Bond stresses the difficulty in trying to distill historical information about Jesus from the gospels. She writes: Thus the many chreiai in the Gospels are not primarily repositories of oral tradition, but fundamentally literary creations, crafted to take their place in a larger biographical work… There is most likely some historical fact at the core … (4) The Next Quest For The Historical Jesus: Biography by Helen K. Bond

One of the interesting things about this essay is some of the anti-Jewish overtones in the gospels may stem from literary need born out of the attempt to present universal saving by Jesus. Reinhartz writes: (1) Although the Four Gospels vary with respect to some of the details, they all portray some level of animosity … (3) The Next Quest For The Historical Jesus: Beyond The Jewish Jesus Debate by Adele Reinhartz

Blogging my way through the anthology, Moxnes has the first essay. One tidbit I’d like to highlight is how Jesus challenges societal norms. Moxnes writes: Jesus is calling young men to follow him and leave the patriarchal household and their father (Mark 1:16–20). The new household that Jesus establishes is one without a father (10:28–30); … (2) The Next Quest For The Historical Jesus: Reception History by Halvor Moxnes

My new Philosophy for Kids book is out today. Please pick up a copy! Your name Your email Subject Your message (optional)

I just got my copy with a whopping 32 essay in it so I will be blogging about the volume for a while. Your name Your email Subject Your message (optional)

I am going to resurrect my old blog, called Let’s Bring Democracy to the USA. So, I will now try to confine my political commentary to that blog and stay more focused on theism vs. atheism, religion vs. secularism, faith vs. skepticism, and Christianity vs. humanism here at The Secular Frontier. Here is my first … Why are Americans so Freaking Stupid?

If you’re intellectually impatient like me, just start watching at 47:00 when they start to stretch out their hands to cast a magic spell. That the faith community is backing Trump is wonderful. If Trump loses, it will be a powerful argument for the futility of prayer. There are reasons hospitals don’t have faith-healer departments. … Donald Trump full remarks at Inaugural National Faith Summit in Powder Springs, GA (Oct. 28, 2024)

The most important point made in the debate between Biden and Trump back in June was this point made by President Joe Biden: Donald Trump was the worst president in the history of the United States. Biden provided two good reasons in support of this strong claim: 1. Presidential historians ranked Donald Trump as the worst president in the … The Worst President in the History of the United States

“In Leibniz’s sense, a ratio sufficiens, a sufficient reason, isn’t at all a ground capable of supporting a being so that it doesn’t straightaway fall into nothing. A sufficient reason is one that reaches and offers to beings that which puts them in the position of fulfilling their full essence, that is, perfectio. ” (Heidegger, … Philosophy and the Will

Previous Posts in this Series: (1/4) Christianity, A Question of Reasoning: The Continental/Analytic Philosophy Divide (Part 2 of 4) Christianity, A Question of Reasoning: The Continental/Analytic Philosophy Divide (Part 3/4, AFTERWORD) Christianity, A Question of Reasoning: The Christ Myth Theory and the Lord’s Supper (Part4/4 Appendix) Christianity, A Question of Reasoning: The Christ Myth Theory … Does Literary Imitation Suggest Christ Never Existed: The Trump Lens (2/2)?