The Historical Jesus Debate| Richard Carrier

In this episode, historian Richard Carrier discusses his latest book, The Obsolete Paradigm of a Historical Jesus, and explains why he believes the traditional scholarly model of Jesus of Nazareth is no longer adequate.Carrier is one of the most prominent critics of the standard historical Jesus framework. Rather than relying solely on scholarly consensus, he applies Bayesian probability to ancient history in an attempt to measure how strongly the available evidence supports competing hypotheses. His approach has made him one of the most influential—and controversial—figures in contemporary debates about Christian origins.Topics discussed include:• What mythicism is and how it differs from traditional historical Jesus scholarship• Whether the historical Jesus paradigm remains persuasive• How academic consensus forms and why it can sometimes be misleading• Bart Ehrman's engagement with Carrier's work• Bayesian reasoning and historical method• Paul's letters and the earliest evidence for Jesus• The "brothers of the Lord" passage• Alternative explanations for the origins of Christianity• Professional risk, peer pressure, and scholarly debate within biblical studiesRichard Carrier holds a PhD in Ancient History from Columbia University and is the author of Proving History, On the Historicity of Jesus, and The Obsolete Paradigm of a Historical Jesus.For early access to interviews, bonus content, and to support the show, visit LogosLeaper on Substack.