Lord or Legend?: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma [Paperback]

Gregory A. Boyd (Author), Paul Rhodes Eddy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2007

The Christian apologetic of "Lord, Liar, or Lunatic" made famous by C. S. Lewis has gained recent skepticism. Many twenty-first-century critics of Christianity believe the biblical portrait of Jesus Christ is based on myth. Lord or Legend? puts skeptics' claims to the test against multiple scholarly disciplines--including history, ethnography, anthropology, and folklore--to uncover fascinating truths about the historical Jesus. Authors Gregory A. Boyd and Paul Rhodes Eddy address pressing questions like: • Was first-century Judaism an environment for pagan mythological beliefs? • How are the Gospels accurate if they originated through oral tradition? • Do similarities between Jesus and other myths discredit Christianity? • Are the Scriptures historically accurate? Biased? Translated accurately? • Do archeological findings support or refute biblical accounts? Lord or Legend? is written in an accessible form for all lay readers whether believers in or skeptics of Christianity.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Can we trust the Jesus narratives in the Gospels? Boyd and Eddy, who hold doctoral degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary and Marquette University, respectively, affirm that we can. Both have written widely on biblical and theological subjects. Their experience shows in this marvelous study of the historicity of the gospels and the reliability of the biblical narrative. At times this book reads like a good detective story: it lays out the clues and the methods of evaluating those clues, and then draws conclusions based on the best evidence. From the most ancient witnesses, like Josephus and Irenaeus, to contemporary critics like Burton Mack, the authors ably rebut the critics' claims to inconsistency and historical error. They further explore the value of the fantasy works of popular writers like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Although the authors are certainly capable of turning out an academic text, this book is intended for the general reader, the average churchgoer who may be struggling with difficult questions about the Jesus story. It's a fascinating and valuable work that merits a wide readership. (Sept.)
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From the Back Cover

Did Jesus ever really exist--and if so, who was he? "This is a marvelous study of the historicity of the gospels and the reliability of the biblical narrative. At times this book reads like a good detective story: it lays out the clues and the methods of evaluating those clues, and then draws conclusions based on the best evidence. From the most ancient witnesses, like Josephus and Irenaeus, to contemporary critics like Burton Mack, the authors ably rebut the critics' claims of inconsistency and historical error. They further explore the value of the fantasy works of popular writers like C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien . . . . This book is intended for the general reader, the average churchgoer who may be struggling with difficult questions about the Jesus story. It's a fascinating and valuable work that merits a wide readership."--Publishers Weekly "Boyd and Eddy do not shy away from the tough historical, cultural, textual, and logical questions and their implications. Both those of a modernist and those of a postmodernist bent will find this a helpful clarification of issues relating to the truth about the historical Jesus."--Ben Witherington III, professor of New Testament, Asbury Theological Seminary "Boyd and Eddy present a compelling case that the Gospels were composed using eyewitness accounts passed down from the earliest followers of Jesus. This volume should be read by anyone interested in the ongoing discussion of the reliability of the Gospels and the truth about the historical Jesus."--Mark L. Strauss, professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary San Diego "This accessible reference tool provides an overview that answers many of the major criticisms that circulate in both scholarship as well as in the popular media. Some of the issues included here are rarely treated elsewhere."--Gary R. Habermas, distinguished research professor and chair, department of philosophy and theology, Liberty University Gregory A. Boyd is the senior pastor at Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the author of numerous books, including Letters from a Skeptic. Paul Rhodes Eddy is a professor of biblical and theological studies at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the coauthor (with Boyd) of The Jesus Legend.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801065054
• ISBN-13: 978-0801065057
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gregory A. Boyd is the founder and senior pastor of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minn., and founder and president of Christus Victor Ministries. He was a professor of theology at Bethel College (St. Paul, Minn.) for sixteen years where he continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor. Greg is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (BA), Yale Divinity School (M.Div), and Princeton Theological Seminary (PhD). Greg is a national and international speaker at churches, colleges, conferences, and retreats, and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows. He has also authored and coauthored eighteen books prior to Present Perfect, including The Myth of a Christian Religion, The Myth of a Christian Nation, The Jesus Legend (with Paul Eddy), Seeing Is Believing, Repenting of Religion, and his international bestseller Letters from a Skeptic.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lord or Legend, December 16, 2008

By 

Shari J. Sjolund - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lord or Legend?: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma (Paperback)

