Sloppy history and shoddy methodology
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“I recently discovered this podcast after a neighbor mentioned it to me and asked a few specific questions. She knows I have a Ph.D. in Classics from Princeton University and she often asks me questions related to ‘biblical history’ since I specialize in Hellenistic studies.
I’ve since listened to seven episodes and read the transcript of another dozen or so. I’ve listened and read carefully, trying to see if the two hosts ever discuss anything related to historiographic methodology, especially in light of the vast time-gap separating modern Bible readers from the original authors. Historiography is a well-established, rigorous academic discipline with a scientifically-grounded and epistemologically-sound methodology, but you wouldn’t know that from listening to this podcast.
I understand this podcast is produced for a general audience, but that shouldn’t be an excuse to neglect any discussion about how historians treat ancient sources and how they go about determining what most likely happened in the past.
I realize the hosts are not fundamentalists or literalists. The recent interview with Dan McClellan regarding an overview of ‘biblical history’ (whatever that is!) demonstrates this clearly. The hosts freely admit most of the narrative material in the Hebrew Bible is not historically accurate and many of the bits that are loosely based on some historical events have been heavily ‘theologized’ for obvious reasons.
Things become murkier and much more faith-based (almost apologetical in nature) when they approach the New Testament. Perhaps I missed some of the episodes where they take a more critical stance toward the historical reliability of the gospel accounts and Acts, but, on the whole, they seem to accept much of the New Testament material as true at face value. The hosts never discuss what sources the gospel writers used (if any), how the gospel writers fact-checked their sources (if they did at all), how the sources fact-checked their information (if they did at all), or if any of the material in any of the gospels actually derives from verifiable first-person testimony (if indeed it did).
No serious scholar (secular or religious) dismisses the various reconstructed New Testament documents as entirely fictional, but neither do they accept them as historically accurate without a sound, consistent methodology.
I understand the concept of a ‘biblical time machines’ is wholly metaphorical, but it’s also borderline juvenile and silly - especially in the absence of a clearly articulated methodology.
As world renown archaeologist and Hebrew Bible scholar Yonatan Adler said in a lecture about a year ago: “We don’t read any ancient narrative and assume that, if the story sounds credible, it must have happened. We don’t just assume that, if there are no miracles in the story and it doesn’t sound too incredible to believe, we simply believe the story on the face of it. History doesn’t work that way.”
This podcast would be much more interesting and helpful if there was a deliberate attempt to lay a solid methodological foundation so its listeners know when the ‘biblical time machine’ is on somewhat solid ground and when it’s mostly faith-based speculation and wishful thinking.”
WPS80 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/25/24
More reviews of Biblical Time Machine
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“Looking forward keenly to Season II; eager to learn more about yet another carpenter who promised to return another day to finish the job!”
Jammyjimmy via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
07/22/23
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“It’s great to get the historical context of both OT and NT books in an interesting format from well respected biblical scholars. Am really enjoying this podcast.”
BCWestcoaster via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
10/16/23
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“I gave this a listen because I’m always trying to expand my understanding of the Bible, and Dave Roos is one of my favorite content writers for Stuff You Should Know. This podcast has a similar fun approach, but goes much more in depth into the research on Hebrew language and culture. Looking...”Read full review »
NannersYeah via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
02/19/23
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