in human history. He was real and his presence on the planet has been well-documented.
The authors of the New Testament didn’t plant evidence, though each writer did tell the truth from a unique perspective. This book carefully investigates the Gospel portraits of Jesus–particularly the Synoptic Gospels–assessing what is reliable history and fictional legend. The authors contend that a cumulative case for the general reliability of the Synoptic Gospels can be made and boldly challenge those who question the veracity of the Jesus found there.”
It seems to get great reviews from the apologetics crowd.
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CEJ

361 Posts
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5
July 6, 2022 - 2:36 pm

TTHorne56 said
This is from the Amazon description of the book:

“Even mature Christians have trouble defending the person and divinity of Christ. The Jesus Legend builds a convincing interdisciplinary case for the unique and plausible position of Jesus in human history. He was real and his presence on the planet has been well-documented.

The authors of the New Testament didn’t plant evidence, though each writer did tell the truth from a unique perspective. This book carefully investigates the Gospel portraits of Jesus–particularly the Synoptic Gospels–assessing what is reliable history and fictional legend. The authors contend that a cumulative case for the general reliability of the Synoptic Gospels can be made and boldly challenge those who question the veracity of the Jesus found there.”

It seems to get great reviews from the apologetics crowd.

  

It does seem to be in the apologetic mode.

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JAS

948 Posts
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6
July 6, 2022 - 2:41 pm

TTHorne56 said

It seems to get great reviews from the apologetics crowd.
 

That would be my impression as well. There is a minor preview available, mostly the introduction. Quite a lucrative market for these books, on both sides.

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Jtwarren

28 Posts
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July 6, 2022 - 3:25 pm

I wasn’t recommending. I was just curious if you all read it. It seems like apologists always have a rebuttal and I get scared because they seem convincing.  

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CEJ

361 Posts
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8
July 6, 2022 - 3:33 pm

Jtwarren said
I wasn’t recommending. I was just curious if you all read it. It seems like apologists always have a rebuttal and I get scared because they seem convincing.  

  

Did you read it?

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JAS

948 Posts
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July 6, 2022 - 3:57 pm

No one could possibly read all of the books on the general subject, even if one could afford to buy them all.

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CEJ

361 Posts
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July 6, 2022 - 4:03 pm

JAS said
No one could possibly read all of the books on the general subject, even if one could afford to buy them all.

  

Truly.  And that one seems to be on the pricey side for what it is.

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TTHorne56

172 Posts
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11
July 6, 2022 - 4:05 pm

It might be worth reading, if just from an oppo research standpoint.  It seems like an attempt to marry scholarly positions with biblical truth.  Dr. Ehrman agrees that the evidence supports the historicity of Jesus as a real person.  The question for me is what evidence do these writers use to support the historicity of the synoptic accounts of Jesus’ life and teachings.  I suspect they overstate that case, but it would take reading it to know.  As a non-scholar I am not the person to make those judgments.  Plus, my unread book collection is pretty large right now. 

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CEJ

361 Posts
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12
July 6, 2022 - 4:09 pm

TTHorne56 said
It might be worth reading, if just from an oppo research standpoint.  It seems like an attempt to marry scholarly positions with biblical truth.  Dr. Ehrman agrees that the evidence supports the historicity of Jesus as a real person.  The question for me is what evidence do these writers use to support the historicity of the synoptic accounts of Jesus’ life and teachings.  I suspect they overstate that case, but it would take reading it to know.  As a non-scholar I am not the person to make those judgments.  Plus, my unread book collection is pretty large right now. 

  

I considered buying it until I realized it was $25 for the kindle edition.

Too much just for a little opposition research.

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TTHorne56

172 Posts
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13
July 6, 2022 - 4:41 pm

CEJ said

Too much just for a little opposition research.

  

Totally agree with that.

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JAS

948 Posts
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14
July 7, 2022 - 6:40 am

I do think that this all may show a broader trend. We live in trying times (perhaps we have always lived in trying times) and people are seeking/craving stability, certainty, answers and comfort (however those things might be defined).

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cstu

130 Posts
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15
July 30, 2022 - 10:07 pm

“The authors contend that a cumulative case for the general reliability of the Synoptic Gospels can be made and boldly challenge those who question the veracity of the Jesus found there.”

Hard pass.

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Chris_Hansen

242 Posts
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16
October 21, 2022 - 2:22 pm

Jtwarren said
Has anyone ever read the Jesus legend by Paul Rhodes eddy and Greg Boyd?

  

I have read it, and I do not recommend it. While it occasionally has some decent responses to a few mythicists, the overall case is untenable and seems to be steeped in Christian apologetics. Which is no surprise. It was published by the conservative Christian “academic” publishing house Baker Academic after all.

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Porphyry

1835 Posts
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17
October 24, 2022 - 11:42 am

Wonder how different the argument is from this work, ** you do not have permission to see this link **

They seem to be covering the same basic ground. 

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