Early Christian Apologists

[helemon]

http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/apology.html
Trained in the schools of paganism and tutored by Greek philosophers, the 2nd century Christian "Apologists" produced texts superior to those which had gone before. To retain their credence in the enlightened, prosperous age of the Antonine emperors, these Christian theorists remained "philosophers" and used Greek logic and the style of the sophists to defend Christianity.

Significantly, their attempts to underpin Christian theology with "science" had little to say about a human Jesus, for whom they produced no fresh evidence. Rather, their appeal was that their hero was "just like" the ethereal superstars of the pagan pantheon and was therefore "respectable".

Sound familiar?

[Fredl]

A comment that I saw awhile back that I liked very much was to the effect that Jesus Christ is the last surviving Roman God.

Fred

[miss taken]

Okay. This is an area that I have done a fair bit of research in (doesn't make me an expert however)

I found this article the other day, which I think covers most of what I had learned and also does it in quite a methodical way, though the author has his own conclusions.

What I found interesting is that in the earliest days of the church the oral tradition was obviously very sacred to them with all its inherent weaknesses and strengths.

Interesting stuff.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/NTcanon.html#I

[miss taken]

Okay, for balance, also found this site

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/theories.html

This bit on historical method is a bit long winded but pretty good

http://www.christianorigins.com/

THis one seems okay

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/james_still/historical_jesus.html


Havn't read this book yet, but looks interesting.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0899007325/002-5776632-8305616?v=glance

This one looks interesting too!
http://www.historicaljesusquest.com/


And this one appears to be pretty balanced!!! (to your side of the argument!!!)
http://www.nobeliefs.com/exist.htm