By Herbert Cutner
In 1950, mythicist Herbert Cutner released his first-class paintings, "Jesus: God, guy or Myth?," which not just explores the legendary nature of Jesus Christ but additionally presents an extraordinary and much-needed summarization of the talk among mythicists and historicizers during the last few centuries. opposite to renowned trust, the concept that Jesus Christ is a legendary personality isn't really new: in reality, the wondering and doubting of the gospel story began before everything of the Christian period and has been endured by way of millions, if no longer thousands, considering the fact that then. The historicization and carnalization of the Christ personality used to be fought by way of the Docetic Gnostics, and the disbelief was once addressed by way of early orthodox Christians besides, together with the writers of the canonical epistles of John. certainly, 1 John four condemns as "antichrists" these "spirits" who don't confess that "Jesus Christ has are available in the flesh," as does 2 John 7. Many, says 2 John, have contested the historicity of Jesus Christ, even by way of his day.
The writings of early Christians additionally confirm that Christ used to be perceived through the Pagans as a customary sunlight god, an idea that got here to fruition within the works of French pupil Charles Dupuis on the finish of the 18th century, while he wrote his multivolume "Origine de tous les cultes." Dupuis was once via count number Volney, one other terrific French mythicist, and the floodgates opened, with the German institution of biblical feedback kicking into complete equipment, the Dutch throwing their hats into the sector, and the British creating a great impression that's most likely liable for the tremendous low fee of church
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Example text
P CHRISTI A N E V IDENCES 25 Nobody knows anything for certain about the New Testament except that it exists. Who wrote any of it, when were the dif. ferent parts written or where, is absolutely unknown. Thousands of books have been laboriously compiled analyzing every prob lem connected with the Greek text, mostly with the view of proving its absolute integrity, authenticity, and credibility. The New Testament has produced an enormous literature of specula tion; for, by and large, that is all it amounts to.
Baur claimed, are "spurious". And here it may be well to say a few words about Supernatural Religion. In Jesus Not a Myth, Mr. A. D. Howell Smith names the work in his Appendix, "Some useful books for students", at the same time taking care to refer to Dr. Lightfoot's "very able reply" which should also be read, and Cassels' "rejoinder". Dr. Lightfoot was considered at the time the most able of all British theologians, and he had a unique opportunity in de fence of his Church to make mincemeat of Supernatural Re ligion.
How did Paul manage, as we are informed on page 158, to proclaim "the belief in an his toric Jesus"? Did Paul believe that his ''heavenly being" did after all come down to earth either as a complete Man and soon after was crucified under Pontius Pilate; or that he came t odd · THE WITNESS OF PAUL 37 years before, and was born of a Virgin, and went about "doing good"? And I am completely puzzled as to what is meant by the term "heavenly being". Does it mean that Paul believed there was a being actually alive in Heaven", or that Paul believed in •the Christ within you"-whatever is meant by this Gnostic term?