Episode 2 (April 17, 2023), "God's Wife" with Prof. Francesca Stavrakopoulou
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- This week we interview the inimitable Francesca Stavrakopoulou. Author, scholar, and BBC documentary presenter, Dr. Stavrakopoulou discusses some big questions about the God of the Bible. Did He have a body? Did He have a wife? Did He demand child sacrifice?
It's all big questions and some potentially surprising answers on this week's Data Over Dogma!
Find Dr. Stavrakopoulou on Twitter here:
/ proffrancesca
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Every interview/discussion I've watched with Prof. Stavrakopoulou has been so fascinating and insightful.
She have no idea! Tons of evidence for the Exodus and Noahs flood
@@cieslaolsztyn8266😂😂😂
@@mikewilliams7377 if they are experts in the scriptures. What did Donald Trump say on Jan 6? That is just over 4 years ago. Not 2000 years ago
@@cieslaolsztyn8266She went to Oxford, has a doctorate, and can read ancient Greek, yet you think you know better than her
Please reflect on that
@@temperances320 can you tell me what Trump said on Jan 6?
This is so fascinating. Francesca is so refreshing and a joy to listen to. Please have her back.
Phenomenal interview! Prof. Stavrakopoulou is so up-front about the interpretative difficulties involved here. True to the name of the podcast, she clearly lets the data speak and holds her positions non-dogmatically.
I have to disagree there. She is definitely Dogmatic when it comes to somethings. And I think her politics dictate how she views certain things in the Hebrew Bible. I disagree with her in most things, she’s definitely One of the more radical voices in biblical studies, but I still enjoy listening to her lectures and this was a great interview.
@@pleaseenteraname1103 "And I think her politics dictate how she views certain things in the Hebrew Bible."
You don't understand how bias works then, she doesn't have a bias either way.
"she’s definitely One of the more radical voices in biblical studies"
Only because most people who go into that field are believers, believers are biased.
She is one of the few capable of reaching the truth about religions.
@@jimbob3030 ” You don’t understand how bias works, she doesn’t have a bias either way”That is just laughably false and incredibly disingenuous she absolutely does have a bias everyone does. To pretend as if she doesn’t is just to not be honest with ourselves I’d honestly don’t know what to say.
I would actually say the most scholars with in Hebrew Bible are pretty critical on most issues. Yes and believers are biased but unbelievers are also biased in fact I would even say many of them are probably even more biased just because they refuse to admit their own bias. Most evangelical scholars are perfectly willing and don’t even try to hide the fact they’re biased many critical scholars try to pretend as if they’re not when they really are which is something I can’t stand.
Well I can definitely say that she’s not a liar she believes what she says. And her opinions are definitely worth taking the consideration. I have yet to read any of her books though, and it will probably be a while till I do because I have a lot of books, on hold right now that I plan on reading.
@@pleaseenteraname1103
To have bias means to be either invested in belief in the myths, or to be against belief in these myths, she is neither, she is neutral, she's explained this many times.
She's neither for belief nor against belief. She has no bias negatively affecting her findings either way.
She's no an anti theist atheist like myself, but even my findings on religions aren't biased, they're just based on what the history of religions and history itself and science and facts and evidence show are true.
I can't stand religions, I do have a built in bias that she does not, but I don't allow that to influence what I find to be true or false, what I find to be true and false is based on facts, science, history, evidence, and knowledge of how religions have evolved, none of what I determine to be true or false is based on my own very obvious bias.
@@jimbob3030 no it doesn’t to be biased means to be in sympathetic to a certain position or to hold a certain position. And she’s absolutely dogmatic on certain issues. Where do you get that the only way to be biased within biblical studies is to either believe in something or be against someone’s leaving that thing I think that’s what you’re saying? She believes most of the Hebrew Bible is a myth. She is far from neutral, well that is just Pendley false also I’ve heard her admit her own biases many times, on the BBC so I don’t know what you’re referring to in specific words she claims she’s neutral maybe she has.
