On the Historicity of Jesus

Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt

By: Richard Carrier

Narrated by: Richard Carrier

Length: 28 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

The assumption that Jesus existed as a historical person has occasionally been questioned in the course of the last hundred years or so, but any doubts that have been raised have usually been put to rest in favor of imagining a blend of the historical, the mythical, and the theological in the surviving records of Jesus. Historian and philosopher Richard Carrier reexamines the whole question and finds compelling reasons to suspect the more daring assumption is correct. He lays out extensive research on the evidence for Jesus and the origins of Christianity and poses the key questions that must now be answered if the historicity of Jesus is to survive as a dominant paradigm. Carrier contrasts the most credible reconstruction of a historical Jesus with the most credible theory of Christian origins if a historical Jesus did not exist. Such a theory posits that the Jesus figure was originally conceived of as a celestial being known only through private revelations and hidden messages in scripture; then stories placing this being in earthly history were crafted to communicate allegorically the claims of the gospel. Such stories eventually came to be believed or promoted in the struggle for control of the Christian churches that survived the tribulations of the first century. Carrier finds this theory more credible than has been previously imagined. He explains why it offers a better explanation for all the disparate evidence surviving from the first two centuries of the Christian era. He argues that we need a more careful and robust theory of cultural syncretism between Jewish theology and politics of the second-temple period and the most popular features of pagan religion and philosophy of the time. For everyone intent on defending a historical Jesus, this is the book to challenge them.

©2014 Sheffield Phoenix Press (P)2015 Pitchstone Publishing

An excellent defence of a controversial position.

Carrier has undercut all pillars of the historicist position. Mythicism can't be ignored any longer.

Well thoughtout

Very in depth analysis and well established hypothesis on the mythical argument of Jesus' existence.

The Facts You Need to Know

The best antidote to superstition and the best tool for liberating the future from the barbaric influence of ignorant mythology.

a wonderful analysis

I particularly enjoyed the use of stats and original source material. I found this much more compelling than mere argument from modern sources with no way to evaluate his arguments.

A true scholarly effort.

This is a very well researched scholarly writing and requires multiple readings to be able to retain so much information. The author does a great job of examining the scriptures and historicity of the Jesus "cult" from all angles including mathematical probabilities and is more than well worth the read. Well done!

Carrier's Narration is Outstanding

What made the experience of listening to On the Historicity of Jesus the most enjoyable?

I have both read and now listened to "ON THE HISTORICITY OF JESUS" and was impressed with Carrier's narrating. Even though the book is not scholarly dense, Carrier made the plain to understand even more clear.

What was one of the most memorable moments of On the Historicity of Jesus?

Carrier's use of Bayesian Theory to sort out myth from history is an honest and testable approach. His method provides the most logical path to uncover the truth about the origin of Jesus hidden behind the stained glass of Christian tradition. In this book we learn how the innate biases of past religious leaders went unchecked and unverified. The ancient religions of Rome, Egypt, Babylon, Syria, and Greece, etc., morphed into the largest and most diverse religion in the world, Christianity.

What does Richard Carrier bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Instant understandability. When I read the book I had to back step a few times because I have not studied Bayesian Theory.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was impressed with Carrier's analysis of the Book of Hebrews. I am convinced as he is that the entire Christian religion had its beginning in the mystery religions.

Long book but worth it

I love Richard Carrier insistence on being acurate and scientific about every claim he makes, no argument is left unsupported, and when something is not black or white he calculates an exact numerical probability of that things grayness. Very enjoyable if you like geeking out about what did or didn't happen during early Christianity.

Well presented

Well presented but unfortunately will have no impact on the stupidity of Christians. You can only be a Christian if you have no reason - reason is therefore wasted on those whiteout reason.

Great book but so long.

Great information and told very well
Not being a historian got a little lost.
Took me a while to get much of the information in my head. Thx

Brilliant and enlightening take down of the Jesus Myth

Dr. Carrier, as usual, has done his homework. This is a very well argued and thorough exploration of the Minimal Doherty Thesis: an explanation of how Christianity could have come about without an historical Jesus at its core. The Church has trained us to read the Pauline Epistles through Gospel colored lenses. OHJ takes a rock to those glasses, which have been locked onto our heads since childhood, and allows us to see a clear picture of the origins and evolution of Christianity. This is essential reading for anyone interested in learning about Christianity’s origins.