Did Jesus Exit? – Part 22
I have argued that the agreement that exists between the seven gospel sources concerning the Minimal Jesus Hypothesis, could be explained on the basis of the common cultural idea of a ‘Messiah’. I conceded, however, that the crucifixion of the Messiah was not a part of the expectation of first century Palestinian Jews, but pointed … Did Jesus Exit? – Part 22
Did Jesus Exit? – Index
Introduction to the issue: Did Jesus exist? Outline of Did Jesus Exist? By Bart Ehrman. Various skeptical points by Ehrman, especially the insignificance of non-Christian historical sources. Keith Parson’s advice and Bart Ehrman on the Minimal Jesus Hypothesis (MJH). Development and clarification of the Minimal Jesus Hypothesis. About 17,000 Jewish males in Palestine were named … Did Jesus Exit? – Index
Did Jesus Exit? – Part 21
I have reviewed Q, M, and L passages, looking for crucifixion-related events. The Gospel of Mark includes several crucifixion-related events in Chapters 14 and 15: 1. The Plot to Kill Jesus 2. The Anointing at Bethany 3. Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 4. The Passover with the Disciples 5. The Institution of the Lord’s Supper … Did Jesus Exit? – Part 21
Did Jesus Exit? – Part 20
The Minimal Jesus Hypothesis (MJH) can be stated in terms of a list of a dozen attributes: A1. This person was a flesh-and-blood person. A2. This person was an adherent of Judaism. A3. This person was a male descendant of the Hebrew people. A4. This person lived in Palestine as an adult (in his twenties … Did Jesus Exit? – Part 20
Did Jesus Exit? – Part 19
In Part 14, we saw that Mark portrays Jesus as a devout follower of the Jewish faith. In Part 15, we saw that Q portrays Jesus as a devout follower of the Jewish faith. Does L, the special source used by Luke, portray Jesus as an adherent of Judaism? as a devout follower of the … Did Jesus Exit? – Part 19
One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 6
In Chapter 3 of Handbook of Christian Apologetics (hereafter: HOCA), Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli present twenty arguments for the existence of God. The very first argument is one of the Five Ways of Aquinas. This is not surprising, since Kreeft is a Catholic: The universe is the sum total of all these moving things, … One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 6
One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 5
Here is a creationist argument for the existence of God: 1. If God exists, then it is very likely that the basic kinds of plants and animals all began to exist at the same time. 2. If there is no God, then it is very unlikely that the basic kinds of plants and animals all … One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 5
One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 4
In A Companion to Philosophy of Religion, there is an article by Jeffrey Jordan on “Pragmatic Arguments”, that covers Pascal’s Wager. According to Jordan, there are at least three versions of Pascal’s Wager. In this post I will examine one of the three versions, which goes something like this: 1. Either God exists or it … One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 4
One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 3
Here is a Christian argument for the existence of God: 1. If God raised Jesus from the dead, then God exists. 2. God raised Jesus from the dead. Therefore: 3. God exists. There is no need to make this into a modus tollens, because premise (2) clearly begs the question. The claim that ‘God raised … One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 3
One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 2
Here is another argument for God, based on answered prayers: 1. If God exists, then it is very likely that prayers to God for healing from injury or disease would usually be immediately followed by instantaneous and complete healing, except when the injury or disease was the result of self-destructive, foolish, or morally wrong actions … One Man’s Modus Ponens…Part 2