Christian Origins Website

Christian Origins is not a blog!

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:25:00 +0000

Even though the contents are still being indexed in the reverse chronological order (best known from the practice of blogs), Christian Origins has had all of its chatty material deleted to expose more clearly the links to the substantive essays hosted on the Christian Origins website.

If you'd like to see a blog by Peter Kirby, please head over to the blog at www.peterkirby.com for some "late Peter Kirby writings." It has any new comments on Early Christian Writings, Early Jewish Writings, and other subjects of interest.

Review of Akenson's "St. Saul: A Skeleton Key"

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sat, 02 Oct 2004 20:18:00 +0000

Michael Turton has written a book review of Donald H. Akenson's St. Saul: A Skeleton Key to the Historical Jesus. Among other things, Turton observes that there is not enough focus on Paul himself (or on Paul in relation to the historical Jesus), and the book is not recommended. Read it now.

The Miracles of Jesus: A Historical Inquiry

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Tue, 14 Sep 2004 04:04:00 +0000

An overview, written by Chris Price, of arguments for the miracle-tradition about Jesus. Read it now.

A Review of "The Jesus Puzzle" by Bernard Muller

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:01:00 +0000

A review of Doherty by Bernard Muller (updated) focusing on interpretation of the epistles. Read it now. See also his site Jesus, a historical reconstruction.

The Religion of Flavius Josephus

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 03:31:00 +0000

James Montgomery explores the views of Josephus concerning the divine, destiny, allegory, and Jewish customs. Read it now.

The New "Fragment of an Uncanonical Gospel"

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sat, 17 Apr 2004 03:30:00 +0000

A. Büchler defends the historicity of P. Oxy. 840. Read it now.

Three Articles by G. R. S. Mead

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Fri, 16 Apr 2004 03:28:00 +0000

Mead wrote a five article series in The Theosophical Review, of which three are presented here (omitting the first and the last): The Outer Evidence as to the Authorship and Authority of the Gospels, The Present Position of the Synoptical Problem, and The Fourth-Gospel Problem.

Review of Secret Mark by Achtemeier

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sun, 14 Mar 2004 04:26:00 +0000

Paul J. Achtemeier wrote this review of Smith's books on the Secret Gospel of Mark for the Journal of Biblical Literature in 1974. Read it now.

Review of Jesus After 2000 Years by Lüdemann

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sat, 13 Mar 2004 04:25:00 +0000

Michael Turton briefly discusses the huge historical-critical commentary undertaken by Gerd Lüdemann. Read it now.

Jesus: Pagan Christ or Jewish Messiah?

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Fri, 12 Mar 2004 04:23:00 +0000

Excerpts from a book by the Daltons on the historicity of Jesus that contends that the Jesus of Mark and the letter-writer Paul were actually pagan. Read it now.

First Person Perspective in Ancient Sea Travel

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Mon, 22 Sep 2003 03:22:00 +0000

Peter Kirby examines the relationship between first person narration and tales of maritime voyages in several ancient documents. Read it now.

Paul and Damascus

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sun, 21 Sep 2003 03:20:00 +0000

R. E. Lay looks at the authenticity and meaning of the New Testament accounts of Paul's activity in Damascus. Read it now.

A Suspected Interpolation in 2 Corinthians

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sat, 13 Sep 2003 03:19:00 +0000

Sid Green argues that the words in 2 Corinthians suggesting that Paul escaped from Damascus in Syria, allegedly under Nabataean rule, are later additions to the text. Read it now.

External References to Islam

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Fri, 12 Sep 2003 03:16:00 +0000

Peter Kirby presents dozens of outsider sources on formative Islam, based on Hoyland's book Seeing Islam as Other Saw It. The compilation should be helpful in reconstructing early Islamic history, the origins of the Qur'an, and the life of Muhammad. Read it now.

Euripides and Luke

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sun, 31 Aug 2003 03:15:00 +0000

Peter Kirby illustrates that two items in Acts are most likely dependent on a large swath of Greek literature and culture, not Euripides in particular, by showing additional parallels. Read it now.

Review of The Historical Jesus by Theissen and Merz

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Wed, 06 Aug 2003 03:13:00 +0000

Peter Kirby provides an overview of the chapters of the book by Theissen and Merz, as well as an outline of their historical hypothesis. Read it now.

Paul's Belief in a Bodily Resurrection

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Tue, 22 Jul 2003 03:12:00 +0000

Chris Price argues against the "spiritual resurrection" hypothesis. Read it now.

By Land and By Sea

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sat, 19 Jul 2003 03:11:00 +0000

In this 1978 essay, reproduced here by permission, Robbins attempts to determine the literary function of the "we passages" in Acts. Read it now.

The Christ Passage in Josephus

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Mon, 07 Jul 2003 02:49:00 +0000

Solomon Zeitlin (1928) argues that Eusebius interpolated the Testimonium and that the Slavonic Josephus has no value as evidence for Jesus. Read it now.

Review of The Historical Jesus by Crossan

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Fri, 30 May 2003 02:45:00 +0000

Michael Turton criticizes the work of J. D. Crossan. Read it now.

Citations concerning the Testimonium

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sat, 24 May 2003 02:44:00 +0000

David C. Hindley has compiled a compendium of quotes, based on the original appendix to Josephus by William Whiston, that put the debate over the authenticity of Jesus in Josephus in perspective. Read it now.

Marcion, the Canon, the Law, and the Historical Jesus

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Fri, 23 May 2003 02:42:00 +0000

Chris Price looks at the thought of Marcion and its influence on the church. Read it now.

Jesus Variants

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Thu, 22 May 2003 02:41:00 +0000

Peter Kirby refutes the argument from No Alternate Versions for a historical Jesus by pointing out differences in ancient accounts of Jesus. Read it now.

The Seven Apostles

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Wed, 21 May 2003 02:40:00 +0000

Peter Kirby looks at traditions concerning the names and number of the apostles of Jesus, both inside and outside of canonical texts. Kirby identifies a tradition of the Seven that rivals that of the Twelve. Read it now.

Review of Habermas, The Historical Jesus

peterkirby@gmail.com (Peter Kirby) — Sun, 18 May 2003 02:38:00 +0000

Peter Kirby has written a detailed dissection of an apologist's arguments. Read it now.