She literally had a series on the BBC trying to disprove the historicity of David and his empire and show that it’s a myth. Like Dale Allison one says there’s no such thing as an unbiased historian and history is always through the lens of someone, that’s one of the things I like about James Tabor he unabashedly and unapologetically will admit his own biases. Well everyone does in the sense that we can’t truly be objective since inherently our bias clouds or judgment that doesn’t mean we can’t be fair or reasonable and they’re assessment it just means we can’t really be objective. There is no such thing as an objective or unbiased historian or scholar, or specialist in any field.
I would agree and I’m glad she condemns people within the new atheist movement like Richard Dawkins, and her goal isn’t necessarily just to try to tear Christianity apart or tear it down like many atheists, but she certainly does contribute to it. I can guarantee that they are just like mine are and everyone else’s. Everyone’s bias no matter how you want to put it or whether or not they don’t want to admit it some people are more bias than others but everyone’s biased. If you say you’re not biased you’re biased towards being unbiased. Which in itself is a bias. If you say you’re neutral and you’re biased towards the neutral position which is in fact biased. No there are multiple different ways of examining evidence and come into different conclusions of the idea that she’s simply just being objective and going with the evidence and coming to conclusions based on that without any biases or presuppositions, it’s just nonsense.
Well if you’re interested in this topic at all you certainly have to at least appreciate religion. Well I don’t want to get in your head but I think that definitely does a little bit. Yes but how do you filter facts science and logic etc.? Through your methodological bias. Everyone has a filter that they filter things through, no one is neutral evidence hasta be examined in filtered through something there is no one who can just objectively view it. We can argue all day about what the best way to filter the evidence is through or the best way to approach the evidence but everyone’s doing it in someway shape or form, most people at least. And evangelicals try to base their views off of evidence as well. Well I mean I have to see how you come to your conclusions in order to know that.
I'm in Britain and I love this podcast! And Francesca is interesting, informed, and charming!
This was a solid episode!
Prof. Stavrakopoulou is always wonderful and insightful.
Hi hi hi-next video please🙏
@@tsemayekekema2918 It's coming along!
FRANCESCA: you are the kind of scholar I Dreamt to be when I got into Theological Studies in my youth. Im 60 y/o now, and I just discovered your videos, THANK YOU SO MUCH for being who u are, and for doing what you do. Im a follower of thinkers like Luis Alonso Schokel, Hans Kung, Gustavo Gutierrez... all men, I know. Thats why founding you is so important to me, bringing new light, and ideas into a thirsty brain.
THIS IS GOLD!! I appreciate you guys for putting out this valuable information directly from academia to the normal people ❤❤. Sorry for my English
Your English is great!
Wow. Great questions from Dan Mc, and great answers from Francesca. There was a warm vibe in this interview, which really comes through in the video. I've been a fan of Francesca for a few years now. And I discovered Dan Mc only recently, but he is rapidly becoming one of my favourites.
Well done to all concerned.
Francesca your deluded because of your proud ego.
So..non belivers should tel belivers what the truth is? There are literally Tons of evidence that the Bible is true
@@cieslaolsztyn8266 tons of evidence that certain events happened, but not all the events happened. The first five books of the bible and acts, Joshua, Samuel book 1 and 2, judges most likely are myth with a tiny crumbs of historical relevance.
@@jacksonaaron103084 Dead Sea Scrolls confirm later scriptures, almost identical
I read her book and it really opened my eyes to how the ancient people viewed divinity in body and not just figurative illusion.
How
@ChaZ-cp6qw because it discusses how others in that area of the world perceived that, which the Israelites were a part. She discusses the actual language used in the texts, what it actually means in ancient Hebrew, and how some of the texts changed over time from their original format in older text.