In Lord or Legend Boyd and Eddy are not out to prove with absolute certainty that the Bible is accurate, because they understand in reality it is impossible to prove anything about the past. They do however, present the historical evidence that is found for Jesus as not just a man, but as Christ and also evidence for the reliability of the Bible. Though they are both pastors, they have great insight that goes beyond their faith. I think this book can help Christians and non-Christians see Jesus from a different perspective then maybe they have before. It is great that someone from the Christian circle is not afraid to jump into historical and often secular discussion about Jesus. Lord or Legend? is a question we all should not be afraid to explore. I think this book is a great start to a discussion about who Jesus was historically and what that means for us now.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Open-Minded Look at the Life of Christ, December 8, 2008

By 

Chris Dirks (Saint Paul, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lord or Legend?: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma (Paperback)

Boyd and Eddy present excellent arguments for the credibility of the Gospels and the divinity of Christ in this book. They address all of the major claims against the reliability of Scripture with honesty and humility, admitting that they have also had their doubts in Christianity but that its truth stands up against critical examination. Boyd and Eddy do not even claim that the historical evidence proves with absolute certainty that every aspect of the Gospel's portrait of Jesus is historically accurate, but they do claim that if one remains open to the historical possibility of that portrait they will find this to be the most historically probable understanding available. Form this open outlook the authors approach such topics as belief in the supernatural, the theology and culture of first-century Judaism, the accounts of the apostle Paul, the genre of the Gospels in relation to Jewish oral traditions, the historical veracity of the Gospel texts, the credibility of the Gospel authors, the consistency and plausibility of Scripture, and the literary and archeological evidence of the Gospels. In each of these discussions Boyd and Eddy compare the claims of Scripture and the arguments against it with historical evidence and logical reasoning apart from their beliefs as Christian men and provide extremely credible conclusions for the divinity of Christ. This book is great for anyone, Christian or non-Christian, who is willing to approach the historical life of Christ with an open mind and see where the evidence leads.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Historical Veracity of Jesus Christ's Diety, August 5, 2009

By 

Julie L. Pogue "Jewel1967" (Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lord or Legend?: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma (Paperback)

Gregory A. Boyd and Paul Rhodes Eddy co-authored "Lord or Legend?" for "critically minded laypeople" in hopes that their research would "provide a solid intellectual foundation" to their faith, and they are true to their mission. The book's content is very academic in nature, covering two specific areas of study: 1) earliest religious beliefs and mythology and 2) the historical reliability of the Gospels in the Bible. This book was a challenging piece for me, and I consider myself to be a voracious and eclectic reader. Not only were the authors intellectual experts in their field--ancient historical veracity-- but their vocabulary sprang from a veritable dictionary tucked away in each mind. More than once, I found myself re-reading a sentence to grasp its message.

Due to my Christian upbringing, I have seldom had cause to consider some of the arguments touted by naturalists, so Boyd and Eddy's work was a trip into uncharted territory for me. Indeed, some of the opposing positions and interpretations of Jesus' story were absolutely fascinating! For example, Boyd and Eddy tackle "The Discrepancies within and between the Gospels" with surprising integrity, bringing to light apparent contradictions I never knew existed.

The authors also weave a fascinating thread of Jewish history and religious customs throughout their analysis of the "Lord or Legend?" debate. And since their use of the historical-critical method closely studies topics such as oral tradition, textual reconstruction, and literary corroboration, the peppered anecdotes and authors' personal insights help ease the cerebral focus of the text.

Because Boyd and Eddy so convincingly refute, or at least reasonably explain away, nearly every legend theorists' argument, I was almost relieved to read their concession that the "Testimonium Flavianum" we have today is, in all probability, a reconstructed version of Josephus's original. The authors had previously, however, established that Josephus, the single most important Jewish historian in ancient times, indisputably acknowledged Jesus' very existence. So the slight allowance for the Christian interpolation in the "Testimonium Flavianum" does little to alleviate the authors' unashamed (and valid!) bias.

"Lord or Legend?" is an invaluable volume for readers seeking intellectual, compelling arguments for and against the historical veracity of the Jesus story. Boyd and Eddy gave me a greater appreciation and understanding of the struggle some have for accepting Jesus as God, while deepening my own beliefs for accepting Jesus for Who He said He is. As they so eloquently put it, "No story could be imagined in which a lover sacrificed more for a beloved who deserved it less."