Friday, October 26, 2007

The "historical" Jesus

Scholarship about the so-called "historical Jesus" wouldn't be so bad if it weren't quite so ridiculous.

I say this as someone who has just a bit of experience with the field: at Harvard, I took a course called Jesus of Nazareth and the Gospels which was taught by Helmut Koester, who himself was taught by Rudolf Bultmann, the famous demythologizer of Christianity. That course gave me the strong impression that the field of historical Jesus scholarship consists largely in proving that the miracle stories in the Gospels must have been made up, by starting with the assumption that miracles are impossible.

It's not this brand of airtight logic that I take issue with, however. I do think it's a valid intellectual position to believe that miracles do not occur. Now, to prove that they didn't by assuming that they can't doesn't seem like the most intellectually satisfying undertaking to me, but that's really none of my business.

But here's what got me going today. I stumbled across the lecture audio for a Stanford University course called Historical Jesus on the relatively new iTunes U service and started listening to the first lecture (Call Me Yeshua). For whatever reason, the professor, Thomas Sheehan, conveys the unmistakable impression of having a major ax to grind with orthodox Christianity, which seems to lead him, at times, to go a little bit overboard in trying to shock the faith out of anyone in his audience who might have any. At 37:15 into the lecture he says this:

"Here's the point: over the last four decades -- I said that the real turning point is 1800 -- but since World War II, historical scholarship on Yeshua and on his times -- and it doesn't matter who conducts the historical scholarship -- whether Jews, or Christians, or Muslims, or non-believers -- has arrived at a strong scientific consensus about what this undeniably historical figure said and did -- how he presented himself and his message to his Jewish audience."

Alright, fair enough, so far. But then he drops -- in a very pompous and self-satisfied voice -- what you can tell he thinks is a real bombshell:

"Jesus had nooo intention of being a Christian."

Oh, really? Jesus had no intention of being a follower of Himself? I'm positively scandalized!

But he's not done. He pauses dramatically for a couple of seconds and then adds, snidely:

"Not even a Catholic."

Come on! Who is this clown? A very bitter man, apparently, whose bitterness is clearly coloring his scholarship to the extent that, for some reason, he's insinuating in an academic environment that Catholicism isn't Christian.

Now that is ridiculous.

UPDATE: In fairness to Sheehan, I will acknowledge that his "Not even a Catholic" quip is sufficiently vague to support a number of interpretations, not all of which would imply that Catholicism is not Christian. All the other possible meanings of his remark are, however, equally obnoxious.

36 comments:

Tim said...

this kind of ignorance would be at least somewhat excusable if it weren't A PROFESSOR AT STANFORD TEACHING A COURSE ABOUT JESUS. my goodness. what the heck. and i never yell in capital letters.

Anonymous said...

Who is ignorant? You take that Sheehan quote literally and out of context. The point Sheehan makes is that Jesus intended to be a normal Jew and not the founder or main focus of a new religion. He did however intend to "improve" his religion.

Wrong or right, that's what Sheehan means.

Anonymous said...

You also conveniently ignore the fact that Sheehan is a self-confessed Catholic. The historicity of Jesus, however you want to interpret it (fact/myth/whatever) does nothing to reduce the impact of the message of Yeshua.

It is impossible to ignore the inconsistencies in sacred scripture. When will we stop pretending that they are recorded history?

Anonymous said...

I too thought Sheehan was agressively anti-christian after listening to his first lecture. I said so to my wife. I'm now in the fifth lecture and have changed my mind.

Now I think he was trying to defuse strong reactions from his students, i.e., scare off those who would be extremely offended by higher criticism of Scripture.

You might give him one more try...

Desta Elliott said...

I've read the book and listened to the lectures. You are being unfair to Sheean and you are the one taking cheap shots.

Unknown said...

Hi wholly catholic, just read your post about the historical Jesus lectures. I understand you wrote this back in 2007, sorry if I'm a couple of years too late. I too was also shocked by the first Sheehan lecture, I am not a religious person but I grew up in a Christian family/community.

My personal opinion about religious scholarship is that, whenever it is taught in an academic institute like Stanford, one cannot help but apply the disciplines and methods from the other sciences that are also taught in the institute. Because of this cross-pollination, miracles will always be viewed from the vantage point of doubt. Not to say that it's bad. It's really not. Science scrutinizes everything, so why not religion?

What I don't like is how the religious academics seem to be living in a separate world from the preachers. Its like saying, "Yes, we're very comfortable here in our ivory towers. Meanwhile, you priests go ahead and spread your brand of theology to the masses."

Unknown said...

To the last commenter: Sheehan addresses the exact point you bring up. Preachers and priests don't bring up the facts and data that have been discovered in the last few decades. He challenges them to do so.

Chuck said...

Did you listen to the whole series or even the whole of the first lecture? Objective historical analysis reveals gaping holes in orthodox Christian beliefs. I see you skipped all those points in favour of one quick quip Mr Sheehan made. Do you care to address any of his substantive points?

OPT said...

Anders Branderud...

Thank you so much for clarifying these important truths. I am immediately leaving my faith since you have stepped down to inform me. Please continue trolling the internet and refuting every website you disagree with using arrogant and pompous language, as we are all mightily impressed and will change our opinions.

Anonymous said...

Miracles didn't happen because people know magic isn't real.
Stanford is far too conservative, though, because 'Jesus' is most likely a purely fictional being invented by the Joshua Cult and Jewish Gnostics.
There's less history in the New Testament than there is the Life of Apollonius of Tyana.

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Anonymous said...

I think it is fairly clear that you didn't continue the rest of the course. I understand quite well and can empathize with Christians, previously being one myself. I understand he is biased and that produces a whole slew of assumptions however the evidence speaks for itself, and if you were to accept it there is no doubt in my mind you could find a way to make it jive without sacrificing your belief. Leave history to historians, leave the nature of reality to scientists, and leave your faith in Christ. I encourage studying a cognitive bias and a logical fallacy everyday, liberate yourself from the inadequacies of our minds.