I'm in my third year of university in Aberdeen in Scotland and the strikes have actually impacted my term a few times this academic year so I'm doubly impressed that Dr. Stavrakopoulou is willing and able to make the time for interviews like this :D
If this is your third year then I guess you've probably had huge disruptions in the previous years too! Huge sympathies, it can't be easy.
You know there are tons of evidence that the Bible is true. There are evidence of Exodus and Noahs flood
As a catholic, I enjoyed this interview so much!
Thank you💕🫶🏻
I could watch/listen to her ALL DAY
I am glad I am not the only one who lists to listen to podcasts about child sacrifice.
Such an interesting discussion with Dr. Stavrakopoulou! Dr. McClellan’s understanding of the subject really helped to elevate the interaction and brought out aspects that were overlooked by other interviewers. Very well done! Thank you!!!!
She’s my favorite. We need more of her insight!!!
Interesting and fun. Thank you.
After many years of the very amateur) study of religion there is one thing that stands out for me. The isolation of the biblical texts from their location in time and place. In assigning the texts the significance and interpretation insisted upon by the various religious groups, it has become common to see them as almost a world apart and to minimise or even ignore the milieux in which they were created. This began with the editing and collating done anciently but had continued up to today.
We should all be grateful to Prof Stavrakopoulou and others of her ilk who work hard to address this serious problem.
Thank you for this. As an ex JW, I shudder at the thought that at one time I actually would have considered letting one of my kids potentially die for refusing a blood transfusion all in the name of Jehovah.
A fellow Ex-JW here.
Yes me too!! Three kids. Ex JW. So glad to finally know the “truth”
I am deeply sorry for your children,
I wish you will not see any sorrow anymore.
Thank you for realizing how bad religions are and speaking out now.
There are several evidences of Exodus and Noahs flood
I love the context that Prof. Francesca Stavrakopoulou brings!
Great podcast, great guest! I loved her book on God's anatomy!
The Prof is always good to listen to and learn from
I hope she writes a modern translation with editor's notes. She is amazing.
Just getting into the show and going through old eps. Great so far!
Amazing podcast so far, both episodes. Thanks!
Fascinating interview, thank you!
This podcast is so great! Looking forward to many more episodes to come!
This podcast is very instructive and cool. Thanks keep it up!!! 👍🏻
Prof Stavrakopoulous is so important in this issue ! Her not dogmatic religius view is needed. I thougt that cientist should not have a bias ? - so thats why believer should may be take a step back. And her feminin view is also very important, and lacking in acedemic - and on TH-cam. So thank you, Francesca Stavrakopoulou. ! Best from Norway
The most astounding aspect of the story of Abraham and Isaac was for me always the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice
Isaac. Didn’t matter that god saved Isaac. Abraham was ready to kill.
The song by Leonard Cohen is framing this aspect perfectly.
The door it opened slowly
My father he came in
I was nine years old
And he stood so tall above me
Blue eyes they were shining
And his voice was very cold
Said, "I've had a vision
And you know I'm strong and holy
I must do what I've been told"
So he started up the mountain
I was running, he was walking
And his ax was made of gold
Story of Isaac
Leonard Cohen.
Yes! The story creeped me out so much as a kid. If god decides you have to sacrifice your kid, you have to do it happily. That the adults just talked about it willy nilly was so horrific to me.
Love every episode that's just the Dans, but also would be super excited to hear from Prof. Stavrakopoulou again if y'all ever convince her back!
getting into this biblical stuff right now, so I am so glad I discovered this podcast! Came via your TikTok channel
Fantastic episode. Thanks. Did anyone else want to reach through the screen and put the volumes of the books in the upper left behind Dr. Stavrakopoulou in order? 🙂
I love this podcast so much!!!
I love this interview.
Dan & Francesca's scholarships are creating a beautiful blend. Superb! 👌👌
This reminds me I need to get to her book. Thanks for the interview.
I was waiting for this the entire week! And we’re still hoping that Dr. McClellan accepts being our guest on our podcast!
Really great discussion, good job you three.
