This April 27 (2024), a Saturday, I’ll be appearing in Bangor, Maine via Zoom to discuss the historicity of Jesus (including my new book on it which I just completed and sent to the publisher). I will summarize that but then focus on the extrabiblical evidence for the existence of an historical Jesus, and the Bayesian method of estimating the probability that Jesus (or indeed anyone) existed as an historical person; including updates on what other scholars have published on both subjects, moving the ball forward.
The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session with me, and a group discussion with whoever remains after. Though this can be watched from anywhere in the world. The current Zoom Meeting ID is 741 855 9721, Passcode: 842915; or Zoom Dial in: (646) 931-3860. Those could change (any updates will be posted here and on my Facebook and Twitter accounts). And the Zoom will be moderated (so trolls will be booted).
Though this is a world event, a room has been reserved to watch and participate at the Bangor Public Library (the “Board Room”), 145 Harlow St., Bangor, ME 04401. Event starts at 1pm (lecture starts at 1:30) and ends at 4pm (Eastern Time). Audience who can physically make it to the Bangor location will receive priority on all Q&A (your questions get asked first!). Plus it will be a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and hang out after to discuss the event and its many subjects.
This event will be open to the public, no RSVP required, and no fee for admission.
Note that we did want to do this live, but the host could not arrange sufficient funds to cover airfare and other expenses. So if you do attend in person and would like to pitch in for a future event where I can actually sell and sign books and hang out with everyone for drinks at a local pub, have a chat with the host when you arrive!
How are you going to possibly find a pub with good beer in Bangor!!! 😉
ETA on audiobook??! Haha 🍿😃
That might happen sooner this time.
The last audiobook waiting currently is Jesus from Outer Space. Since I no longer have time to record them myself I finally decided to have another reader do it. That’s now finished. It’s in can now and just being edited. Once it is edited, it goes to the publisher to process. Odds are very good it will be out this year.
For my next book, I won’t wait in the vain hope I might find time to record it myself. I will have it immediately recorded by the same contractor. So it will likely be out by end of next year (or sooner, depending on when that book reaches print).
Enjoyment of the audiobook might be improved were quotes from characters like Eusebius, Papias, and Ignatius performed in Slim Pickens’s voice. I am willing to essay this at no charge, if asked.
I’m wondering if these voice overs (Sam Pickens’s voice) now can easily be done with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Modern AI is an unreliable hallucinator.
It isn’t reliably useful for anything, much less this.
Thanks for the heads up! Any estimation on when the new book will be available for purchase? I think I remember you mentioning you had a couple of different ideas on how to approach it — what did you decide?
The book is submitted, but when it publishes is out of my hands. It has to go through peer review and then editing and proofing. Both processes can be slow at a small academic press (this was in collaboration with my original publisher, Sheffield-Phoenix). My desire is for it to make print this year so it can qualify for the ten year anniversary of OHJ. But there is nothing more I can do to ensure that at this point.
And yes, of the options considered, we decided to go with a new volume that catches everyone up with what has happened in the field in every pertinent subject in the last ten years, and assess the current status of the top arguments either side.
Besides that, it will also have a chapter explaining in simpler terms the mathematical method. And it will contribute a more extensive chapter on the state of Docetism as a concept in the field (having completed the research I suggested some months ago).
Exciting news. Have you decided on a title for the new book?
I have ideas. But the final decision will be in consultation with the publisher.
As a scheme for choosing a title, it would be hard to top Douglas Adams’s offerings, e.g. “Who Is This God Person Anyway?” and “Well That about Wraps It up for God”, although correct capitalization is a thorny matter.
Well, this book isn’t about god, so those wouldn’t suit.
But also, I wouldn’t want to impinge on the Adams’ estate’s copyrights. 🙂
You mentioned in the July 2023 blog post that the new book might include debates or dialogues with other scholars. Did that end up happening?
