How Did Jesus Become God? The NOB Theological Seminary Debate between Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird

On February 12-13, 2016 at New Orleans Baptist (NOB) Theological Seminary, Professor Bart Ehrman and Dr Michael Bird debated the content of and issues surrounding Ehrman’s recent book, How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Preacher from Galilee (HarperOne, 2014). Michael Bird is the co-editor of a response volume, How God Became Jesus: The Real Origins Of Belief In Jesus’ Divine Nature—A Response To Bart D. Ehrman (Zondervan, 2014). The debate took place as part of the annual Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum in Faith and Culture.

On the second day, further papers were delivered by Simon Gathercole, Dale Martin, Larry Hurtado, and Jennifer Wright Knust, with responses from Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird.

Friday, February 12, 2016

“HOW DID JESUS BECOME GOD?” Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird in Dialogue + Q&A”

Dr. Robert B. Stewart, Dr. Charles Kelley, Introductions (21:10)

Bart Ehrman (33:40)

Michael Bird – response (1:09:55)

Michael Bird (1:25:50)

Bart Ehrman – response (1:57:34)

Q&A (2:07:25)

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Simon Gathercole, “Monotheism among Jews and Christians” with responses from Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird (from 19:10)

Dale Martin, “The Theological Inadequacy of Historiography: the Empty Tomb in History and Theology” with responses from Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird (from 1:38)

Larry Hurtado, “The Significance of Earliest Devotional Practices” with responses from Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird (from 5:10)

Jennifer Wright Knust, “Modernity’s Vanishing Point: Histories of Jesus and the Retreat of Authenticity” with responses from Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird (from 15:35)

Concluding Comments from Bart Ehrman and Michael Bird (from 1:55)