![]() ![]() Most decidedly must a considerable interval of time be required for such a complete transformation of a whole history by popular tradition, when the series of legends are formed in the same territory where the heroes actually lived and wrought. Julius Müller, a contemporary of Strauss, stated: One of the most significant critiques of the legend theory is that the time between the actual events and the subsequent documentation of those events is too short to allow any kind of substantial legend to be established. Strauss first proposed the legend theory, it has been met with intense criticism. As soon as we get into a claim that a NT author is deliberately falsifying their testimony, then it is no longer the legend theory, it is the conspiracy theory and should be treated as such.ġ) There was not enough time for a legend to develop. Legendary accounts occur because of many reasons (e.g., embellishment, hyperbole, limitations of oral history), but they are not outright lies. Therefore, the proponents of the legend theory range from both ends of the religious spectrum – from the strict atheist to those that claim to be Christian (e.g., Strauss, Rudolf Bultmann, the Jesus Seminar).Īs we walk through the arguments against the legend theory, one important thing to remember is this: legendary accounts are not deliberate lies. Since these theories are complimentary, the atheist has no problem adopting both, but also the deist, because of his belief that God doesn't intervene in the world's affairs, tends to accept them as well. Strauss' legend theory then grew in popularity parallel to the rise of naturalism and materialism, supported by the common link of the denial of anything supernatural. This led to his denial of the Biblical version of Jesus' life and directed him in his search for the true “historical Jesus.” Out of this came his belief that the various miracles in the Bible were just myths created to convince people that Jesus was the Messiah. Strauss, influenced by the post-Enlightenment rationalism that permeated his era, couldn't reconcile the prevailing ideas of his time with the miracles described in the Bible. Strauss, a German theologian from the 19th century, is credited with originating the claim. Surprisingly, this theory was first proposed by a theologian and not a historian. This theory encapsulates a wide swath of variation in belief, and some who believe the legend theory also hold to parts of the hallucination or conspiracy theories. It admits that Jesus was a historical figure and some things in the Bible really happened, but the more unbelievable events are embellishments or legendary accounts that were later additions replacing the actual truth. The Legend (or Myth) Theory states that the biblical account of Jesus' resurrection is a legend that grew over time. This post will tackle the most common argument against the resurrection of Jesus Christ that is heard today. ![]() So far we've looked at the belief in, theology of, witnesses to, and alternate “dead end” theories for the resurrection. This post is part of the the resurrection series (click to view the other posts in this series). ![]()
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