Religious Studies 130: Life and Times of Jesus Spring 2012
Introduction
I. Two views of Jesus scholarship.
A. An Academic Study of Jesus
1. The full, balanced scope of research about Jesus.
2. I believe to adequately study Jesus all sides need to be examined.
3. Quality of research and explanatory scope of argument.
B. Minority view (Jesus Seminar/Dr. Bart Ehrman)
1. While there is a wide variety of scholarly views, the Jesus Seminar and Dr. Ehrman have many views that arenot in the majority of New Testament scholarship.
- Craig / Crossan debate[1]
2. Ehrman is not all bad - he makes some important and valid points.
a. is a noted textual scholar
b. studied under the great Princeton scholar Dr. Bruce Metzger
C. Majority view (Blomberg)
1. Yes, most in this camp are believers. But, it is their argument that counts more than their beliefs.
2. Majority view:
- the entire NT completed in the 1st century
- Gnosticism was not a major 1st century influence
- the NT is made up of books that were accepted by the early church (1st-2nd CE)
- the scholars believe this for specific reasons based upon evidence
II. Religious Studies Definitions
A. Ultimate Absolute / Reality
1. That which truly is.
B. God / Deity
1. A supernatural, sacred being.
- sacred = something set apart as having religious value; worthy of religious veneration
- profane = something in contempt/disrespect/irreverence of the sacred; common; vulgar
Theism
Monotheism
Monism
Dualism
Pantheism
Polytheism
Atheism
C. Worldview
1. The way one views reality; the way things really are; the way the universe works
- material and immaterial
2. The #1 influence on your morality
3. Data beliefs and control beliefs.
4. People develop their world view one of three ways.
a. Intellectually
b. Emotionally
c. Prejudicially
D. Protosophical view
1. One claims to follow a certain religious belief, but that belief is shaped, filtered, and therefore modified, by certain beliefs about reality that are not traditionally shared by that religious belief.
– E. Gorsuch, CSUF, 1997
2. Is usually pluralistic. However, it has other uses.
E. Religion
1. A system of beliefs about the truth of ultimate and absolute reality that contains certain characteristics:
F. Religious Truth, Belief, Faith
1. All worldviews proclaim an Absolute/Ultimate/Objective Truth.
2. It is pejorative to state that just because it is a religious belief it is not a fact.
G. Religious Studies
1. The discipline that studies the world’s various religions in a scientific manner.
2. Let the religion speak for itself
3. A religious studies context observes and describes religions
H. Theology
1. - Theos and Logos = teaching about / knowledge of God
I. Inclusive / Exclusive
1. All worldviews are exclusive.
J. Tolerance
1. While you completely disagreewithsomeone’s beliefs/behaviors, you respect their right to believe/live their way.
K. BC/AD or BCE/CE
1. Before Common Era / Common Era
L. God as “He”
1. In Judaism, Christianity, & Islam God reveals Himself in masculine terms
a. anthropomorphic fallacy
M. Miracles or Myths?
1. New Testament replete with miracle stories.
2. Scientific objection: natural, physical laws makes miracles impossible
a. Rudolf Bultmann: “Man’s knowledge and mastery of the world have advanced to such an extent through science and technology that it is no longer possible for anyone seriously to hold the New Testament view of the world.”[2]
a.defenders of miracles say God can transcend physical laws because He created them
3. Philosophical objections: possibility does not prove probability.
a. Benedict Spinoza, Jewish pantheist, 1670s
- natural laws are immutable
- if theistic universe true, a Creator can overpower His creation
b. David Hume, 18th century Scottish philosopher“Enquiry concerning Human Understanding”[3]
- probability will always be better for natural explanation over supernatural
- Hume confuses probability with evidence
4. Historical: Miracles are improbable explanations
a. Dr. Bart Ehrman: “Since historians can establish only what probably happened in the past, they cannot show that miracles happened, since this would involve a contradiction—that the most improbable event is the most probable.”[4]
- Confuses two different types of probabilities: background knowledge alone v. background knowledge and evidence
5. If miracles occurred, they should be investigated as if any other one-time historical event.
N. Other Words and Phrases
1. Fundamentalist
2. “All Religions are the same”
[1]Craig, William Lane. Will the real Jesus please stand up? A debate between William Lane Craig and John Dominic Crossan, moderated by William F. Buckley, Jr.; edited by Paul Copan; with responses from Robert J. Miller, et al. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998.
[2] Bultmann, Rudolf. “New Testament and Mythology” in Kerygma and Myth, H. W. Bartsch, ed. London, SPCK, 1953, p. 4.
[3] Section 10
[4]Ehrman, Bart. “The New Testament: A Historical Introduction.” New York: Oxford University Press, 2004, p. 229