Quest for the Historical Jesus

Modern techniques and approaches to the discipline of history were inevitably turned on Jesus. But you may be surprised to learn that, at the origin, the desire was not to deconstruct but to shore up belief in Jesus, if not all the subsequent doctrinal accretions around him. In this episode, Dad walks us through the early history of the quest for the historical Jesus, its findings, what it gave and what it took away, and what any of it has to do with classic christology. Meanwhile, I essentially play the role of Waldorf and Statler, the grumpy guys up in the balcony of "The Muppet Show."

Notes:

1. Kant, Conflict of the Faculties and Religion within the Limits of Mere Reason

2. Schleiermacher, The Life of Jesus

3. Strauss, The Christ of Faith and the Jesus of History

4. Schweitzer, The Quest of the Historical Jesus

5. Heschel, The Aryan Jesus

6. Bornkamm, Jesus of Nazareth

7. Troftgruben, "How Not to Fall for the Next Big Jesus Exposé," Lutheran Forum 52/4 (2018): 45–50.

8. Related episodes: Martin Luther King, Howard Thurman, Miracles, Elisabeth Behr-Sigel

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