Welcome Back to MythVision Podcast - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman on Academic Freedom and New Testament Course

Introduction

• Host: Derek Lambert
• Guest: Dr. Bart D. Ehrman
• Topic: Academic freedom and new course on the New Testament

Academic Freedom

• Dr. Ehrman stresses the importance of academic freedom in his career.

New Course: Scribal Corruption of Scripture

• A four-lecture course focusing on how New Testament texts were altered by copyists.
• The first complete copy of Mark’s Gospel is 300 years later than the original writing.

Key Questions Addressed in the Course

• How do we know what the original authors of the New Testament wrote?
• Why were scribal changes made, and how do these changes impact our understanding?
• Examples of significant textual changes, such as the doctrine of the Trinity in 1 John 5:7.

Past Work: Misquoting Jesus

• Misquoting Jesus is a bestselling book that covers the topic of scribal changes in the New Testament.
• The book discusses numerous textual variants in the manuscripts.

Evangelical Responses

• Several books have been written against Ehrman's views in Misquoting Jesus, which will be addressed in the new course.

Notable Example: Doctrine of the Trinity

• The only explicit reference to the Trinity in the New Testament is in 1 John 5:7, found in the King James Bible but not in most modern translations, as it was likely added later.

Different Perspectives: Marcian's Influence

• Discussion on how early figures like Marcian might have edited or inherited different versions of the Gospel texts, specifically the Gospel of Luke.
• Debate on whether Marcian produced a drastically different version of Luke's Gospel.

Marcian's Radical Modification Theory

• Marcian is believed to have altered texts to suit his theological views, but it is challenging to locate exact proof due to limited surviving evidence.

Course Mechanics and Details

• Four lectures (50-60 minutes each) with extensive Q&A sessions on November 11.
• Topics include textual changes, the logic and evidence used by scholars to determine original texts.
• Insights into both well-known and less familiar textual variants.

Encouragement for Diverse Audiences

• Ehrman emphasizes the importance of the course for all, including skeptics, mythicists, atheists, agnostics, and Christians.
• Understanding the textual history of the Bible can benefit everyone, regardless of belief.

Concluding Thoughts

• The course aims to provide a deep understanding of how early Christian texts were transmitted and changed over time.

Questions from the Audience

• Key Figures: BP Grenfell and AS Hunt’s role in discovering ancient manuscripts in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, including early Gospel fragments.
• Concept of ḥerem: An ancient Hebrew practice linked with divine command warfare, and its ethical implications.
• Textual Criticism: Authenticity and implications of Matthew 16: 17-19 related to Peter’s role in the early church.
• Manuscripts: Discussion on the earliest extant manuscript of the Latin New Testament Vulgate and its differences from Greek texts.
• Luke and Acts: Comparison between Western and Alexandrian text types.
• Diatessaron by Tatian: Inclusion of the longer ending of Mark (16: 9-20).