What a fantastic episode guys and such a special guest.
Fascinating discussion. Expanding upon 11:00, I feel it worth noting that charges of "he got the job because of how he dressed/looked/flirted" is common when the people hiring are more likely expected to be attracted to them-straight women, gay men, etc. Suspicion is inherently heightened in competitive fields, particularly when certain people are seen as susceptible to-or capable of wielding-particular forms of power. Plus, "beauty privilege" can be extraordinarily impactful in both everyday life and professional settings. As a gay professional...all this stuff haunts me!
I love listening to Prof. Francesca Stavrakopoulou. I've been a fan of hers for many years. 😊
Not anymore!!!
Awesome lady Francesca.....love from South Africa
This was a great interview. Please bring Dr. Stravrakopoulou back soon. I am wondering about the relationship between first-born sacrifice and sibling rivalry, clearly another motif in the Hebrew Bible. Could what we're learning about first-born sacrifice shine a light on Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Leah and Rachel, Joseph and his brothers, and Abimelech and his brothers?
Loved it, Franky's great, get her on more.
So, not only was this awesome, I actually heard a legitimate argument about the gender pay gap and I feel like that's worth getting behind.
Superb episode
I like Francesca Stavrakopoulou's enthusiasm for her subject. That she is an atheist suggests that she lacks baggage in studying the history of religion and thus can give an insight into the Abrahamic Religions that is unreliant on faith. I have just bought her book and am looking forward to reading it.
Really enjoyed that, thank you.
Just commenting for engagement you go guys
Excellent interview.
Fascinating!
I love Francesca!!!!
Love, love, love her.
excellent interview
Greetings Francesca stravakapoulou .... U r so good
Wonderfully interesting.
absolutely love
I have a question about “washing of the feet” in the OT vs NT. I saw a biblical documentary stating that in the OT, that refers to intercourse. It struck me that when Jesus, as a Jewish man, participated in “washing of the feet”, would that be a reference to intercourse? Thank you.
It is so good to hear an interview with a female expert where she isn't interrupted and talked over ever 5 seconds....I didnt wven realize it till halfway through but jesus christ that is noce
The mutual respect was tangible.
wonderful show.
Thanks!
As a Mormon, I enjoyed this…particularly because our religion claims that God is an exalted man. I also appreciate the discussion about male genitalia as it’s been curious to me that a sign of devotion and obedience to God was an alteration of it. The Bible story of of Abraham and Isaac I think should never be referenced/studied by children or youth!
In the past Rabbi talked about whether Adam was circumcised. Today we talk about whether he had a belly button. Great minds think alike
I would lie more on Francesca's side, when it comes to "will I be religious". I can't do that, based upon all I have studied or heard from scholars.
Fascinating about "Yahweh and child sacrifice". I wrote a fiction novel having to do with a "twisting of who Yahweh actually was", so it was really interesting hearing Francesca speak this way about this "god".
Very interesting. The Isaiah 6 passage in the Septuagint says that his δόξης fills the temple.
I must admit years ago Francesca’s (quite sensationalist) documentary was monumental for me as a first stepping stone into the world of historicity and textual criticism (and my eventual atheism:/). Her book God: an Anatomy is incredible
Is that her documentary on, iirc, the historical David? Or does she have more than one?
@@Jd-808 yes! That’s the one, called Bible’s Buried Secrets (2011). It covered David, Asherah, henotheism, etc.
I found _God: An Anatomy_ to be riddled with errors and assumptions.
@@AlexADalton fair, fair^ mind if I ask what your background is? As in how you’ve come to be well versed in linguistics and ANE studies in general - saw a couple of your comments on this vid. Would be great if a creator could do a critique on her book.
@@AlexADalton
Please provide an example of the worst error & clearly explain the error.
