Biblical Scholars on the Christmas Story

There are a few podcasts and radio segments about on the biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus. Here are three:

• Dr Robert Myles (Murdoch University) speaks about the birth of Jesus on the Rev Bill Crews podcast.

“What Does History Say About the Birth of Jesus” (December 24, 2017)

 

• Also, Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou (University of Exeter) speaks about the stories of Jesus’ birth on BBC4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage Christmas Special (December 25, 2017).

 

• Over the years, Mark Goodacre (Duke University) has provided a number of discussions of the biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus:

“Was Jesus born in a stable?” (December 15, 2010; 11 min)

“Conflicting Christmas Stories” (December 6, 2012; 14 min)

“Is the Virgin Birth based on a Mistranslation?” (December 20, 2012; 12 min)

“The Magi in Matthew’s Gospel” (December 18, 2015; 14 min)

“Christmas in John’s Gospel”  (December 14, 2016; 13 min)

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Steve Moyise on N.T. Wright’s Misunderstanding of Paul’s Use of the Old Testament

Professor Steve Moyise presents a lecture on “NT Wright’s understanding of Paul’s use of scripture” at Newman University, Birmingham, on February 12, 2015.

An mp3 audio file of the lecture is available.

A handout containing the text of the lecture is available, in pdf format.

A second lecture by Steve Moyise examines the question, “Was the Birth of Jesus According to Scripture?”

Lecture notes are available: Birth of Jesus Newman handout.

Powerpoint slides of Was the Birth of Jesus are available in pdf format.

 

h/t: Newman Research Centre for the Bible and its Reception

Eerdmans Author Interview Series

Eerdmans have a series of interviews with their authors, a number of whom are biblical scholars. Featured interviews include:

Francis Watson

 

James D. G. Dunn

 

Andrew T. Lincoln

 

Douglas A. Campbell

Mark Goodacre – NT Pod podcasts

Mark Goodacre, Professor of New Testament at Duke University, provides a regular podcast on New Testament scholarship called NT Pod.

The major topics of these podcasts are the Gospels and Jesus scholarship, although Goodacre also addresses topics in Pauline scholarship, the apocryphal gospels, and other aspects of the New Testament. While the podcasts are short and succinct – usually 10 to 15 minutes – they provide clear, accessible, up-to-date, and authoritative overviews of many topics in New Testament scholarship.

James McGrath: New Testament Lectures

James McGrath’s YouTube lectures include a number on New Testament studies:

1. The Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke

Lecture on the stories about Jesus’ birth and infancy in the New Testament, by Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University. I apologize that the first sentence and a half got cut off.

2. A Lecture on Crucifixion in Early Christianity

A lecture on the Passion Narratives, focusing on the place of the crucifixion in Paul’s letters and the Gospel of Mark, by Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis.

3. The Relationships between the Gospels

A lecture on the Synoptic problem (i.e. the relationship between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and on the distinctive features of the Gospel of John, by Dr. James F. McGrath of Butler University in Indianapolis.

4. The Book of Revelation

A class on the Book of Revelation and apocalyptic literature taught by Dr. James F. McGrath, Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University in Indianapolis