Jesus, Interpreted: Benedict XVI, Bart Ehrman, and the Historical Truth of the Gospels

Does the Bible represent true history? Is it literally true, some or all of it? Do we read it figuratively? How do we make sense of contradictory passages in the Gospels? Was Jesus really God, or did his followers make him into God at a later date? Dr Ramage answers these and other questions in his book.Go to your local public library, and odds are you will find a slew of books by skeptic Bart Ehrman, who sees it as his mission to "debunk" the Bible. Dr. Ehrman, a professor of New Testament scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a serious scholar who puts forth a formidable challenge to Christians who have not looked deeply at the roots of their faith.Benedict XVI, pope from 2005 to 2013, wrote a powerful response to exegetes such as Ehrman in his "Jesus of Nazareth" trilogy. In his book, Dr Ramage explains how and why he sees Benedict's "Method C" biblical exegesis as the correct response to "Method B" historical-critical exegeses such as Ehrman. Ehrman makes powerful arguments because he attacks the very core of the faith itself; the origin and reliability of the Gospels themselves. While we must take his arguments seriously, by using Benedict's exegesis as his guide he points out the serious weaknesses in Ehrman's case. The subject matter is complicated, but Dr Ramage' style is quite readable and his arguments understandable. He lays out Ehrman's case honestly and without holding back. His review of Benedict's Method C is concise yet thorough.It is tempting, as a Christian, to simply dismiss the entire historical-critical school as a bunch of atheists who "just don't get it" and if you're a Catholic like me, to fall back on St Augustine or Thomas Aquinas for all understanding. Or, if you're a Protestant, to fall back on John Wesley, Calvin, or even Martin Luther. But this will not do. The fact of the matter is the those thinkers, as important to our understanding of God and the Bible as they are, simply did not address issues that the historical-critical school raises, such as contradictory passages. And they usually didn't have a good understanding either of the origin of biblical books or the history and culture of biblical times.Old, comfortable answers simply will not do anymore. Instead, we must face the challenge they present us head-on, and whether you are Catholic or Protestant, Dr Ramage and Benedict provide us good tools with which to do so. This book is a great place to either start or to continue your learning on this subject.

I enjoyed reading this book. Using Benedict XVI and other scholars he really tackles and answers some of the agnostic views and opinions presented by Bart Ehrman's arguments about Jesus, and the Gospels. It is done in a scholastic manner and handled brilliantly. This book is good to have on hand when challenging historical- questions come up. I am certain It will remain as a go-to book for many years to come especially in the world of Biblical criticism.

Dr. Ramage has offered a faith-filled guidebook on how to address difficult-to-understand Scriptures verses. Following Dr. Ramage's process, which is grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church and is enlightened in the hermeneutical approach of Pope Benedict XVI, the reader of the book will have a better understanding of challenging verses and have more confidence to defend their faith. Reading this book is excellent content for my studies for the Permanent Diaconate and an overall blessing to my faith and the faith of my family.

This book is an incredible read. Matthew Ramage honestly confronts many of the difficult questions posed to Jesus and the Scriptures with a transparent and comprehensive response given by himself and Benedict XVI. Incredibly refreshing, Matthew Ramage evaluates Bart Erhman's approaches in an incredibly respectful and professional way - giving credit where it is due while at the same time inviting the reader to reflect upon his/her first principles.A relevant read for today's discussion surrounding Jesus and the Scriptures!

Loved this book! Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. The way Dr. Ramage explains the differing views of Ehrman compared to Benedict XVI is very eye opening. My only regret is that I didn’t buy this and his previous work, Dark Passages of the Bible, at the same time. Needless to say, as soon as I finished this book I immediately bought it and can’t wait to dive in when it arrives at my house.This is simply a must for any person looking to expand their faith and learn how to really live life the way our Lord desires.