Understanding the Search for the Historical Jesus
A selected bibliography prepared for the Pacesetters Bible School seminar of the same name. Books with links may be purchased from Energion Bookshelf in association with Amazon.com.
Author: Henry E. Neufeld
Note: This is not intended as an exhaustive bibliography, nor even one selected from the full range of literature available. All books listed are available either in the Pensacola Public Library (PPL), the University of West Florida Library (UWF) or in local bookstores in Pensacola FL. My hope is that the list is adequately balanced to provide a lead to further study for those interested. Levels of difficulty and approaches are judged subjectively based on my own reading. I would appreciate having any errors or serious omissions brought to my attention. Not all titles are available for purchase, but if the book is still available in libraries I will likely list it.
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Difficulty Levels (D) |
P = Popular |
S = Serious, for the serious non-scholar |
A = Advanced |
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Approaches (A) |
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IC |
Inerrancy/Conservative, holds that either all, or the overwhelming majority of the Biblical material is factual. |
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C |
Conservative in terms of critical Biblical scholarship. In terms of historical Jesus research, holds that around 80% of the material attributed by Jesus was spoken or done by him. |
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M |
Moderate, holds that substantially more than 20% but less that 80% was said or done by Jesus |
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L |
Liberal, holds that around 20% of the material attributed to Jesus was spoken or done by him. |
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R |
Radical, any of a number of theories that usually involve less than 20% historicity for the gospel accounts. These may vary from creative to positively bizarre. |
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Buy: When you see this word, you can buy the book from Energion Bookshelf in association with Amazon.com.For more information about Amazon Associates Program, click here:
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D |
A |
Author |
Title |
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S |
M |
Farmer, William R. |
The Synoptic Problem: A Critical Analysis |
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The Macmillan Company, 1964. A critical scholar who challenges the priority of Mark and supports a version of the Griesbach Hypothesis. (PPL)
Buy This book is no longer available in this edition, but "Synoptic Problem" by the same author has been published by Mercer University Press. The button refers to the more recent edition |
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S |
R |
Mack, Burton L. |
The Lost Gospel: The Book of Q and Christian Origins |
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Buy The Macmillan Company, 1966. An overview of historiography and its relation to belief. (PPL) |
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S |
M |
Harvey, Van A. |
The Historian and the Believer |
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Buy The Macmillan Company, 1966. An overview of historiography and its relation to belief. (PPL) |
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S |
M |
Charlesworth, James A., ed. |
Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls |
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Buy Doubleday, 1992. A collection of essays on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Christian origins from the perspective of the scholarly consensus. These are well-chosen and carefully written essays with conclusion broadly accepted by other scholars. (PPL) |
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P |
M |
Zanoni, Arthur E., ed. |
Jews and Christians Speak of Jesus |
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Fortress Press, 1994. A collection of essays. Not strictly on the historical Jesus question, but includes some insights. (PPL) |
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S |
M |
Sanders, E. P. |
The Historical Figure of Jesus |
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Buy (E. P. Sanders / Paperback / Published 1996
Penguin Press, 1993. Sanders is a major player outside the Jesus Seminar. (PPL) |
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S |
M |
Frederiksen, Paula |
From Jesus to Christ |
- Buy (Hardcover) (Paula Fredriksen / Hardcover / Published 1988)
Buy (Paperback) (Paula Fredriksen / Paperback / Published 1990)
Yale University Press, 1988. (PPL) |
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P |
L |
Borg, Marcus J. |
Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time |
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Buy (Paperback)(Marcus J. Borg / Paperback / Published 1995)
HarperSanFrancisco. Borg is a fellow of the Jesus Seminar. (PPL)
Other books by Marcus Borg |
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P |
L |
Miller, Robert A & Funk, Robert, eds |
The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version |
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Buy (Robert J. Miller / Paperback / Published 1995)
HarperSanFrancisco, 1994. The translation done by the fellows of the Jesus Seminar. The style is colloquial and casual. This is a valuable reference tool, however, because it includes the text of non-canonical gospels. (PPL) |
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P |
L |
Crossan, John Dominic |
The Essential Jesus |
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BuyJohn Dominic Crossan / Paperback / Published 1995 )
HarperSanFrancisco, 1994. A collection of Jesus' sayings as reconstructed and translated by Crossan with some comments. Crossan is co-chair of the Jesus Seminar. (PPL) |
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P |
L |
Crossan, John Dominic |
Who Killed Jesus |
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Buy (John Dominic Crossan / Hardcover / Published 1995)
HarperSanFrancisco, 1995. A discussion of the crucifixion. |
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S |
L |
Crossan, John Dominic |
The Historical Jesus |
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Buy ( John Dominic Crossan / Paperback / Published 1993)
HarperCollins, 1994. The more scholarly version of Crossan's work. (PPL copy missing, UWF) |
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S |
L |
Crossan, John Dominic |
Jesus, A Revolutionary Biography |
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Buy (John Dominic Crossan / Paperback / Published 1995)
HarperCollins, 1992. (Bookstores)
More books by John Dominic Crossan |
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P |
M |
Johnson, Luke Timothy |
The Real Jesus |
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Buy (Hardcover) (Luke Timothy Johnson / Hardcover / Published 1996)
Buy (Paperback) (Luke Timothy Johnson / Paperback / Published 1997)
HarperSanFrancisco, 1996. A book that is very critical of the Jesus Seminar from a scholarly, but very intensely expressed position.
