R. Joseph Hoffmann

R. Joseph "Joe" Hoffmann ( born December 16, 1947) is an American historian. His work deals essentially with the criticism of the Bible.

Life

Hoffmann was educated at Harvard University, Oxford University and the University of Heidelberg and has since taught at various universities, including at Wells College in New York. He worked often in Africa. Hoffmann discussed in detail the origins of Christianity.

He achieved fame for his thesis on the role and dating of Marcion in the history of the canon of the New Testament as well as for the reconstruction of the earlier writings opponents of Christianity: Celsus (1987 ), Porphyry (1994) and the Emperor Julian ( 2004).

Hoffmann is considered to be supporters of the Jesus myth. So it was - according to Hoffmann - in the Gospels not about the person of Jesus to function properly, but emphasized his alleged divinity. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were developed only two generations after Jesus outside of the Gospels is little known about Jesus. Therefore, the historical existence of Jesus has to be doubted. Hoffmann is Chairman of the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion, and was active in the Center for Inquiry.

Writings

  • Jesus Outside the Gospels (1987 ), ISBN 0879753870
  • Porphyry 's Against the Christians: The Literary Remains ( 1994), ISBN 0879758899
  • The Jesus Legend ( 1996), ISBN 0812693345 ( with George Albert Wells )
  • Biblical v. Secular Ethics: The Conflict. Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York, 1988, ISBN 0879754184th
  • Marcion, on the Restitution of Christianity: An Essay on the Development of Radical Paulist Theology in the Second Century. Scholars Press, 1984, ISBN 0891306382nd
  • R. Joseph Hoffmann ( eds.): The Secret Gospels: A Harmony of Apocryphal Jesus Traditions. Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York 1996, ISBN 157392069X.
  • Jesus in History and Myth. Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York, 1986, ISBN 0879753323rd
  • Historians of religion
  • High school teacher ( Ann Arbor )
  • University teachers ( Wells College)
  • Born in 1947
  • Man
  • Americans
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