Debate: Are the Gospels Historically Reliable? (Ehrman V. Williams)

• 

No one does these online debates better than Justin Brierley and his show Unbelievable?. Here, the famed author and scholar Bart Ehrman takes on the Cambridge University Bible scholar Peter J. Williams. Both are great thinkers! Have at it!

Bart D. Ehrman: During the Summer of 2018, Bart D. Ehrman and Peter J. Williams joined as guests with moderator Justin Brierley on the “Unbelievable” show called “The Big Conversation,” Season 2-Episode 3. The story of Jesus: Can we trust the historical reliability of the Gospels?

Arguably, no individual has influenced the course of history more than Jesus of Nazareth. Today, over 2000 years since he lived, his story still influences the lives of millions of people. Yet, in recent decades many have questioned whether the Gospel stories are a true reflection of the central figure of Christianity. So can we trust the accounts of his life, death and alleged resurrection? Leading New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman is well known for his critique of the historicity of the Gospels. He engages with leading Cambridge University Bible scholar Peter J. Williams who defends the reliability of the accounts.

Program discussed on Bart Ehrman’s Foundation Blog: http://ehrmanblog.org/?p=16958

Christian radio show “Unbelievable” hosted by Justin Brierley: http://www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable

The Big Conversation is produced by Premier in partnership with the Templeton Religion Trust. Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He came to UNC in 1988, after four years of teaching at Rutgers University. At UNC he has served as both the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. A graduate of Wheaton College (Illinois), Professor Ehrman received both his Masters of Divinity and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary, where his 1985 doctoral dissertation was awarded magna cum laude.

Peter J. Williams is the Warden (CEO) of Tyndale House and a member of the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Cambridge. He received his MA, MPhil and PhD, in the study of ancient languages related to the Bible from Cambridge University. Staffed in the Faculty of Divinity, Cambridge University (1997–1998). Affiliated Lecturer in Hebrew and Aramaic and as Research Fellow in Old Testament at Tyndale House, Cambridge (1998–2003). Faculty of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and later Warden in the history of Tyndale House. Copyright © Bart D. Ehrman, Peter J. Williams and Justin Brierley show “Unbelievable”. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use, re-posting and/or duplication of this media without express and written permission from Bart D. Ehrman, Peter J. Williams or Justin Brierley show “Unbelievable” is strictly prohibited.