{"id":6226,"date":"2014-05-05T09:49:13","date_gmt":"2014-05-05T13:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/?p=6226"},"modified":"2016-03-17T19:09:35","modified_gmt":"2016-03-17T23:09:35","slug":"podcast-39-dr-craig-evans-on-dr-bart-ehrmans-historical-methodology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/podcast-39-dr-craig-evans-on-dr-bart-ehrmans-historical-methodology\/","title":{"rendered":"podcast 39 &#8211; Dr. Craig Evans on Dr. Bart Ehrman&#8217;s historical methodology"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_8756\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6226-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities039.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities039.mp3\">http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities039.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities039.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/?powerpress_pinw=6226-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/trinities\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/podcast\/trinities039.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"trinities039.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_subscribe_links\">Subscribe: <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/7FuUF9DZM3zhtN41n6RJ6l\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_spotify\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe on Spotify\" rel=\"nofollow\">Spotify<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/subscribebyemail.com\/trinities.org\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_email\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe by Email\" rel=\"nofollow\">Email<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/\" class=\"powerpress_link_subscribe powerpress_link_subscribe_rss\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Subscribe via RSS\" rel=\"nofollow\">RSS<\/a><\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-6239 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Allan_Ramsay_-_David_Hume_1711_-_1776._Historian_and_philosopher_-_Google_Art_Project1.jpg\" alt=\"David Hume, as painted by Allan Ramsay.\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Allan_Ramsay_-_David_Hume_1711_-_1776._Historian_and_philosopher_-_Google_Art_Project1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Allan_Ramsay_-_David_Hume_1711_-_1776._Historian_and_philosopher_-_Google_Art_Project1-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Allan_Ramsay_-_David_Hume_1711_-_1776._Historian_and_philosopher_-_Google_Art_Project1-420x210.jpg 420w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Allan_Ramsay_-_David_Hume_1711_-_1776._Historian_and_philosopher_-_Google_Art_Project1-460x230.jpg 460w, https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Allan_Ramsay_-_David_Hume_1711_-_1776._Historian_and_philosopher_-_Google_Art_Project1-90x45.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/>In this episode, <a title=\"Dr. Evans's website\" href=\"http:\/\/www.craigaevans.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Craig A. Evans <\/a>and I discuss the surprising and bold <strong>methodological claims about doing history<\/strong> in chapter 4 of Dr. Ehrman&#8217;s <a title=\"How Jesus Became God\" href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0061778184\" target=\"_blank\"><em>How Jesus Became God<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Along the way we bring up such topics as Joseph Smith, the<em> Book of Mormon<\/em>, \u00a0the historicity of the New Testament gospels, the views of <strong>David Hume <\/strong>(pictured above) on belief in miracles, the probability of miracles, Paul&#8217;s religious experiences, writing outside of one&#8217;s area of expertise, and the usable life of ancient papyri.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s part of the discussion\u00a0of Hume in Paley&#8217;s <em>Evidences of Christianity<\/em> that I refer to:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>But the short consideration which, independently of every other, convinces me that there is <strong>no solid foundation in Mr. Hume&#8217;s conclusion<\/strong>, is the following. When a theorem is proposed to a mathematician, the first thing he does with it is to <strong>try it upon a simple case<\/strong>, and if it produce a false result, he is sure that there must be some mistake in the demonstration. Now to proceed in this way with what may be called Mr. Hume&#8217;s theorem. If <strong>twelve men<\/strong>, whose probity and good sense I had long known, should seriously and circumstantially <strong>relate<\/strong> to me an account of a miracle wrought before their eyes, and in which it was impossible that they should be deceived: if the governor of the country, hearing a rumour of this account, should call these men into his presence, and offer them a short proposal, either to confess the imposture, or submit to be tied up to a gibbet; if they should refuse with one voice to acknowledge that there existed any falsehood or imposture in the case: if this threat were communicated to them separately, yet with no different effect; if it was at last executed; if I myself saw them, one after another, consenting to be racked, burnt, or strangled, rather than live up the truth of their account;&#8211;still <strong>if Mr. Hume&#8217;s rule be my guide, I am not to believe them<\/strong>. Now I undertake to say that there exists not a sceptic in the world who would not believe them, or who would defend such incredulity.<\/p>\n<p>Instances of spurious miracles supported by strong apparent testimony undoubtedly demand examination; Mr. Hume has endeavoured to fortify his argument by some examples of this kind. I hope in a proper place to show that none of them reach the strength or circumstances of the Christian evidence. In these, however, consists the weight of his objection; in the principle itself, I am persuaded, there is none.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong><a title=\"episode 39 on youtube\" href=\"http:\/\/youtu.be\/D3RpqiHg3cc\" target=\"_blank\">This episode is also available on youtube. <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Links<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Paley&#8217;s<a title=\"William Paley's Evidences of Christianity\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/cache\/epub\/14780\/pg14780.txt\" target=\"_blank\"><em> Evidences of Christianity<\/em><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>David Hume&#8217;s <a title=\"Part 3 of Hume's Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, modernized by Jonathan Bennett\" href=\"http:\/\/www.earlymoderntexts.com\/pdfs\/hume1748_3.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">chapter<\/a> of his <em>Enquiry<\/em> in which he argues that it is never rational to believe any report of a miracle, modernized by philosopher Jonathan Bennett (starts on p. 55).<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Hume's Abject Failure\" href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0195127382\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Hume&#8217;s Abject Failure<\/em><\/a> by John Earman.<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Bart Ehrman\u2019s Worldview Problem\" href=\"http:\/\/michaeljkruger.com\/bart-ehrmans-worldview-problem\/\" target=\"_blank\">A blog post on Dr. Bart Ehrman&#8217;s methodology by Dr. Michael J. Kruger<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"How God Became Jesus\" href=\"http:\/\/astore.amazon.com\/trinities-20\/detail\/0310519594\" target=\"_blank\"><em>How God Became Jesu<\/em>s<\/a> &#8211; the evangelical response book to which Dr. Evans contributed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this episode, Dr. Craig A. Evans and I discuss the surprising and bold methodological claims about doing history in chapter 4 of Dr. Ehrman&#8217;s How Jesus Became God. Along the way we bring up such topics as Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, \u00a0the historicity of the New Testament gospels, the views of David&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/podcast-39-dr-craig-evans-on-dr-bart-ehrmans-historical-methodology\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">podcast 39 &#8211; Dr. Craig Evans on Dr. Bart Ehrman&#8217;s historical methodology<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37,21,16,56,9,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-apologetics","category-bible","category-books","category-interview","category-philosophy","category-podcast"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6226"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37208,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6226\/revisions\/37208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trinities.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}