The Jesus Crisis [Paperback]

Robert L. Thomas (Editor), F. David Farnell (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 1998

Examines the inroads of historical criticism into evangelical scholarship. Though evangelicals reject many extreme conclusions of liberal scholars, some have adopted their same methodology in the interpretation of the Synoptic Gospels, creating a crisis in evangelical scholarship. The authors show how adopting such methodologies are affecting the next generation of pastors, teachers, and scholars.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert L. Thomas (Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament at The Master's Seminary in Sun Valley California. He is the general editor of The Jesus Crisis (with F. David Farnell), The Master's Perspective on Contemporary Issues and The Master's Perspective on Difficult Passages.

F. David Farnell is Associate Professor of New Testament at The Master's Seminary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Kregel Academic & Professional (September 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082543811X
• ISBN-13: 978-0825438110
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #878,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Sacred Cows Get Kicked..., April 20, 2010

By 

Lyndon Unger "Armchair Theologian" (Vancouver, British Columbia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Jesus Crisis (Paperback)

...People often get very angry.

This book made a lot of 'conservative' evangelical scholars VERY angry, which is reason in itself to read it. Dr.'s Thomas, Farnell, Osborne, Felix and others take on the sacred cow of 'higher critical theory' and the issues around Markan priority and the various searches for the "Historical Jesus" (who apparently, is loosely related to the fella portrayed in Mathew, Mark, Luke and John). The basic thrust of the book is that dehistorizing of the scripture, fathered by Spinoza and embraced by the German and British Liberals of the 18th and 19th centuries, has infiltrated the biggest and best seminaries and havens of evangelicalism in the form of New Testament Higher Critical scholarship (i.e. the non-Matthean priority schools of thought, as well as the "Historical Jesus" searches/debates) and few people are the wiser.

This book names the names, quotes texts and calls people to task for peddling dangerous and false teaching in the safety of classrooms and accademic journals. This book warns evangelicalism about the dangers of what's going on in the places where they faithfully send their money and find their clergy.

I attended one of these seminaries where all the white haired, faithful saints got newsletters and supported a school, to the tune of millions of dollars, because they were blissfully unaware of what was being taught there. Students were coming hoping to "get to know the bible better" and study a bible that they thought was inspired, inerrant, sufficient, effications, historical and trustworthy (although few arrive knowing the theological terminology). Many of my friends and collegues left believing none of those things and many of them aren't involved in Christianity much, if at all, anymore. I remember sitting in a class and debating with professors about whether or not the canon was closed, the Bible was historically true, the scripture was sufficient for life and godliness, etc. Sadly, one of my profs even celebrated the "diversity" of all the theology in the school (if there is no actual truth, then who cares?).

Evangelical scholarship has always run into problems when they start "trying to be cool" when the unbelieving accademic world is watching (i.e. trying to gain the respect of the unbelieving accademic world)

We see it in events like Bruce Waltke's recent dismissal from RTS in Florida for not wanting to look stupid to the scientific community by embracing biblical creationism.

We see it in RC Sproul, Gary Demar and Hank Hannegraaf for not wanting to look stupid to the skeptical/atheistic community because Matthew 24:34 didn't occur in the way that the skeptics/atheists think it should have, and embracing preterism.

We see it in the life and accademic work of George Eldon Ladd; a man who died alone and in despair because the accademics at Princeton, Harvard and Oxford called him names instead of offered him a job.

And we also see it all over New Testament studies in the "Synoptic Problem" discussions and the "Historical Jesus" stuff.

This book should be on your shelf if you consider yourself a Christian intellectual, pastor or leader. If you haven't read this, you have never heard the "other side" of the debate regarding the 'synoptic problem' or the 'historical jesus'.

12 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone studying or teaching the gospels., December 2, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Sioux Falls, SD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jesus Crisis (Paperback)

This book shows you the dangers found in much of evangelical scholarship regarding critical study of the gospels. It is an invaluable tool for anyone who wishes to understand how to approach a study of the gospels without compromising the integrity of the texts.