Some recent book reviews
Craig L. Blomberg, Can we still believe the Bible?. Reviewed (or, rather, noted, by Kevin James Bywater).
Blomberg is a thorough scholar and a clear writer. He has authored books on a range of topics, including the historical reliability of the Gospels. In this present volume, he deals with a range of possible objections to the trustworthiness of the Bible, including issues to do with the integrity of the text of the New Testament, the choice of books to include in the canon, the historical nature of biblical narratives, and the question of miracles.
Bart D. Erhman, How Jesus became God. Reviewed by Andreas Kostenberger.
Erhman maintains that Jesus did not claim to be God. Jesus was not buried in a tomb, and so, de facto, there was no empty tomb. Belief in his resurrection arose from visions experienced by his followers fairly soon after his death. This belief then fueled speculation about his exaltation (in the Synoptic Gospels) and, later, his pre-existence (in John’s Gospel). In order to support his thesis, Erhman must play fast and loose with the historical evidence, set up a radical discontinuity between the Synoptics and John, and engage in dubious psychologising about what people would or would not have been likely to do (Pilate, it is claimed, would not have been likely to release Jesus’ body for burial, but this speculation ignores Pilate’s actual words and behaviour as reported by Luke).
Erhman would claim that he has ‘mainstream scholarship’ on his side. Not quite. A team of five scholars has produced a full-scale response, entitled, How God became Jesus.