More books by Luke Timothy Johnson |
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P |
IC |
LaHaye, Tim |
Jesus: Who is he? |
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Buy (Hardcover) (Tim F. Lahaye / Hardcover / Published 1997)
Multnomah Books, 1996. This book appears to be largely an affirmation rather than directly a response to the Jesus Seminar or other Biblical criticism. |
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S |
IC |
Greenleaf, Simon, ed. |
The Testimony of the Evangelists |
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Buy (Paperback) (Simon Greenleaf / Paperback / Published 1995)
Kregel Classics, 1995. Includes some older essays, examining the evidence from a legal perspective. |
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S |
C |
Witherington, Ben Jr. |
The Jesus Quest: The Third Search for the Jew of Nazareth |
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The Jesus Quest: The Third Search for the Jew of Nazareth
By Ben Witherington III. This is an excellent summary of the activities of the third search by a conservative scholar. I think Witherington is largely fair, though often very intense in his views. Various chapters explore different theories about the historical Jesus. Summary and Review
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S |
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McKnight, Edgar V. |
What is Form Criticism? |
- Buy (Edgar V. McKnight / Published 1969 [Hard to Find])
Fortress Press, 1969. A basic introduction to the process, written with the beginner in mind. (UWF) |
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S |
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Perrin, Norman |
What is Redaction Criticism? |
- Buy (Norman Perrin / Paperback / Published 1969)
Fortress Press, 1969. A basic introduction to the process, written with the beginner in mind. (UWF) |
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S |
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Powell, Mark Allan |
What is Narrative Criticism? |
- Buy (Mark Allan Powell / Paperback / Published 1991)
Augsburg Fortress, 1990. A basic introduction to the process, written with the beginner in mind. (UWF) |
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S |
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Davidson, Robert & Leaney, A.R.C. |
The Pelican Guide to Modern Theology, Vol 3: Biblical Criticism |
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Buy (Robert Davidson [Hard to Find])
Penguin Books, 1970. A serious introduction to the subject. (UWF) |
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S |
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Krentz, Edgar |
The Historical Critical Method |
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Buy (Edgar Krentz, Edgar Krnetz / Paperback / Published 1975)
Fortress Press. In the same series as "What is Form Criticism?" (UWF) |
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S |
C |
Scott, E.F. |
The Validity of the Gospel Record |
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No longer available. There is a copy in the University of West Florida Library as noted.
Scribner's Sons, 1938. An early response to critical views of the gospels. (UWF) |
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S |
M |
Grant, Frederick C., trans |
Form Criticism: Two Essays on New Testament Research |
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No longer available. There is a copy in the University of West Florida Library as noted.
Harper and Row, 1934. Includes Bultmann's essay on Form Criticism. Bultmann was a major pioneer and advocate of Form Criticism. (UWF) |
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P |
C |
Phillips, J. B. |
The Ring of Truth |
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Buy (Phillips, J. B. Phillips / Paperback / Published 1977)
The McMillan Company, 1967. A translator affirms his confidence in the picture of Jesus to emerge from the gospels. (UWF) |
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A |
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Koch, Klaus |
The Growth of the Biblical Tradition: The Form Critical Method |
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Buy Klaus Koch / Hardcover / Published 1968 [Publisher Out Of Stock])
Charles Scribner's Sons, 1969 (UWF) |
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S |
L |
Funk, Robert, ed |
The Five Gospels |
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Buy (Robert W. Funk [Translator], et al / Paperback / Published 1997)
Macmillan, 1993. The Jesus Seminar "red letter edition" indicating the votes of the Jesus Seminar. An introduction briefly describes the methodology. (PPL) |
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S |
L |
Mack, Burton L. |
Who Wrote the New Testament |
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Buy (Paperback) (Burton L. Mack / Paperback / Published 1996)
Buy (Audio Cassette) (Burton L. Mack, Mitchell Ryan [Narrator] / Published 1997)
HarperSanFrancisco, 1989. Broader than historical Jesus research, but related. Goes into the authorship of the entire New Testament tradition. (PPL) |
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A |
M |
Farmer, William R., ed |
New Synoptic Studies |
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Buy (William R. Farmer [Editor] / Hardcover / Published 1983)
Mercer University Press, 1983. A collection of studies by scholars opposed to the 2-document hypothesis and Markan priority. |
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A |
M |
Bellinzoni, Arthur J, Jr., ed |
The Two-Source Hypothesis: A Critical Appraisal |
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Mercer University Press, 1985. A collection of essays pro and con about the 2 document hypothesis. |
Evangelical/Conservative Resources
At the first Understanding the Search for the Historical Jesus seminar I lamented the fact that almost all of the material easily available here in Pensacola was rather extreme. Now that I am presenting this bibliography on the web, I will include some additional authors. For now I will simply give a perspective and a link to a book listing by the author.
Books by D. A. Carson
Carson is a conservative evangelical and a scholar of some capability. Pay special attention to:
The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Matthew Chapters 1 Through 12 Vol 1
The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Matthew Chapters 13 Through 28 Vol 2
The Gospel According to John : An Introduction and Commentary
Books by David Wenham
David Wenham is a conservative evangelical who has done considerable writing on issues in New Testament interpretation and criticism. Especially relevant to this topic is the Gospel Perspectives series.
Books by Raymond E. Brown
Raymond Brown rates as conservative in terms of critical Biblical scholarship.
The Original Jesus - N. T. Wright
A review of this book for the non-scholar, and a list of other books by N. T. (Tom) Wright which may be relevant to understanding historical Jesus research.
Some authors of note with no titles listed:
Radical: Robert Eisenman, Barbara Thiering
Conservative: John P. Meier, Raymond Brown
Inerrantist: Josh McDowell (Evidence that Demands a Verdict, vols 1 & 2, More than a Carpenter)
The following web page contains a host of useful links related to historical Jesus research, Christian apologetics and Biblical criticism. I had a list of others to provide, but all were linked from this site:
Henry Neufeld - Religion, Philosophy and Politics
Enjoy your study!
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