Jesus: Neither God Nor Man - The Case for a Mythical Jesus [Perfect Paperback]

Earl Doherty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2009

Mainstream biblical scholarship is far from achieving consensus in its ongoing attempt to separate the glorified Jesus of faith from the ever elusive Jesus of history. It remains to be seen how soon traditional academia will overcome its reluctance to take the plunge into the New Testament s final, uncharted territory: the theory that Christianity began with belief in a spiritual heavenly Son of God, that the Gospels are essentially allegory and fiction, and that no historical Jesus worthy of the name existed...

The Gospels and Acts of the Apostles form one small portion of the early Christian documentary record. They reflect but one category of thought and witness to what that broad movement came to believe in. Modern scholars and believers alike view the world of early Christianity through the prism of this narrow handful of inbred writings, a chain of literary dependency and enlargement on the first one written, and it has distorted all that they see. The Gospels and Acts need to be put in their proper perspective, so that they no longer obscure a more clear-eyed view of what early Christianity constituted. That view can be found in everything from the New Testament epistles to the non-canonical documents, to the writings of the Gnostics and second century apologists. Until we allow ourselves to recognize what broader factors of the era brought the idea of a Jesus into being, and how he evolved over the first 150 years, the Western world will continue to live and perpetuate a fantasy...

Earl Doherty, through his website and first book, The Jesus Puzzle, is regarded by many as having given Jesus Mythicism its most legitimate and convincing expression in over a generation. Jesus: Neither God Nor Man is a new and revised expansion of that work. The product of almost three decades of study, it presents a case of unprecedented depth and lucidity for the non-existence of an historical Jesus. (The original The Jesus Puzzle will continue to be available as a condensed version of that case.) In this age of the Internet and the increased dissemination of knowledge and ideas across a wide public constituency, the true beginnings of one of the world s major religions may finally be ready to emerge.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Earl Doherty has established himself as today s standard bearer for the re-emergent Christ Myth theory. This book, a greatly expanded edition of his earlier volume, The Jesus Puzzle, updates the original case and interacts with the debate as it has raged since the original book....

Earl Doherty is a masterful writer and an indefatigable scholar who leaves no relevant stone unturned. Any critic who seeks (desperately) to write him off because he writes without establishment academic credentials only demonstrates how far he himself falls short of recognizing real scholarship when he sees it. Has Doherty had to resort to publishing his own books? So did Hume. That s no excuse for anyone interested in the Christ Myth or the historical Jesus not to read this all-encompassing book...Earl Doherty's masterpiece. --Robert M. Price, author of Deconstructing Jesus, The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man, and The Pre-Nicene New Testament.

Untangling the Traditions That Begot Early Christianity
Earl Doherty s Bold Inquiry

...[T]he chunks of the debate on the historical Jesus that typically reach the lay person are, as a rule, too shallow to attract sharp intellects with no dog in the fight. The result is the simultaneous preaching to parallel choirs of believers and infidels with little or no progress on the general understanding of the origins of Christianity.

A refreshing exception to this rule is the monumental work of Earl Doherty, Jesus: Neither God Nor Man, a revised and expanded edition of The Jesus Puzzle on top of which a decade s worth of new research has been added. This hefty tome presents an argument so bold it is no surprise it comes from outside the mainstream of New Testament scholarship, yet so compelling in its ability to explain contradictions in the existing theories that it may prove to be nothing less than a paradigm shift...

The bombshell conclusion that there was no flesh and blood Jesus ever is nothing new: The concept of the mythical Jesus has been in and out of vogue for centuries. What makes Doherty s theory a force to be reckoned with is its power to explain why the New Testament looks the way it does, and where all those puzzling inconsistencies came from. By unscrambling the two traditions and setting them in the right order, he has provided us with significant explanatory power...

Yet the demographic that should run to read Doherty s argument is current (or past) Christians with an inquisitive mind and an unsatisfied curiosity about the inconsistencies between the Gospels Jesus and the Epsitles Christ. If you fall into this category, do yourself a favour: Read this book, even if it s the only one you read on the subject. I did. And when I was done, I felt like a veil had been lifted from my eyes: the quest for truth had set me free. --Roberto Perez-Franco, Staff Writer, The Tech, Newspaper of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Friday November 6, 2009

A tour de force! --Michael Martin, author of The Case Against Christianity

About the Author

Earl Doherty is widely recognized as the world s leading Jesus mythicist. In a groundbreaking website (The Jesus Puzzle) established in 1996, followed by three books, The Jesus Puzzle (1999) Challenging the Verdict (2001), and now Jesus: Neither God Nor Man (2009), he demonstrates that Christianity began with a mythical Christ and that the Gospel Jesus was a later, fictional creation. While this view has been a minority position in New Testament scholarship for over a century, Earl Doherty s work is considered the most compelling case to date in support of this controversial theory. His degree in Ancient History and Classical Languages (Greek and Latin), supplemented by two decades of private study and research in all fields of biblical scholarship, is a reflection of a new wave of independent scholars who operate outside the confines of traditional academia. He is gaining an ever-expanding audience on the Web, and increasing book sales through Internet booksellers like Amazon.com.

