Professor of Early Christian History here, ask me anything!

[Bithynian]

As far as the CofE is concerned

Aha, many thanks on the corrections! My ignorance of early Anglican history is showing. I always seem to draw blanks on Christian history between the years 33-100 and 500-1850.

 

[PickyPicky]

This was an immediate red flag which was confirmed with the Christian hating atheist book recommendations

It seems unlikely that Fr Brown was Christian hating, and certainly from my reading of Dr Ehrman he is not Christian hating either. If historians hold views which differ from your understanding that does not make them “Christian hating”. If they are knowledgable scholars like Dr Ehrman or Dr Crossan, confidence in your faith should surely allow you to take note of their judgements without resorting to insult.

 

[PickyPicky]

I always seem to draw blanks on Christian history between the years 33-100 and 500-1850

Oh, I think we could all do with more knowledge of Christian history 100-500 !

 

[Salibi]

If historians hold views which differ from your understanding that does not make them “Christian hating”

Oh how I wish people would just understand this.

 

[GKMotley]

True, this. But I suspect the original post raising the issue was looking at the Glastonbury/Joseph of Arimathea school of pious legends, as exemplified in such books as L.S. Lewis’ ST.JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA AT GLASTONBURY, Andrew Gray’s THE ORIGIN AND EARLY HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY, or R.C. Harvey’s TO THE ISLES AFAR OFF.

Maybe.

 

[PickyPicky]

Maybe

Ah yes. You may well be right.

 

[Aquinas11]

You’re perfectly free to read a book on African American history by guy who hates African Americans

Or read a book on European history by a guy who hates Europeans

Or read a book on Christian history by a guy who hates Christianity

Freedom involves the ability to make such decisions

 

[BartholomewB]

What is the evidence for Q. I thought Q is pure speculation.

What is the difference between “speculation,” “conjecture,” and “hypothesis”? I would suggest all three words denote the same thing, while conveying different shades of approval or disapproval.

 

[PickyPicky]

You’re perfectly free to read a book on African American history by guy who hates African Americans

Or read a book on European history by a guy who hates Europeans

Or read a book on Christian history by a guy who hates Christianity

Freedom

Thank you, but I’d really rather not.

I beseech you, think that you may be mistaken. That you might be quite right about these authors’ findings in their studies of history, but horribly mistaken about their “hatred”.

 

[BartholomewB]

but horribly mistaken about their “hatred”.

… Or, perhaps, foolishly mistaken.

 

[thistle]

What is the difference between “speculation,” “conjecture,” and “hypothesis”? I would suggest all three words denote the same thing, while conveying different shades of approval or disapproval.

Okay. In short I do not believe there is a Q.

 

[rosejmj]

Tha doesnt make much sense. It’s history, whether or not it supports your theological views or whether or not the historian is Christian doesn’t matter, nor do you have to accept everything each historian says. Would you read a book on Islamic history written by a Christian?? He might be biased and not support Islamic theological views… If he is a historian I have reason to trust there is probably some truth in what he says or that his historical perspective is valid even if I may not think it’s entirely true. You don’t need to follow a certain religion to study the history of the time period it developed and the history of a religion. It also gives more perspective that someone of the religion might not want to explore. I wouldn’t trust an atheist theologian to explain Catholic theology, but history is different

 

[Aquinas11]

Would you read a book on Islamic history written by a Christian??

Would you read a book on Islamic history written by an Islamophobe?

Even better - would a book written on Islamic history written by an Islamophobe be your first recommendation if you were a professor of Islamic history when asked?

 

[PickyPicky]

Even better - would a book written on Islamic history written by an Islamophobe be your first recommendation if you were a professor of Islamic history when asked?

The first book recommended by the OP was by James Dunn, the distinguished British scholar who has ministered in the Church of Scotland and in the Methodist Church of Great Britain. Is he a Christianity hater too?

 

[EndTimes]

Is there a book that you’d recommend regarding early Church history for us non-Historians?

Clearly, the non-Fiction New Testament is the Prime “book” for Earlist Church History…

 

[Aquinas11]

Oh wow, I didn’t realize it was the second/third/etc book recommendations that were written by anti-Christian atheists.

You’re right - of course it would be appropriate for a professor of Islamic history to recommend a book written by Islamaphobe, provided they’re the second/third/etc recommendation.

Yes, I now withdraw my posts.

 

[whatistrue]

Is he a Christianity hater too?

There are people (not naming or pointing at anyone specific) for whom “does not agree with every one of my positions and beliefs” = “hates all that I stand for”.

 

[rosejmj]

If he was a historian that specialized in that history and had evidence to support his views I could care less if he agrees with Islam’s teachings or not. An Islamaphobe? Is that just a Christian or something? I would be surprised if an intelligent person hated a group of people just because he disagreed with their theological beliefs. Sure, he may think it’s illogical or that it doesn’t teach good morals or whatever but it’s overgeneralization to just decide that because if that he will hate all adherents of the religion. I doubt the atheist historians mentioned are like that

 

[billsherman]

Other graffiti asked St. Peter to pray to Christ for deceased people, and others were common Christian symbols, like the alpha and omega, or the chi and rho.”

How intriguing. For a variety of reasons the Vatican has generally been reluctant to allow archaeologists and other scientists to really probe some of their artifacts. With any luck that stance will change over time. They are, however, very wide open for historical scholars.

 

[billsherman]

Do you think St. Paul and Jesus ever met in person during Jesus’ lifetime?

There isn’t any evidence they did. I suspect Paul would have mentioned it in one of his letters, had it happened. But, no, I don’t think they met in person.