Greg Jenks has shared his essay “The Quest for the Historical Nazareth” on Academia.edu. It deals with the subject in a manner that the apologists for Christianity and Jesus-mythicism do not.
Also of interest is Matthew Ferguson’s impression of the Gospels as a student of Classics (linked to by Richard Carrier). Like many mainstream New Testament scholars, Ferguson sees similarities to the novels of that period which were a popular form of historical fiction. And like them, he says (as many other scholars and historians have said, but mythicists reject): “I do think that there are some precious kernels of truth in at least the Synoptic Gospels, but they are few and far between.”
Also of interest on Academia.edu are the volume Religious Texts from Ugarit by Nick Wyatt, and Gerhardus van den Heever’s paper on baptizing movements in ancient Judaism at the time of the emergence of Christianity.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In