In 2001, Earl Doherty formed his personal publishing house, Age of Reason Publications, and is now issuing all three of his books under this imprint. Its website, Age of Reason, is also recognized as a major voice on the Internet for the promotion of science and rationality, with commentary and reprints on a variety of topics. Its motto, and that of Age of Reason Publications, reads: Dedicated to attaining an Age of Reason in the application of rational thought to society s laws, ethics and beliefs, and to entering upon an age of reason in our individual lives. The enthusiastic reception it has enjoyed among those who value historical truth and social progress promises to have an impact on our times. Earl Doherty lives in Ottawa, Canada, and has recently attained senior citizen status.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 814 pages
• Publisher: Age of Reason Publications; First edition (October 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0968925928
• ISBN-13: 978-0968925928
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,841 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

196 of 209 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding opus by an erudite expert May 24, 2011

By Acharya S aka D.M. Murdock

Format:Perfect Paperback

Like the shorter original text of which this book is an expansion, The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ? Challenging the Existence of an Historical Jesus, Earl Doherty's newest effort is an excellent work analyzing the Christian conundrum using finely honed skills of perception as well as extraordinary erudition that stands out on every page. Jesus: Neither God Nor Man - The Case for a Mythical Jesus is a tour de force of scholarship rarely matched by either professional or lay experts. Despite the fact that he is not a professional New Testament scholar or theologian--or, rather, because of that fact--Doherty is able to cut through the often biased and self-interested "historical scholarship" that, in the case of religion, frequently sees common sense and logic sacrificed in favor of blind belief and fervent faith.

As we know from history, faith and belief constantly cloud and color reality in an unseemly manner, and scholarship and academia have suffered badly from this lack of unbiased approach. Fortunately, Doherty has no vested interest in upholding the status quo in order to maintain his vocation, the main reason the field of Jesus mythicism has been populated significantly by outsiders possessing no such investment. It is unfortunate that the hallowed halls of American academia frequently have not transcended their foundations as religious institutions, as was the case with Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Princeton, to name just a few.... Yet, it is extremely encouraging that lay scholars like Doherty have stepped up to the plate to present an impartial perspective so that the average person can deal with all the data, rather than what is selectively filtered through partisan institutions.

Doherty's latest endeavor reeks of hard work and penetrating thought processes from the very beginning, as he presents his material in an orderly and professional manner worthy of publication by an academic press such as E.J. Brill, Peeters and Walter de Gruyter. Indeed, august members of the Dutch, Danish and German schools of Bible criticism over the centuries would likely find this oeuvre absorbing and reflective of scholarly integrity.

Laying out the 12 "pieces of the Jesus puzzle," Doherty succinctly expresses the thesis he spends the next nearly 800 pages demonstrating; each of these pieces is factual, logical and scientific, as seen throughout the work. The conclusion--that the "Jesus Christ" of the New Testament gospel story is a mythical figure--is likewise logical and scientific, especially for those who have studied the issue in depth and have seen that there simply is no historical core to the mythological onion and that a composite of numerous "people" is no one. As Doherty understands well, countless books have been written about the "real" Jesus, whom the authors assume a priori to be a historical figure without first establishing the evidence for such a claim. Earl handily demonstrates there is no credible, scientific evidence for this assumption; thus, proceeding from there to sketch a "biography" of such an individual represents treading in murky waters, as honest Christian scholars such as Dominic Crossan and John Meier will admit.

In this carefully crafted work, Doherty raises numerous facts many people will not be aware of, such as that ancient and modern scholarship has cast doubt on the authorship of practically every book in the New Testament--an important fact the average person, especially the believer, has the right to know but which has not been widely disseminated to the masses. Of greatest interest to me, of course, are Earl's discussions of comparative mythology and the purported extrabiblical "evidence" for Christ's existence. Others, such as those Gnostically inclined, will doubtlessly find fascinating Earl's examination of more cosmic concepts such as Christ's perceived existence in non-third-dimensional planes, rather than as a "historical" and material savior. For a skeptic, Doherty has an amazing grasp of these flowery, complex and difficult concepts--certainly one of the best such comprehensions in modern scholarship. Without this context of Gnosticism and Docetism, early Christian history is essentially incomprehensible.