Sadly no. Insofar as any would have, they might have asked to be my peer reviewers instead (it’s a blind process though so I won’t be told that; the book itself is unblindable, since I have to refer to myself in it, so the usual double blinding won’t be possible, which is a challenge for my editor, but it means they can choose reviewers who already know it’s my book).
Instead, the Bermejo-Rubio debate book will likely also come out in English this year. (It is already out in Italian.)
Hola Richard Carrier,se que no es su campo,¿Pero que opinas de los estudios de Nathaniel Jeanson? (Bueno,su libro)
I had never heard of him until you asked. He seems pretty obscure; and a typical Young Earth creationist loony.
I don’t generally deal with YEC (Young Earth Creationism) nonsense. Their lies and bullshit are already too easily exposed by just checking anything they say against the record at Talk Origins Archive.
For a gist see the entry at Rational Wiki. Because this is rudimentary biology/geology stuff, I recommend you check the blogs of skeptics who are trained in those fields for specific evaluations of Jeanson. For example, Dr. Herman Mays.
I have been looking around for a copy of OHJ (not easy in Darkest Africa) but it sounds as if I would be better off waiting for the new book. Is that the best option?
I do not know. What can be available in Africa depends on where in Africa (not just what nation, but even where within one). And I have no contacts or knowledge concerning that.
The most I can say is, if you cannot even get Jesus from Outer Space where you are, you will not be able to get my new book, either. In most places (cities with brick-and-mortar bookstores, which are not just used book stores but sell any books at all that are newly published outside of Africa) anything can be ordered (they use the same Ingram or Baker & Taylor database, or equivalent, to order any books; all of my books are on those databases and can be ordered). But what it will cost there I cannot vouch for.
Likewise, if you can get any kind of kindle books (if all you have access to is a web browser, kindle cloud reader is there, so any books you buy on kindle should be readable there, or on any device you have with a kindle app). Although I understand kindle might be hard to legally get access to in many countries. I don’t know the situation as to that for any African country.
Dr. Carrier
Is it just my imagination or is Bart Ehrman now suddenly starting to repeat (agree with) some of the points that you commonly make concerning skeptism of evidence as presented by Christians concerning the Historicity of Jesus? Check out this short YouTube reel.
https://youtube.com/shorts/ZlrC-hZP2PM?si=P24Poh4pzoz0t8sP
Ehrman has never deviated from what he says there. We differ only in some specific conclusions we draw from those facts. Otherwise, he sounds exactly like me because when I say the same thing I am just repeating what all mainstream scholars agree is the case.
So, one can challenge Ehrman on his attempts to nevertheless extract history from the Gospels in specific instances, but on the general premises he avows here, we are all in agreement. Only Christian apologists want to handwave that away.
Dr. Carrier
I’m curious what you think of Jesus doing standup comedy?
https://youtube.com/shorts/ezTWOQ82vD0?si=3YHEHOUfcCIOfYYM
There is a reason he is running that shitty act on a subway and not in a real venue.
I must admit that your response to it was funnier than his actual act.
LOL
The Zoom thing doesn’t seem to be working out. Hope it went well. I’d love to hear or see some kind of followup.
I’ll inform the host. I had other reports of this.
The archived version will be online soon. I’ll link it in this article when it is.
I tried to join this event on zoom. I could see indication that the host was in the “room,” but I was never let in. Hopefully, there will be a link later on Youtube.
I had the same problem. Was very disappointing as I’d been looking forward to this.
Richard – any chance those of us who couldn’t get into the room will get some sort of recording or at least a summary of what was said?
I’ll inform the host. I had other reports of this.
The archived version will be online soon. I’ll link it in this article when it is.
Indeed I had the same experience.
I’ll inform the host. I had other reports of this.
The archived version will be online soon. I’ll link it in this article when it is.
I’ll inform the host. I had other reports of this.
The archived version will be online soon. I’ll link it in this article when it is.
Will a VOD (Video On Demand) version of this Zoom Meeting be uploaded to YouTube or other platform.
The archived version will be online soon. I’ll link it in this article when it is.