The Reliability of the Gospel Tradition

The Reliability of the Gospel Tradition

Author: Birger Gerhardsson

Publisher:

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13:

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The historical reliability of the Gospels has been discussed from the Enlightenment onwards. At present, many scholars assume that the canonical Gospels as we have them are essentially fictions constructed near the end of the first century to meet the needs of the Christian movement of that time and that they give us very little reliable information regarding the life and teachings of Jesus. But have these scholars really understood the nature of the written Gospels? Birger Gerhardsson has devoted almost the whole of his academic career to the study of the oral tradition that is the basis of our canonical Gospels. His groundbreaking doctoral dissertation, "Memory and Manuscript," drew a parallel between the way in which the rabbis taught their disciples and the way Jesus taught his disciples: both required memorization of the master s teaching. Rabbinic disciples handed on their masters tradition with great care, and we can be sure that the disciples of Jesus would have been no less careful with what he taught them! "The Reliability of the Gospel Tradition" presents three studies that illuminate how the early Christians passed on tradition. The Origins of the Gospel Tradition gives an accessible review of the debate regarding the extent to which the New Testament evangelists enable us to hear the voice of Jesus. The Path of the Gospel Tradition contains a critical discussion of the approach of the form-critical school to the problem of the early Christian tradition, ending with an alternative sketch of the path of the tradition. The Gospel Tradition offers a rather detailed picture of various aspects of the content and method of early Christian tradition and assesses thereliability of the four oldest of the extant written records. In the current climate of skepticism I know of nothing more helpful than Birger Gerhardsson s writings, and that is why I am particularly delighted that the pieces that compose the present volume are again available in print. New generations of students deserve to have them, not merely because they ultimately vindicate the church s estimate of Jesus, but because they are true to the nature of the Gospels themselves and to the purpose of those who wrote them." Donald A. Hagner (from the Foreword)


Book Synopsis The Reliability of the Gospel Tradition by : Birger Gerhardsson

Download or read book The Reliability of the Gospel Tradition written by Birger Gerhardsson and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The historical reliability of the Gospels has been discussed from the Enlightenment onwards. At present, many scholars assume that the canonical Gospels as we have them are essentially fictions constructed near the end of the first century to meet the needs of the Christian movement of that time and that they give us very little reliable information regarding the life and teachings of Jesus. But have these scholars really understood the nature of the written Gospels? Birger Gerhardsson has devoted almost the whole of his academic career to the study of the oral tradition that is the basis of our canonical Gospels. His groundbreaking doctoral dissertation, "Memory and Manuscript," drew a parallel between the way in which the rabbis taught their disciples and the way Jesus taught his disciples: both required memorization of the master s teaching. Rabbinic disciples handed on their masters tradition with great care, and we can be sure that the disciples of Jesus would have been no less careful with what he taught them! "The Reliability of the Gospel Tradition" presents three studies that illuminate how the early Christians passed on tradition. The Origins of the Gospel Tradition gives an accessible review of the debate regarding the extent to which the New Testament evangelists enable us to hear the voice of Jesus. The Path of the Gospel Tradition contains a critical discussion of the approach of the form-critical school to the problem of the early Christian tradition, ending with an alternative sketch of the path of the tradition. The Gospel Tradition offers a rather detailed picture of various aspects of the content and method of early Christian tradition and assesses thereliability of the four oldest of the extant written records. In the current climate of skepticism I know of nothing more helpful than Birger Gerhardsson s writings, and that is why I am particularly delighted that the pieces that compose the present volume are again available in print. New generations of students deserve to have them, not merely because they ultimately vindicate the church s estimate of Jesus, but because they are true to the nature of the Gospels themselves and to the purpose of those who wrote them." Donald A. Hagner (from the Foreword)

The Oral Gospel Tradition

The Oral Gospel Tradition

Author: James D.G. Dunn

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2013-10-03

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 0802867820

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The traditions about Jesus and his teaching circulated in oral form for many years, continuing to do so for decades following the writing of the New Testament Gospels. James Dunn is one of the major voices urging that more consideration needs to be given to the oral use and transmission of the Jesus tradition as a major factor in giving the Synoptic tradition its enduring character.


Book Synopsis The Oral Gospel Tradition by : James D.G. Dunn

Download or read book The Oral Gospel Tradition written by James D.G. Dunn and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2013-10-03 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The traditions about Jesus and his teaching circulated in oral form for many years, continuing to do so for decades following the writing of the New Testament Gospels. James Dunn is one of the major voices urging that more consideration needs to be given to the oral use and transmission of the Jesus tradition as a major factor in giving the Synoptic tradition its enduring character.

The Gospel According to Matthew

The Gospel According to Matthew

Author:

Publisher: Canongate U.S.

