Bart came up today in my New Testament Class at North Park seminary. And I must say it created a good discussion. The class mostly discussed the poor journalism involved in the BBC article discussing the Codex Sinaiticus (Click here to read it for free online woot!) entitled “The rival to the Bible”
I was wondering what you all thought about him.
I have a few questions about Bart:
1) Bart has said the problem of Evil is what ultimately caused him to leave the church.
I’m sure there were many other unanswered questions he had. What made this one the reason for a final break?
2) Bart often talks about Jesus as Apocalypticist. I think this is often focused on at the expense of many other aspects of Jesus’ mission. I was wondering if he could comment on his views of alternative views like those expressed by Tom wright and other third questers.
3) Bart Ehrman is very popular, and teaches in a very concise and accessible way.
Sometimes I feel he puts on a bit of a show though, by communicating information very selectively. Which can lead to some very sensational interpretations of what he’s said. For example I have many friends who will watch him on the discovery channel and come to me and ask me something like “why the church has been hiding the true story of Judas.” I am left in the awkward position of trying to explain that gnostic gospels are not a good source for history. Why doesn’t he take more time to set the framework of the scholarship he is commenting on.
Tony Jones interviewed him a little while ago Download it!
Some thoughts by Scot McKnight
Watch Bart Ehrman on The Colbert Report:
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