Clarifying Gospel Genre for a Confused Mythicist

Clarifying Gospel Genre for a Confused Mythicist December 28, 2010

Since words did not seem to be sufficing to get through to a mythicist who commented on a recent post on my blog, I have decided to try using pictures. And so hopefully the explanation that follows will be helpful.

If you think that the Gospels in the New Testament are the same genre as this:

then that probably means that the inside of the Bible you are using looks something like this:

If so, that explains what has caused your confusion. In the future, in order to participate in adult conversations about the Bible, you will want to acquire one that looks like this:

or at an absolute bare minimum like this:

The cover can also be a useful guide to choosing a Bible appropriate for adult study and discussion:

If you are uncertain which of the above is the one for grown ups, please ask someone. Don’t be embarrassed. Everyone has things they need to learn, and admitting we don’t know and asking for help is an important first step.

If you do not choose a Bible without pictures, even though it may seem less interesting or accessible, you will be prone to confusion about differences in genre between the array of ancient literature found in the New Testament, and the modern day comic book or graphic novel.

I hope this PSA clarifies things. Please do let me know!


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