Just noticed how Data over Dogma, DD, also fits Dan & Dan, DD, mayby there is capability for a great logo ; )
hi
i just discovered you
i watched several hours of your content (i have watched thousand of hours of the online usual suspects of atheism )
its impressive how you approach the subject
excellent articulation of ideas
excellent humour
you are a gift to the world
i ve been mindblown
you are a bright mind and it seems you have great ethos
why we havent see you in Greece ? or producing some content in Greek ?
would you be interested to discuss your ideas and discoveries in a Greek channel?
im mindblown..
you are very good ✌
nice interview guys .. thank you
Awesome conversation! When you have a guest on though, y’all are going to *have* to figure out some signals or procedures to keep from everyone stepping on top of each other. That can be very uncomfortable and distracting to some listeners like me. Thank you!
Hey, I know this is an old video, but question:
Can you reccomend some good sources on learning about Asherah (Books, papers, etc)?
My curiosity has been sparked ✨
Depends on what you are trying to get: e.g., general knowledge about the Ugaritic goddess probably known as Asherah in the Hebrew Bible or Israelite worship of the goddess Asherah?
If it is the former, I recommend reading the primary texts. Nicolas Wyatt's 'Religous Texts From Ugarit' has plenty of the Ugaritic texts that deal with the gods and goddesses translated, especially the Baal Cycle.
If it is the latter, go check out William Dever's book 'Recent Archaeological Discoveries and Biblical Research', ch.4 of the book includes discussion about the material and archaeological evidence for Israelite worship of a goddess or goddesses.
Steve Waggins' dissertation and papers also deal with common 'false', according to him, notions about Asherah.
@@哈比神貓Wonyoungfist thank you 💚
i have been reading about this- this week! and then seen this comment..do you read the bible? its also the word grove in some places in the bible...almost like a tree..but it has no deep roots and produces no life and gets burnt up, also it seems that man can think they can plant one- its feminine in the hebrew..sorry if this makes no sense to you, but i pray it does.. much love always
It'd be really nice to listen more to the subject that have to give all our atheist credos for half the time. I get it. How about what her work is.
In the Old Testament there is a story where the Hebrew women are preparing for a holy festival and they are baking special cakes for the Queen of Heaven. The prophet comes along and throws a fit. For how many years had this festival been held, and these special cakes for the Queen of Heaven been baked and offered?
Thank you for the interview. I was brainwashed with Christianity, I’m glad to be free of it. Facts, lógic, reason. All helped me go wake up.
Now you're on your way to hell , well done satan will be pleased .
When she brought the fact Yahweh demanded child sacrifice and how people would “dedicate” (sacrifice) their first born children because it was so normalized, all I kept thinking about was how Christian’s still have baby dedication ceremonies. They symbolically “give their babies to god” and now it just seems like such a creepy thing to do. Is there any connection between the practice of ancient child sacrifice and the symbolic practice of baby dedication ceremonies? If so…yikes!
No there's no connection. You are welcome.
With rates of infant/baby/child mortality, possibly this offering or sacrifice was a Post Mortum concept.
Do you have a citation for “Post Mortum” offering or sacrifice ? I’ve never heard of that myself.
YES!!!
Forgive me for commenting before I watch the video, I'll have to watch it later. Based on the title though, I wanted to come offer Margaret Barker's theory for consideration; Ashratah (the word that appears on the inscription) is the name of the goddess. The other idea is that Ashratah means "his Asherah", which gives the impression Asherah was YHWH's wife. According to Dr. Barker, her name was Ashratah and she was YHWH's _mother,_ and the wife of El. Evidently, this interpretation is natural to Hebrew grammar, and it certainly makes more sense of Orthodox Christianity as we have it.
Forgive me if I misrepresented somebody's theory, and make sure you check out Margaret Barker. You won't regret it 😊
Another book on this is The Hidden Goddess by Laurie Martin-Gardner.
Regarding child sacrifice: some claim that up to 50% of babies born in ancient times would die within a year. Is it possible that those "piles of bodies of sacrificed babies" actually are the left over of a local ritual of offering and/or burrying babies who died naturally? Just a thought....
