Flann, Have you read the section where Carrier discusses historical methods? I would think that would apply to Jesus' historocity, although I don't think Carrier goes into that in this book. I'll see if I can watch that video on YouTube. Thanks!

Carrier only mentions the historicity of Jesus in passing.

geo wrote:Flann, Have you read the section where Carrier discusses historical methods?

Hi Geo,
Historical method is good. Unfortunately Richard Carrier's entire career is largely devoted to "debunking" Christianity,so I think his approach is biased here from the start.
The other talk he gave on youtube is titled; "Acts as historical fiction."
I have only found incomplete and sketchy responses from Christians to this,but it's fairly recent and there's quite a lot to respond to in it.
Whatever about the whole myth or history debate itself,I think Carrier is clearly wrong with a central plank of his theory. That Paul and the early Christians believed Jesus was an incorporeal being out there in space and that this is what Paul's writings show.
This is hopelessly wrong. Here's a link to show just this. "What was Paul's view of Jesus?"
http://www.mycrandall.ca/courses/pauline/Jesus.htm