Search found 2051 matches

by rgprice
Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:48 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Ian Mills's "external evidence" that Luke preceded Marcion
Replies: 17
Views: 323

Re: Ian Mills's "external evidence" that Luke preceded Marcion

I don't find Mills' case convincing, regarding widespread use of canonical Luke prior to Marcion. Unfortunately the sources we have to work from are what they are, but they can hardly be said to be definitive. Necessarily, most of Mills cites is from the 3rd century or later. Even if Clement says th...
by rgprice
Wed Mar 27, 2024 3:00 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: What is implied if Jesus' historicity was not doubted?
Replies: 17
Views: 188

Re: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?

GD's question has merit, its perfectly fine to catalogue such statements. I think a more pertinent question, however, is whether there was anyone who expressed any knowledge of a Jesus person independent of the Gospel accounts. To my knowledge there is no evidence for any such person. Every statemen...
by rgprice
Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:17 pm
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?
Replies: 34
Views: 486

Re: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?

@Peter I'm not sure why you didn't move your own post above to the other thread... But anyway, Irenaeus seems to be saying that there are Christian "heretics" who teach that Christ taking on human form was "imaginary". Irenaeus seems to be confused here. It would seem that what t...
by rgprice
Tue Mar 26, 2024 11:43 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: What is implied if Jesus' historicity was not doubted?
Replies: 17
Views: 188

Re: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?

I would just add, likewise, that even without such biases in the documentary record, we also don't find examples of people claiming that the Sibyls never existed either, or really hundreds or thousands of figures which it is ow widely assumed, never existed. It's relevant to mention in this context...
by rgprice
Tue Mar 26, 2024 11:31 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: What is implied if Jesus' historicity was not doubted?
Replies: 17
Views: 188

Re: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?

No Jewish or Persian text has questioned the existence of Esther, who was presented as the wife of the great Emperor Xerxes. Yet there is no debate about Esther's non-historicity. If you can invent an emperor's wife without any historian questioning her existence, then you can easily invent a Galil...
by rgprice
Tue Mar 26, 2024 11:22 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: What is implied if Jesus' historicity was not doubted?
Replies: 17
Views: 188

What is implied if Jesus' historicity was not doubted?

I would just add, likewise, that even without such biases in the documentary record, we also don't find examples of people claiming that the Sibyls never existed either, or really hundreds or thousands of figures which it is now widely assumed, never existed. A possible exception to this rule is Orp...
by rgprice
Tue Mar 26, 2024 8:16 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?
Replies: 34
Views: 486

Re: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?

@CH The Trypho character in the dialogue is basically skeptical throughout and prefaces everything with, "if", "assuming so", type statements. “ It appears to me ,” said Trypho, “that they who assert that He was of human origin, and was anointed as the Christ only by choice, prop...
by rgprice
Tue Mar 26, 2024 7:47 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?
Replies: 34
Views: 486

Re: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?

The 2 Peter 1 bit is with regard to specific miracles, like the transfiguration. Nothing in the text indications this is about the whole of Jesus' historicity. Similarly, the Trypho bit is about whether or not Jesus is the messiah, i.e., Jesus cannot be the Christ (thus, Christians have invented a ...
by rgprice
Tue Mar 26, 2024 3:29 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?
Replies: 34
Views: 486

Re: Any pre-325 CE writings where Jesus' historicity was doubted?

A couple statements come to mind: 2 Peter 1: 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. Also, from Justin Martyr, DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO: But Christ-- if He has indeed been born, and ...
by rgprice
Mon Mar 25, 2024 1:33 am
Forum: Christian Texts and History
Topic: Catalogue Christian literature by genre?
Replies: 1
Views: 86

Catalogue Christian literature by genre?

I'm looking for some sort of summary of Christian literature by genre, era and perhaps language that was produced between the 2nd century and the 16th century. Any ideas? Are there any sort of rough numbers even? What portion of literature produced during this time was specifically "Christian&q...