In this massive effort, Doherty shines the critical spotlight on practically every aspect of the gospel story found in the four canonical texts. Whereas my works tend to show parallels in other religions and mythologies, Earl enjoys dissecting the texts themselves, drilling down into the original Greek, of which he has superior knowledge and is well qualified to analyze. He also examines numerous extrabiblical Christian epistles and gospels.

Doherty is most at home when analyzing the Pauline epistles, drawing on an earlier lineage of scholars who recognized there is next to nothing in them indicating a "historical" Jesus. In this regard, Earl correctly identifies that when Paul is speaking of "scripture" and "prophetic writings," he is referring to the Old Testament, specifically the Greek translation or Septuagint. In that book, the word "Christos" appears some three dozen times, and it is evident that, in his revelation of Christ, Paul is building upon so-called "messianic prophecies," not the words or deeds of a "historical" Jesus of Nazareth. In other words, the canonical Christ represents not "fulfillment of prophecy" but, rather, a patchwork of Old Testament "messianic scriptures," amalgamated with Pagan philosophical notions and mythical motifs, along with both Jewish and Gentile wisdom sayings. Christ is, through and through, a literary figure, handily demonstrated in this lengthy book.

The only major weakness I see in Doherty's fine work is his uncharacteristically uncritical acceptance of mainstream dating for the canonical gospels, a position that hinders efforts at determining who could have written them, since their authors were ostensibly not the disciples to whom they are attributed. The fact is that the canonical gospels as we have them do not appear clearly in the historical record until the end of the second century.

Mythicism is to religious studies what logic is to philosophy. Doherty's book represents a major achievement in the long and venerable field of mythicism, standing on the shoulders of or side by side with such excellent and erudite luminaries as the Viscount Bolingbroke, Charles Dupuis, Count Volney, Thomas Paine, Rev. Dr. Robert Taylor, John E. Remsburg, Dr. William Benjamin Smith, John M. Robertson, Dr. Arthur Drews, Dr. John G. Jackson and Dr. Robert M. Price.

--D.M. Murdock is an independent scholar of comparative religion and mythology, and the author of The Christ Conspiracy: The Greatest Story Ever Sold, Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled, Who Was Jesus? Fingerprints of The Christ and Christ in Egypt: The Horus-Jesus Connection. Raised a Christian, she has been studying Jesus mythicism in multiple languages for some 20 years. Read more ›

48 of 54 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A gifted author February 16, 2010

By John E. Hart

Format:Perfect Paperback

Earl Doherty has outdone himself once again and has contributed an excellent treatise for the scholarly community-arguing for a mythical Christos, one named Jesus of Nazareth-the poster boy of the Christian faith. I appreciate his dedication and in depth analysis on many topics, especially in the first parts of his book, where he discusses the origins of Christianity and the teachings of Paul with a heavenly Christ.

Mr. Doherty's preface and introduction, followed by his glossary and abbreviations and ultimately his "Twelve pieces of the Jesus Puzzle" were refreshing and well introduced on his part. Apologists, such as the infamous J.P. Holding, have previously attacked Earl for what they perceived as a lack of credentials. In my opinion, there was no need for Earl to justify his personal achievements in education (a B.A. with distinction in Ancient History and Classical Languages) to the reader. As Earl, and many others have pointed out, its the information and argument provided that is the point. If the arguments are sound and valid, at the end of the day, that is all that matters, not some ad hominem regarding semantics.

In the entire work, Part Four: A World of Myth and Savior Gods, for me, was the most enjoyable of all, specifically his chapter on mystery cults. I learned a lot of information in this section and his exhaustive examination shed light on many subjects that I was not previously well versed in.

Part Six: A Riotous Diversity, was also refreshing. Earl took the time to illustrate the importance of the Johanine community and what he calls the "Gnostic phenomenon", finishing up with a well written chapter on Ignatius.

Parts seven and eight of his book deal directly with the source book of Q.... I am certain that this section will be the most controversial, at least from Christians within the scholarly community and definitely from the Christian apologists as a whole. The only unfortunate part would be that no American Evangelist (dispensationalist), will be reading this chapter, for if they did, they would most certainly learn a thing or two regarding the origins of their Gospels.

Saving the best for last would be Earl's Part Eleven: The Non-Christian Witness to Jesus. I must admit, that no other scholar has ever spent the time Earl has on this subject. His information and critique of Josephus is priceless and far better then any other examination, past or present. Earl has showcased the relationship of the Testimonium Flavianum and its invention by Eusebius, better then anyone and his dedication shows. He is equally well versed with the Roman trio of Tacitus, Plinius the Younger and Suetonius. The latter of which, I can hardly fathom how he is still revered by so many Christians as evidence to a historical Jesus (the whole idea perplexes me to say the least).