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 9780802136169

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The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.


Book Synopsis The Gospel According to Matthew by :

Download or read book The Gospel According to Matthew written by and published by Canongate U.S.. This book was released on 1999 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

Incredible Shrinking Son of Man

Incredible Shrinking Son of Man

Author: Robert M. Price

Publisher: Prometheus Books

Published: 2009-09-25

Total Pages: 389

ISBN-13: 1615920285

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"This book should be mandatory reading for all scholars concerned with Christian origins ... nothing of comparable importance has been written for at least a decade." - Freethinker For more than a century scholars have been examining the Gospels and other traditions about the life of Jesus to determine their historical accuracy. Although the results of these scholarly efforts are sometimes controversial, the consensus among researchers today is that the four Evangelists'' accounts cannot be taken at face value. In fact, a team of more than 100 scholars called the Jesus Seminar has come to the conclusion that on average only about 18 percent of the four Gospels is historically accurate.An active member of the Jesus Seminar, Dr. Robert M. Price presents the fruits of this important historical research in this fascinating discussion of early Christianity. As the title suggests, Price is none too optimistic about the reliability of the Gospel tradition as a source of accurate historical information about the life of Jesus. Indeed, he feels that his colleagues in the Jesus Seminar are much too optimistic in their estimate of authentic material in the Gospels. After an introduction to the historical-critical method for nonspecialists and a critique of the methods used by the Jesus Seminar, Price systematically discusses the narrative and teaching materials in the Gospel, clearly presenting what is known and not known about all of the major episodes of Jesus'' life. He also examines the parables for authenticity as well as Jesus'' teachings about the Kingdom of God, repentance, prayer, possessions and poverty, the Atonement, and many other features of the Gospels.Written for the general reading public in a lively and accessible style, Dr. Price''s highly informative discussion will be of interest to anyone who has wondered about the origins of Christianity.


Book Synopsis Incredible Shrinking Son of Man by : Robert M. Price

Download or read book Incredible Shrinking Son of Man written by Robert M. Price and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2009-09-25 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book should be mandatory reading for all scholars concerned with Christian origins ... nothing of comparable importance has been written for at least a decade." - Freethinker For more than a century scholars have been examining the Gospels and other traditions about the life of Jesus to determine their historical accuracy. Although the results of these scholarly efforts are sometimes controversial, the consensus among researchers today is that the four Evangelists'' accounts cannot be taken at face value. In fact, a team of more than 100 scholars called the Jesus Seminar has come to the conclusion that on average only about 18 percent of the four Gospels is historically accurate.An active member of the Jesus Seminar, Dr. Robert M. Price presents the fruits of this important historical research in this fascinating discussion of early Christianity. As the title suggests, Price is none too optimistic about the reliability of the Gospel tradition as a source of accurate historical information about the life of Jesus. Indeed, he feels that his colleagues in the Jesus Seminar are much too optimistic in their estimate of authentic material in the Gospels. After an introduction to the historical-critical method for nonspecialists and a critique of the methods used by the Jesus Seminar, Price systematically discusses the narrative and teaching materials in the Gospel, clearly presenting what is known and not known about all of the major episodes of Jesus'' life. He also examines the parables for authenticity as well as Jesus'' teachings about the Kingdom of God, repentance, prayer, possessions and poverty, the Atonement, and many other features of the Gospels.Written for the general reading public in a lively and accessible style, Dr. Price''s highly informative discussion will be of interest to anyone who has wondered about the origins of Christianity.

The Origins of the Gospel Traditions

The Origins of the Gospel Traditions

Author: Birger Gerhardsson

Publisher:

Published: 1979

Total Pages: 108

ISBN-13:

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In two large and somewhat technical books, Memory and Manuscript and Tradition and Transmission in Early Christianity, Professor Gerhardsson put forward some controversial theories about how the gospel material came down to us, arguing that modern critics had not paid enough attention to the nature of oral tradition in the ancient world. This short study presents his views clearly and simply, as they have been tested and refined over the past fifteen years since they were first put forward. The reader will find not only a straightforward presentation of one way in which the writing of our gospels may be explained, but also a series of penetrating questions which will prompt further thought, whether from radicals or conservatives. Here is strong argument for the reliability of the gospels coupled with an acknowledgment of the degree of our ignorance and a stimulus to further questioning.


Book Synopsis The Origins of the Gospel Traditions by : Birger Gerhardsson

Download or read book The Origins of the Gospel Traditions written by Birger Gerhardsson and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In two large and somewhat technical books, Memory and Manuscript and Tradition and Transmission in Early Christianity, Professor Gerhardsson put forward some controversial theories about how the gospel material came down to us, arguing that modern critics had not paid enough attention to the nature of oral tradition in the ancient world. This short study presents his views clearly and simply, as they have been tested and refined over the past fifteen years since they were first put forward. The reader will find not only a straightforward presentation of one way in which the writing of our gospels may be explained, but also a series of penetrating questions which will prompt further thought, whether from radicals or conservatives. Here is strong argument for the reliability of the gospels coupled with an acknowledgment of the degree of our ignorance and a stimulus to further questioning.

