Bart Ehrman: Revelations about Revelation...and more
Jul 7, 2023
auto_awesome
Bart Ehrman, biblical scholar, explores revelations about Revelation and discusses his intellectual adventure from fundamentalist youth to skeptical historian. They touch on the contradictions between scriptures and science, the cultural importance of the Bible, and the church's impact on culture and science. The conversation also covers the historical context of Jesus, dating the Gospels, and the misinterpretations of the Book of Revelation.
The speaker's personal journey from fundamentalist Christian to agnostic/atheist, involving questioning and exploring biblical scriptures and grappling with the problem of suffering and divine intervention.
The significant influence of the New Testament on civilization, shaping Western society and influencing various fields such as science, knowledge, politics, and economics.
The importance of understanding the cultural and historical significance of religious texts, despite their mythical elements, through analyzing their impact and interpretations throughout history.
The historical doubt surrounding the resurrection of Jesus, highlighting the lack of concrete evidence and emphasizing it as a matter of faith.
Deep dives
The journey from belief to disbelief
The speaker recounts their personal journey from being a fundamentalist Christian to eventually giving up their faith. It was not a sudden change, but rather a gradual process that involved questioning and exploring biblical scriptures, including the recognition of contradictions within the text. The speaker also mentions that an important factor in their decision was grappling with the problem of suffering and the realization that they could no longer believe in a God who actively intervenes in the world. The shift from belief to disbelief occurred over time, leading the speaker to identify as agnostic and atheist.
Analyzing the importance of the New Testament
The speaker highlights the significant influence and impact of the New Testament on civilization. It is considered the most important collection of books due to its historical, cultural, and religious significance. The New Testament and the Christian Church that developed from it have shaped Western society, influencing fields such as science, knowledge, politics, economics, and more. The speaker emphasizes that the New Testament is central to understanding Christianity and its role in forming societal systems throughout history.
The uniqueness of analyzing religious texts
The speaker acknowledges that religious texts, such as the Bible, carry immense cultural and historical importance, despite their mythical elements. Their analysis is motivated by a desire to understand the impact and interpretations of these influential texts. This differs from scientific analysis, which focuses on empirical evidence and testable hypotheses. The speaker draws a parallel with analyzing works of literature, studying their historical context, philosophies, and societal impacts. Ultimately, it is the fascination with the historical, cultural, and social significance of religious texts that drives the speaker's examination and exploration.
The Historical Jesus and the Resurrection
The summary discusses the historical doubt surrounding the resurrection of Jesus, highlighting the inconsistencies and debates presented by different sources. It emphasizes that the resurrection is a matter of faith and not supported by concrete historical evidence.
Apocalyptic Preaching and the Book of Revelation
The summary explores the apocalyptic nature of Jesus' preaching and how it relates to the book of Revelation. It emphasizes that both Jesus and the author of Revelation believed that the end of the world was imminent, but their understanding of the consequences and interpretation of God's will differed. It also challenges the notion of a rapture and highlights the historical context behind its emergence.
Misinterpretations and Consequences
The summary delves into the consequences of misinterpreting the book of Revelation, including the psychological damage incurred by believers who anticipate the imminent end of the world. It also mentions the potential for misinterpretations to lead to harmful actions, such as denial of climate change or extreme behaviors as seen in events like the Waco disaster.
The Evolution of Jesus' Divinity
The podcast explores how the belief in Jesus as God evolved over time. In the earliest Christian tradition, Jesus was seen as a human who became divine upon his resurrection. However, as time went on, the belief shifted to Jesus being divine throughout his life, including the idea of a virgin birth. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is portrayed as existing from eternity past and creating the universe. This evolution of Jesus' divinity within the New Testament texts reflects the theological developments and interpretations of his followers.
The Role of Cognitive Dissonance and Reinforcement in Religion
The podcast highlights the role of cognitive dissonance and the need for reinforcement in religious beliefs. It discusses how people often believe in religious stories without substantiation and seek reinforcement through religious practices and community. Additionally, it raises questions about the common belief in the literal interpretation of religious texts, such as the Bible, despite historical and contextual inconsistencies. The discussion touches on the psychological factors that may lead individuals to hold and propagate religious beliefs, even in the face of contradictory evidence.
I have admired Bart Ehrman’s writing for more than a decade. I remember how profoundly reading Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great reminded me of how little I had really understood about the scriptures. For me, Bart Ehrman took over from there. I recalled reading his 2014 masterpiece How Jesus Became God, which made it clear that the modern Western Interpretation of the Holy Trinity differs significantly from the earliest impressions of Jesus, and moreover that the notion of humans intermingling with deities has a long and checkered history. He also made it clear that the Resurrection, perhaps the cornerstone of Modern Christianity, is highly suspect, based on burial traditions at theme.
I have been trying to work out a time to record a podcast with Bart for some time, and was fortunate that his schedule opened up recently, following the publication of his newest book, Armageddon: What the Bible Really Says About The End. This book provides a detailed analysis of the Book of Revelations, and describes how perhaps the most iconic modern interpretation of End Times, The Rapture, is a modern mythological invention and is itself not even scriptural.
In our dialogue we explored Bart’s own intellectual adventure from fundamentalist youth to Biblical Scholar, from true believer to skeptical historian. We then explored some of the most enlightening aspects of his writing. It was a fascinating, entertaining, and informative discussion, and one that I hope will be widely viewed. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it.
As always, an ad-free video version of this podcast is also available to paid Critical Mass subscribers. Your subscriptions support the non-profit Origins Project Foundation, which produces the podcast. The audio version is available free on the Critical Mass site and on all podcast sites, and the video version will also be available on the Origins Project Youtube channel as well.
