Apologetics and Theology Blog Richard Carrier is an Apologist Stephen Bedard, December 20, 2017May 7, 2020 Richard Carrier has recently had an ongoing debate with New Testament scholar Larry Hurtado. I have not been following the debate because frankly I don’t care. Plus, I find that Carrier just gets nasty and his arguments become more emotional than rational. But something he wrote caught my attention. I… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog Was Hitler a Christian? Stephen Bedard, December 20, 2016May 11, 2019 One of the common objections to Christianity is that religion is the source for most violence. Christians respond with example from the 20th century, where it looks as if non-religious regimes have been the most violent. Examples of communists such as Stalin and Mao are clear. But what about Hitler? Many… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog Did Jesus Really Have a Brother? Stephen Bedard, August 31, 2016July 16, 2020 Richard Carrier argues that the James who is described as the brother of Jesus, is not really his brother. Why is this important to Carrier? Unlike Catholic apologists who want Mary to be a perpetual virgin (although they do not deny they are related), Carrier needs to break this relationship… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog Responding to Richard Carrier’s Dating the Corinthian Creed Stephen Bedard, August 11, 2016July 9, 2020 One of the key passages for Christian apologists is the creed that Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 15 as part of his discussion on the resurrection. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that… Continue Reading
Yes Maclean’s, Jesus Really Did Exist Stephen Bedard, April 7, 2016October 8, 2016 Just in time for Easter, Maclean’s magazine ran an article called Did Jesus Really Exist? written by Brian Bethune. It is a bit of strange article, blending theories by Bart Ehrman and Richard Carrier. There have been some heated discussions between Ehrman and Carrier and they definitely don’t see eye… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog Richard Carrier vs Mark Goodacre Stephen Bedard, December 17, 2012December 27, 2019 One of the topics that I am interested in is the evidence for the historical existence of Jesus. One of the few people with scholarly credentials that denies the existence of Jesus is Richard Carrier. Recently, Mark Goodacre, a very good and non-evangelical scholar spoke with Carrier on this topic… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog Bart Ehrman vs Richard Carrier Stephen Bedard, April 26, 2012June 8, 2020 Bart Ehrman, who is normally a critic of Christianity and the Bible, recently wrote a book defending the existence of Jesus against the claims of the Jesus mythicists. Richard Carrier, an atheist and a scholar who supports the Jesus myth, has harshly criticized Ehrman and his book. Bart Ehrman has… Continue Reading