The Gospel According to Mark

The Gospel According to Mark

Author:

Publisher: Canongate Books

Published: 1999-01-01

Total Pages: 73

ISBN-13: 0857860976

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The earliest of the four Gospels, the book portrays Jesus as an enigmatic figure, struggling with enemies, his inner and external demons, and with his devoted but disconcerted disciples. Unlike other gospels, his parables are obscure, to be explained secretly to his followers. With an introduction by Nick Cave


Book Synopsis The Gospel According to Mark by :

Download or read book The Gospel According to Mark written by and published by Canongate Books. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The earliest of the four Gospels, the book portrays Jesus as an enigmatic figure, struggling with enemies, his inner and external demons, and with his devoted but disconcerted disciples. Unlike other gospels, his parables are obscure, to be explained secretly to his followers. With an introduction by Nick Cave

The Hebrew Gospel and the Development of the Synoptic Tradition

The Hebrew Gospel and the Development of the Synoptic Tradition

Author: James R. Edwards

Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Published: 2009-10-16

Total Pages: 395

ISBN-13: 0802862349

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This book offers a new explanation of the development of the first three Gospels based on a careful examination of both patristic testimony to the "Hebrew Gospel" and internal evidence in the canonical Gospels themselves. James Edward breaks new ground and challenges assumptions that have long been held in the New Testament guild but actually lack solid evidence.


Book Synopsis The Hebrew Gospel and the Development of the Synoptic Tradition by : James R. Edwards

Download or read book The Hebrew Gospel and the Development of the Synoptic Tradition written by James R. Edwards and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2009-10-16 with total page 395 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers a new explanation of the development of the first three Gospels based on a careful examination of both patristic testimony to the "Hebrew Gospel" and internal evidence in the canonical Gospels themselves. James Edward breaks new ground and challenges assumptions that have long been held in the New Testament guild but actually lack solid evidence.

From Tradition to Gospel

From Tradition to Gospel

Author: Martin Dibelius

Publisher: James Clarke & Company

Published: 2022-01-27

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13: 0227906594

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The method of Formgeschichte seeks to help in answering the historical questions as to the nature and trustworthiness of our knowledge of Jesus, and also in solving a theological problem properly so-called. It shows in what way the earliest testimony about Jesus was interwoven with the earliest testimony about the salvation which had appeared in Jesus Christ. Thereby it attempts to emphasise and illuminate the chief elements of the message upon which Christianity was founded." From the Author's Preface Ably translated by Bertram Lee-Woolf, this is the classic exposition of the German school of theology known as Formgeschichte or "the criticism of literary form", which through literary and historical analysis seeks to understand the origins of the traditions of the New Testament, and in so doing bring to light the original intentions and interests of those earliest traditions.


Book Synopsis From Tradition to Gospel by : Martin Dibelius

Download or read book From Tradition to Gospel written by Martin Dibelius and published by James Clarke & Company. This book was released on 2022-01-27 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The method of Formgeschichte seeks to help in answering the historical questions as to the nature and trustworthiness of our knowledge of Jesus, and also in solving a theological problem properly so-called. It shows in what way the earliest testimony about Jesus was interwoven with the earliest testimony about the salvation which had appeared in Jesus Christ. Thereby it attempts to emphasise and illuminate the chief elements of the message upon which Christianity was founded." From the Author's Preface Ably translated by Bertram Lee-Woolf, this is the classic exposition of the German school of theology known as Formgeschichte or "the criticism of literary form", which through literary and historical analysis seeks to understand the origins of the traditions of the New Testament, and in so doing bring to light the original intentions and interests of those earliest traditions.

The Qur'an and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions

The Qur'an and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions

Author: Emran El-Badawi

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-12-17

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 1317929322

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This book is a study of related passages found in the Arabic Qur’ān and the Aramaic Gospels, i.e. the Gospels preserved in the Syriac and Christian Palestinian Aramaic dialects. It builds upon the work of traditional Muslim scholars, including al-Biqā‘ī (d. ca. 808/1460) and al-Suyūṭī (d. 911/1505), who wrote books examining connections between the Qur’ān on the one hand, and Biblical passages and Aramaic terminology on the other, as well as modern western scholars, including Sidney Griffith who argue that pre-Islamic Arabs accessed the Bible in Aramaic. The Qur’ān and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions examines the history of religious movements in the Middle East from 180-632 CE, explaining Islam as a response to the disunity of the Aramaic speaking churches. It then compares the Arabic text of the Qur’ān and the Aramaic text of the Gospels under four main themes: the prophets; the clergy; the divine; and the apocalypse. Among the findings of this book are that the articulator as well as audience of the Qur’ān were monotheistic in origin, probably bilingual, culturally sophisticated and accustomed to the theological debates that raged between the Aramaic speaking churches. Arguing that the Qur’ān’s teachings and ethics echo Jewish-Christian conservatism, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of Religion, History, and Literature.