And now I'm looking forward to articles on child sacrifice. Which is very weird to say.
In regards to child sacrifice, John's gospel turns Jesus into God rather then being the Son of God . Could John be a response in someway to coming away from child sacrifice?
hi Sparky, im not sure thats correct - Yeshua is the son of God, always has been and will always be. Much love always
15:21 After reading through a synopsis of the Baal Cycle and then seeing what the scholarship had to say about Anat, this tendency was really frustrating. “Oh yeah, she’s a fertility goddess. Wife of Baal. Athtart is also a fertility goddess too. And Athirat is their mom and she’s also a fertility goddess.”
It’s like… which Baal Cycle did they read to come to that conclusion? That Anat, this amazing violent gremlin that takes no crap from anyone, not even El or Mot, and probably was the only reason Baal ever accomplished anything, was ever a fertility goddess instead of a warrior goddess?
She is my idol ,like a goddess!
❤❤❤
Are we able to purchase Data over Dogma sweatshirts?
I'm one of the people who find the nonreligious research on the Bible & theology as an exercise in pointlessness.
And I'll give you my reasons:
- I agree with the idea that there's an ongoing cultural negotiation between the sacred texts and the society, and the concepts societies find acceptable and fashionable at certain times. But the academics more often than not act as if that's the be all and end all of the religious phenomenon.
That's just the outmost strata of the experience of the sacred. It's the experience of the sacred which is the center and purpose of the religious life of human beings. It is also the measuring stick by which we could determine what some practices might have developed into at certain times in history, and for what reasons. The mental and cultural manifestations adjust according to the sacred pole of the equation, to the point that some religions prefer to end up anachronistic and die out, than to compromise and wash out on the shores of the profane.
Without an experiential map of the sacred, it's easy to gloss over certain essential principles, and in fact attribute mostly cultural importance to things which from a sacred experience were, are, and will be unchanging.
There's one thing I find extremely important to your work: for individuals whose cultural upbringing was codified using biblical references and stories, it is extremely important that they are able to deconstruct the concepts and stories, if, reaching maturity, they decide they want to evolve intellectually in a different direction. Religious programming is deep, because it's supposed to be like that, in order to access the Deepest parts of us. But everyone should have a choice, that's why your work, to me, shouldn't be underestimated, even by people who chose to live through, inside religious mythology.
Is it also pointless for those who don't worship any of the Greek or Roman pantheon to study their stories?
How can I get the blue cover version of Professor Stavrakopoulou book? When I ordered mine, I thought I was getting the blue cover, but the red cover showed up instead. I was just wondering if it was because I ordered the hard back version?
It depends on the publisher and the country. If I'm correct the red cover is US and blue is Europe.
I'm not sure the question is so much one about parents as it is; what does this say about Yahweh? I would love to get your feedback on that Francesca. That is; if you ever see my comment; I don't know how this operates.
Looking forward to starting my masters in sept in Exeter! However, I do question that cultural reservations to acknowledge asherah’s existence in relation to Yahweh reflects our own cultural reservations regards to women and the divine. Similarly to Islam, abrahamic religions have a long precedence for being monoliths for some form of monotheism.
Also, the cosmological and ontological implications of conceding multiple gods has nothing to do with gender. As soon as you concede numerous gods you are often challenged to maintain the main tenets held for centuries about god’s immutability, irreducibility and supremacy.
I also think there may be some reticence for accepting non-gendered language for God, not only because of the long standing tradition to refer to God as he, but also this move to change things may be perceived to be a political ploy of gender ideology, especially as many who go to church may not share those political views. I think it’s a multifaceted and nuanced issue.
YEAH whooooOoOOooO
Child sacrifice is super believable given the hints at how the abrahamic god loves the savory smell of burnt sacrifices and the story often overlooked of yahweh actually accepting jephthahs virgin daughter under a vow from Jephthah in order to win a war that he burns the first thing that comes out of his house door which ended up being his daughter and I always found it interesting that yahweh never intervened and said no to it but instead let him win the war and kill "sacrifice" his daughter on an alter the way they did with animals.
