The Resurrection: A Critical Examination

A collection of 34 posts

Jesus Mythicism

The myth of Jesus' resurrection

Jesus was crucified, died, and was resurrected this weekend many hundreds of years ago. Oh what joy this brings. To Christians. Except it didn't happen. Well, certainly not the resurrection bit. I'm what I call a "minimal historicist," which is to say I believe

Biblical Exegesis

Christian apologetics and defending Matthew's guards

There's something meta going on when a Christian apologist takes aim at a biblical account of mine with some typical apologetics, claiming I am making stuff up out of whole cloth when I myself accused the Gospel writers (or apologists) of making stuff up out of whole cloth

Biblical Exegesis

My Resurrection Talk and How the Narrative Was Constructed

As you know, I gave a talk on Saturday on the Resurrection and was worried about my "performance" since only last week, on holiday. I lost the use of my legs for a couple of days. It was scary multiple sclerosis stuffed. I put it down to a

Dorset Humanists

Come to my Talk on the Resurrection - Bournemouth, August 14th

Okay, so this might be out of the question to the majority of my audience, those good people being the wrong side of the pond 9culturally, historically, morally...:) heh!), but I am giving a talk to the Dorset Humanists (the largest humanist group in the UK, no less) on the

The Nativity: A Critical Examination

"...Unforgettable. In a word 'stunning'... I cannot recommend it enough! It is indispensable!"

As y'all know, I have recently written a book on the Resurrection of Jesus, the second in my "Critical Examination" trilogy that looks at the historical basis for religious and theological claims about Jesus. The books weave history, theology, and philosophy to create a concerted salvo

Biblical Exegesis

Without the History, What are the Torah and Christian Bible?

I've been involved in a conversation with some friends of mine on Facebook who are essentially Christians. They have taken variously interesting positions countering both my previous two books (The Nativity: A Critical Examination [UK] and is The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK]) without

miracles

Disputing Miracles vs Disputing History (I)

I'm sorry, but I can't remember who posted this comment but it is worth dwelling on; if I remember correctly, it was in response to me picking apart biblical narratives for their historical inaccuracies and problems, as well as their naturalistic impossibilities: John, why dispute these

Biblical Exegesis

The “Real” “Minimal Facts” about Jesus

In the closing stages of writing my latest book, The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK], I had a few test readers. One was David Austin, down in Australia, who has provided a few guest articles for your delectation. Here is another one - thanks muchly to

biblical contradictions

Irreconcilable Resurrection Differences

In the closing stages of writing my latest book, The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK], I had a few test readers. One was David Austin, down in Australia, who has provided a few guest articles for your delectation. Here is one - thanks muchly to him:

Jesus

My Interview on the Resurrection with Harmonic Atheist

I've done a few interviews with Tim Mills/Harmonic Atheist and I love them. Here is a great chat about my latest book - The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK] - and one that, though long, only skimmed the surface, looking really at my

Biblical Exegesis

Critically Analysing the Resurrection: A Walk-Through

Here is my latest video, walking through my book on the Resurrection of Jesus - The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiNsU2EMSPE Please like and subscribe and do all the things those UToobers tell you to.     Stay in touch! Like

Biblical Exegesis

Carrier: "Pearce’s New Take-Down of Resurrection Apologetics Is a Must-Have"

I am honoured to have Richard Carrier do a full write-up of my new book on the Resurrection (The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK]) in one of his latest pieces on his blog. In it, not only does he fully endorse the book, but he also

Biblical Exegesis

The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story

As some of you will know, I have recently released a book looking very sceptically at the history, theology, philosophy and biblical exegesis concerning the resurrection of Jesus. I really proud of this book (The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK])and I collaborated with a number

The Resurrection: A Critical Examination

Resurrection & Pandemic Dystopia

A couple of things pertaining to some recent releases. First of all, to my UK readers, my book The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story is now available in the UK through most outlets (it is still filtering through US distribution). Please grab a copy and tell your

Biblical Exegesis

Interview about the Resurrection on Monday

Fellow Patheoser Andy Hall is interviewing me about my latest book, The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story [UK]. This is taking place at 7 am EST, or 12 pm BST, UK time. The YouTube streaming link is here: https://youtu.be/XpdIBMvPxAY Be there or be square.

Rebecca Bradley

Writing, Writing, Writing

Apologies for being effectively absent for a week or so, bar some quick posts here and there. It's Easter hols and the family is about. Also, there is a heck of a lot going on on the book front. As you may well know, I have two books

Biblical Exegesis

Jesus' Execution as a Metaphor for Yom Kippur

As many of you know, I am writing a book debunking or showing the Christian claims of the Resurrection of Jesus to be the least likely hypothesis to explain the data that are the Gospels and other New Testament writings. One recurrent theme is that of either prophecy fulfilment through

Biblical Exegesis

Differences, Contradictions and Speculations of the Resurrection Listed

Here is a list of contradictions, differences and speculations found in Paul’s writings, the Gospels concerning the Resurrection accounts, and Acts, taken from Michael J. Alter’s tour de force, The Resurrection: A Critical Inquiry [UK]. This is a comprehensive list well worth perusing and checking out further. It

Biblical Exegesis

Resurrection Update

I am sorry that I have been largely absent for the last week due to having a huge writing demand. I have been working with Richard Carrier on my manuscript for my book The Resurrection: A Critical Examination of the Easter Story. The simple fact of the matter, and this

The Resurrection: A Critical Examination

Cover Thoughts?

Here is an early cover version for my upcoming book on the Resurrection. Wanting to move away from all the typical skeptical/biblical exegesis book covers (Renaissance art etc etc) , I wanted a more stylised approach. What think you? It will be a matte cover to give it that extra

Biblical Exegesis

Paine and Hume Regarding the Resurrection

Is this all we need when considering the Resurrection of Jesus? When examining artifacts from the past, historians assume that nature worked back then as it does today; otherwise, anything goes. American patriot Thomas Paine, in The Age of Reason, asked: “Is it more probable that nature should go out

Biblical Exegesis

Paul Justifies Lying

In writing my forthcoming book on the Resurrection of Jesus, it has been important to look at Jesus' earliest source, Paul. Paul is famous for not actually telling us much at all about Jesus at all. There are some genuinely quite problematic Pauline verses that should raise some eyebrows

Biblical Exegesis

The Trial of Jesus

Here is a little excerpt from my forthcoming Resurrection book that I am working on, this time concerning the trial of Jesus (and an added quote for those who have already proofed it through): The Synoptics claim that a “great multitude” of people were present for the capture of Jesus:

Biblical Exegesis

Some Early Endorsements

As many of you already know, I am writing a sister book to my Nativity one (The Nativity: A Critical Examination [UK]), called (unsurprisingly) The Resurrection: A Critical Examination. David Fitzgerald is kindly writing the foreword again, as he did to my Nativity book. It's going through a

The Nativity: A Critical Examination

Resurrection and The Problem with "God"

I have finished writing my book on the Resurrection that is the sister-book to my previous The Nativity: A Critical Examination [UK] and several commenters and regulars here have looked it over and thoroughly proofed it (still ongoing). One such person has just fed back with this fab feedback (I