Two Views of Jesus

• Apocryphal


  Relating to apocryphal works. In this context, apocryphal works are texts concerning biblical times, places, or characters (usually), but which are not part of a religious canon. Also usually unknown authorship.
• Critical Realism


  A movement of scientists‐turned‐theologians bringing science and theology together. The assumption that if the divine is real, the knowledge if it can only be achieved through dialogue between the knower and the thing known.
• Messiah


  Hebrew for 'Anointed'. Used to describe a political, social, or religious leader. Within Christianity. In Greek it means 'Christ', a title for Jesus implying divinity.
• Crossan


  Argues the case for Jesus the social revolutionary, a ‘peasant Jewish cynic’.

  Uses apocryphal gospels to better consider Jesus as a product of his time; and analyse what the words of Jesus would have meant in Jesus’ time
• Strengths of Crossan

  Considers historical context of texts and Jesus.

  Uses full range of sources, including non-canonical.

  Compatible with contemporary historical scepticism.
• Weaknesses of Crossan


  Relies on unprovable assumptions about life of Jesus.

  Relies heavily on potentially unreliable sources.

  Challenges orthodox views about hypostatic union
• Wright


  Views Jesus as the true Messiah.

  Uses critical realism, he reads texts as ‘the articulation of worldviews’ and seeks best explanation for traditions found in the Gospels.
• Strengths of Wright


  Compatible with orthodox views about Jesus.

  Considers historical and religious context.

  Makes effective use of canonical sources
• Weaknesses of Wright


  Biased – apologetics rather than academic?

  Does not make effective use of textual criticism.

  Some conclusions are questionable.
• Apocryphal Gospels are reliable


  Early texts which may record lost traditions or lost primary sources.

  Non-canonical does not mean definitively unreliable.

  Corroborate much of the New Testament.

  Provide a valid account of theological beliefs of early Christian communities.
• Apocryphal Gospels are not reliable


  No way of proving sources, authorship or reliability of claims.

  Sources are non-canonical for a reason (e.g. known embellishments or forgery).

  Generally later than New Testament sources, so have little else to contribute.

  They express beliefs about the Christ of Faith, not the historical Jesus.
• Critical Realism Strengths


  Identifies issues of ‘objective’ and ’subjective’ knowledge. Recognises the bias in seeking a Historical Jesus separately from a Christ of Faith.

  Maintains strengths of positivism and phenomenalism but avoids total empiricism and solipsism
• Critical Realism Weaknesses


  Does not reconcile impossibility of objective knowledge and the possibility of objective truth.

  Fails to acknowledge inherent bias in believing that the Historical Jesus is the Christ of Faith.

  Does not lead to certain knowledge – only provisional assertion