u/Glittering_Novel_459

Hello! I’ve recently delved into the christology debate within Paul’s letters and while most scholars regard them as containing an early high christology due to the creeds and hymns found throughout Paul’s letters their appears to be more speculation in regards to wether they pre date Paul as much as some scholars state. I wanted to know what is the evidence for the creeds in hymns in Paul’s letters being pre Pauline? To what extent do they reflect the beliefs of the earliest Christian’s? Could Paul be writing them himself? Thank you!

Hello all! I’ve been struggling with a heavy burden of doubt especially in regards to biblical studies (for the biblical scholars here I would most wholeheartedly appreciate your insight)and the seeming humaneness of the New Testament. For starters the historical Jesus differs majorly from the theological Christ of Christianity with most of the New Testament seemingly echoing a far more theological Jesus then what can actually be verified historically of him such as the virgin birth or his walking on water with Peter and leads me to question if God in his infinite love truly wanted to transmit his word unto all of mankind why not make such details verifiable with the evidence necessary for belief without doubt?(I’m not an inerrantist though God could have seemingly transmitted the Bible in such a way). Also I’m having trouble squaring the fact that Jesus never claimed to be God and in many ways subordinates himself next to the father so how can that be reconciled with the trinity? The more I learn the harder for me it becomes to reconcile how Gods revelation is transmitted in mostly just the writing of human hands with his role seeming very minimal. I have hope and pray always that I remain with the Lord Christ and I hope by the help of the many wise people of this sub my doubts can be eased. Thank you all and God bless!

Hello all! I wanted to know what are the most up to date works regarding the historicity and authenticity of the parables of Jesus. I’ve only been able to find a handful of discussions on this sub that have recommended the works of s John P.Meier, Robert Gundry, Amy J Levine, and Justin David Strong though have their been more in depth studies that have probed the historicity and development of the parables of Jesus? Thank you

Hello all! I’ve recently begun to delve more into Pauline scholarship and was curious as the the difference if any stand between the Paul within Judaism school of thought and Paul within Paganism. From the resources I‘ve found in this sub and please of course correct me if I’m mistaken scholars such as Stanley K Stowers, Paula Frederiksen and M.David Litwa all emphasize a mix of viewing Paul entirely within Judaism while having adapted a lot of the beliefs of his Greco-Roman or pagan environment while scholars such as Matthew V Novenson, Matthew Theissen and Mark D Nanos focus on viewing Paul entirely within Judaism though not putting as much emphasis on his pagan environment. So again I want to ask how much of a difference if any stand between the PwJ school of thought and PwP? Are they exclusive categories that view Paul differently or are they part of the same school of thought in which they expand upon one another? And as a side question has the New Perspective of Paul championed by scholars such as E.P. Sanders and James D.G. Dunn died out or are they’re still works being published in its support as from what I could find Paul within Judaism seems to be the consensus view given so much recent scholarship and scholars being in support of this radical perspective of Paul?
Thank you!

Hello all! I recently came across a claim that stated the apostle Paul is essentially the “backbone of Christianity” in which he formulated most of what would become Christian doctrine and his teachings essentially differed from the teachings of the historical Jesus that while focusing on love and forgiveness primarily focused on upholding the Jewish Law so I wanted to ask how fundamentally different are the apostle Paul’s teachings from the historical Jesus? To me at least it seems Paul is only espousing and exemplifying the teaching of Jesus minus the upholdment of the law on part of the gentiles. And what are some good resources delving into the relationship between the teachings of Paul and those of the historical Jesus?
Thank You!

Hello! In recent time I've become increasingly interested in the Marcion hypothesis as a solution to the synoptic problem and was curious as to its current scholarship beyond that of M David Litwa, Markus Vinzent, Matthias Klinghardt, and Jason BeDuhn that support its thesis and was curious as to its opposing views by scholars that have responded or contended to Maricon Priority and how scholar's continue to maintain and uphold other varying solutions such as the Ferrer or two source hypothesis. Thank You!