Book Synopsis The Qur'an and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions by : Emran El-Badawi

Download or read book The Qur'an and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions written by Emran El-Badawi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-12-17 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a study of related passages found in the Arabic Qur’ān and the Aramaic Gospels, i.e. the Gospels preserved in the Syriac and Christian Palestinian Aramaic dialects. It builds upon the work of traditional Muslim scholars, including al-Biqā‘ī (d. ca. 808/1460) and al-Suyūṭī (d. 911/1505), who wrote books examining connections between the Qur’ān on the one hand, and Biblical passages and Aramaic terminology on the other, as well as modern western scholars, including Sidney Griffith who argue that pre-Islamic Arabs accessed the Bible in Aramaic. The Qur’ān and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions examines the history of religious movements in the Middle East from 180-632 CE, explaining Islam as a response to the disunity of the Aramaic speaking churches. It then compares the Arabic text of the Qur’ān and the Aramaic text of the Gospels under four main themes: the prophets; the clergy; the divine; and the apocalypse. Among the findings of this book are that the articulator as well as audience of the Qur’ān were monotheistic in origin, probably bilingual, culturally sophisticated and accustomed to the theological debates that raged between the Aramaic speaking churches. Arguing that the Qur’ān’s teachings and ethics echo Jewish-Christian conservatism, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of Religion, History, and Literature.

Story as History - History as Story

Story as History - History as Story

Author: Samuel Byrskog

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2022-03-16

Total Pages: 411

ISBN-13: 900450205X

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Please note that this title is only available to customers in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. NO salesrights for Rest of World. Samuel Byrskog employs models from the interdisciplinary field of oral history as presented by Paul Thompson, coupled with insights from cultural anthropology, in order to examine the interaction between the present and the past as the gospel tradition evolved. The ancient Greek and Roman historians, with their use of eyewitness testimony as sources to the past and as central elements in interpretive and narrativizing processes of the present, serve as the basis for unraveling culture-specific patterns of oral history, and thus for conceptualizing similar aspects during the development of the gospel tradition. Eyewitness testimonies played a central but varying role in early Christianity. They were transmitted in the matrix of discipleship, where verbal and behavioral traditions were passed on through acts of mimesis. The folkloristic notion of re-oralization explains how oral accounts regularly interacted with written texts, indicating a vivid and engaged relationship to the past as well as the semantic significance of oral communication and performance. Factual truth was essential but inseparable from interpreted truth during the course of investigation, transmission, and composition. The gospel tradition developed through a subtle interaction between the unique historic events of the past and the various circumstances of the present. The narrative and historical dimensions of a text cannot be separated, because the semantic codes of a text are often located in the culture and not in the text itself. The gospels are therefore the synthesis of history and story, intertwining the horizons of the past and of the present in their own right.


Book Synopsis Story as History - History as Story by : Samuel Byrskog

Download or read book Story as History - History as Story written by Samuel Byrskog and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2022-03-16 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Please note that this title is only available to customers in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. NO salesrights for Rest of World. Samuel Byrskog employs models from the interdisciplinary field of oral history as presented by Paul Thompson, coupled with insights from cultural anthropology, in order to examine the interaction between the present and the past as the gospel tradition evolved. The ancient Greek and Roman historians, with their use of eyewitness testimony as sources to the past and as central elements in interpretive and narrativizing processes of the present, serve as the basis for unraveling culture-specific patterns of oral history, and thus for conceptualizing similar aspects during the development of the gospel tradition. Eyewitness testimonies played a central but varying role in early Christianity. They were transmitted in the matrix of discipleship, where verbal and behavioral traditions were passed on through acts of mimesis. The folkloristic notion of re-oralization explains how oral accounts regularly interacted with written texts, indicating a vivid and engaged relationship to the past as well as the semantic significance of oral communication and performance. Factual truth was essential but inseparable from interpreted truth during the course of investigation, transmission, and composition. The gospel tradition developed through a subtle interaction between the unique historic events of the past and the various circumstances of the present. The narrative and historical dimensions of a text cannot be separated, because the semantic codes of a text are often located in the culture and not in the text itself. The gospels are therefore the synthesis of history and story, intertwining the horizons of the past and of the present in their own right.