With every book however, there is always something that the reader or student wishes was present or elaborated upon. One might even hope to find information on a particular subject, but for whatever reason, the author chose to omit reference to it. In the beginning of Mr. Doherty's book, he explains that he wishes for this book to be read and enjoyed just as easily for a laymen, as would a scholar. I find that this book, however, is purely an analytical work (with a well thought out synthetic structure). Each chapter is broken up into many sections, illustrating well to the reader that the subject was going to change. This book though, has so much information in it that can sometimes be hard to follow along as a whole. Furthermore, as a student myself, I found that when Earl supplied a passage by a non-canonical author (such as Ignatius, Eusebius, Origen, etc.), he always supplied the exact location within a written work, coupled with the work's title, but failed to mention to the reader whose translation it was (all of the time). It was unclear if the translations were Earl's, or that it came from, let us say, Loeb's classical library. Many scholars will find fault in a writer for supplying a translation that is not accepted by the scholarly community as a whole (which is completely solecistic), but this is how captious the field has become (at least in my perception). As a student (such as myself), we are always required to supply a footnote to a translation in our own work because quite simply, so many exist and these passages (translations) are always open to interpretation.

Closing, I highly recommend this book to students and it makes a great addition to any library. Mr. Doherty's Jesus: Neither God Nor Man - The Case for a Mythical Jesus, has become the standard for the exemplification to a mythical Jesus. Read more ›

60 of 70 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive book defending the view that Christianity arose without a historical Jesus. January 25, 2010

By Wayne M. Vanweerthuizen

Format:Perfect Paperback

This is one of the few books available that argues for the Mythic Jesus theory in a comprehensive manner, and it does an superb job of proving its case. The original Christian concept of the Christ was of a heavenly Son of God without a ministry on earth. That is, no historical Jesus is needed to explain the genesis of Christianity. Going beyond simply showing the weakness of any case for an historical Jesus, Earl Doherty makes his own positive case against one, by demonstrating that much of the early Christian literature is inconsistent with a historical Jesus having existed. Earl defends the view that Paul's epistles have no place for a historical Jesus, and are totally silent with regard to one; likewise for the writers of the other New Testament epistles. At the same time Doherty shows that much of the New Testaments presents a Cosmic Christ whose work in bringing believers salvation was accomplish in a mythical non-earthly realm. Earl then explains the origins of the gospels as allegorical literature, based on midrash of the OT, and not intended to be read as eyewitness historical accounts. As a final step in making his case comprehensive, Earl deals with alleged secular references to Jesus and analyzes how Jesus is talked about by Christian writers in the second and third centuries.

In my opinion, Doherty's Jesus Myth theory has a very high probability of being correct in its essential details, even if it is not yet the view of any significant portion of New Testament scholars or classical historians. The lack of adherence to this theory by mainstream scholars is not due to any weakness in the theory itself.... Rather mainstream scholarship has still failed to give the Jesus Myth thesis a fair hearing, or effectively defend their own theses from the criticisms Mythicists have made of them. A battle between the two sides hasn't been won by either side yet, simply because such a battle not been effectively waged yet. In this new book, Earl has makes an extremely well directed and effective assault, but we are still waiting for the historical Jesus proponents to offer a good counter-assaults which take the arguments of Mythicists seriously and on unbiased premises. I hope this new book by Earl is the one to finally push mainstream scholarship into giving the Jesus Myth theory much more serious, comprehensive, up-to-date, and fair hearing.

Earl does have some strong peer support from other scholars including including Robert M. Price and G. A. Wells, but they've not endeavored to present as comprehensive a case as Earl has. Price is close, and will likely be even closer after his book on Paul is published; yet Earl's new 800 page treatise stands pretty much alone as the definitive text on the subject, having no effective equal. But even if Earl's book wasn't so unique in it's content and coverage, it would still likely be the book to read on the subject, for the reason that Earl is such an elegant and effective writer very skilled at giving a presentation that is understandable by readers who are not experts in the field while still being very well documented and thoroughly scholarly. Earl's writing style and clarity of argument is among the best I've encountered after reading many books on many diverse subjects. Also with any book like this, it must be remembered the main benefit to the reader should be in what is explored and learned along the journey, and not necessarily in what conclusions are achieved at the end. Earl does a good job of making the journey itself educational and worthwhile. (Price does too in his books.) Read more ›