Biblical criticism took me on a trip

The Liminal

04-12-2023 • 54 mins

I finished "Misquoting Jesus" by Bart Ehrman about a month ago, but I found myself needing a lot of time to wrap my head around it before sharing my thoughts. I read it again, I read some responses to it, and I cross-referenced his notes on specific scriptures with folks like David Bentley Hart's. I think I'm ready to talk about it!

In this episode, I share what I've learned about the history of the New Testament from a bird's eye view, then I go through some of the specific instances where scribes deliberately changed texts to fit their theological or social concerns.

Some key topics include:

  • The complicated relationship of orthodoxy to unreliable source texts
  • Verses with Christological and trinitarian concerns that were altered or added
  • Verses that were changed to intentionally devalue women
  • Considering if we've overvalued doxis (theory/theology) and undervalued praxis (action)
  • The danger of pseudo scholarship in the age of the internet and social media

I close by reflecting on how crucial it is to have intellectual and spiritual humility, and how theology and apologetics can themselves be a distraction from actually living the way Jesus taught.

As always, feel free to engage with us on instagram at @theliminalpodcast and let me know your thoughts!

Original music by my husband who is a composer, producer, and bassist. Check out his work at joecalderonemusic.com