Torley on The Resurrection: Take Two

[dga471 (Daniel)]

@vjtorley

You referred to Alter’s work as a “polemic effort.” My question is: how does that invalidate it? At the end of the day, the only question which matters is: do his arguments stack up? You seem to think they don’t because of “large methodological flaws.” But the fact is that for most of the issues he raises in his book, Alter quotes from the writings of trained historians and archaeologists.

One point which I’ve repeatedly tried to bring up to you is that you claim Alter has created this breakthrough in the historical argument for the Resurrection. Yet, you claim here that he is merely quoting from the writings of previous historians. So you’re stuck on a dilemma:

1. Alter did not do any new historical research, other than popularize or summarize the arguments of previous professional historians.
2. Alter did do some new historical research (e.g. by taking some claims of previous historians and using that for a new historical case).

If you choose 1), then Alter’s case is not as much of a bombshell as you stated it to be. If you choose 2), then Alter has to persuade people that he can act as an independent, impartial, and trained historian. Which one is it?