Both data and dogma are subject to different interpretations based on scholar’s biases
The elephant in the room. With this discussion. Where did we come from, how were we created, what is the purpose of our gift of life. No one really knows but, if the bible is fable then there are many questions.
It's unfortunate that judgement is passed for appearance and how someone dresses. She is a beautiful woman, but that doesn't mean anything about her achievements or capabilities. She's insanely intelligent.
This talk is a great example of how progressive scholars structure power, in this case by doing progressive politics and activism through biblical scholarship. Its telling that the first thing that she says with respect to the Bible's cultural relevance is "you know they also use these texts to beat people over the head with." We get right into modern social issues from the start. 10 mins in, and we're still talking about identity politics, w/particular focus on institutionalized power asymmetry around the female gender within Biblical studies. From there we launch into the Biblical erasure of the goddess from Israelite religion, the feminine aspects of God within the Bible. She finds it interesting that people don't like the idea that "God had a wife", she has a close eye on current debate within religion about gendering god, and she is "excited" by the prospects of vestiges of the divine feminine within the Bible. This is how she makes the text "more meaningful and useful to her", by centering aspects of a powerful "cultural icon" that challenge the current power structures. And that's not to say there's anything wrong this. Dan repeatedly says that "everyone" does this. What he and scholars like him will never tell you though, is how and when they do it, though its a consistent theme that they call others out for doing so. Both Dan and Professor Stavrakopoulou use the Bible as a tool to promote their socio-political agenda as much as anyone else, and that's important to bring attention to, especially given their role within the hierarchy of power that revolves around this particular cultural icon. They are perceived and present as an objective voice speaking truth from the lofty tower of academia.
I don’t disagree with your main point but it’s strange to me you specify “progressive scholars”. We must keep in mind that they are far fewer in number than conservative ones, who do exactly the same thing.
But yes, I have mostly been following NT scholarship specifically around the historical Jesus and it’s funny to me that those who are dismissive of the subject will say “Jesus just ends up looking like them”…There is a point there, to be sure, but they are delusional if they think it doesn’t apply to them, whether they highlight the historical Jesus or not - I suspect this is common among biblical scholars, maybe all historical scholars. But the Bible tends to highlight one’s biases especially quickly and starkly.
For example there are a handul of “Jesus erasers” who are clearly using their positions to perform anti-Christian agendas by advocating, not as slim possibilities, but as the best explanation, absurd ideas like mythicism or the gospels as single-minded products of creative fiction - that early Christians, I guess the thinking is (it’s hard to tell because if possible they avoid explaining how such an incredibly unlikely scenario either came to be or played out), “fell for” out of their ignorance. Ha, ha, Christians - Get it?? You are just dummies believing stories a Roman elite made up for fun!
It can be frustrating for me because the channels I watch are filled with people who simply want to believe these things and won’t question anything that sounds appealing to them. I don’t think Francesca is at that level but I do try to be aware of her biases and I can’t help but feel the “Penis that fills the Temple” argument is an example of it. But I suppose it could have been a figure of speech and it seems there is a legitimate argument to be had there, at least.
Dan on the other hand, while I’m sure he’s a progressive (I am too, fwiw), I’m not aware of any suspect takes from him - not that going out on a limb from time to time is a bad thing.
"A religion without a Goddess is half-way to atheism."-Dion Fortune
What does Dan's hoodie say about his scholarship?
IN CALIFORNIA
Maklelan had a great Doktormutter!
The belief and worship of Asherah and her being consort of the most high is mentioned frequently in the Bible but always as a deviation of God's people in their proper worship....so to state that there was a belief that God had a wife shouldnt be controversial. To say God did have a wife would be to any orthodox believer though.