Antik Çağ’da İnciller’in Güvenilirliği Meselesi/The Question of the Reliability of the Gospels in Antiquity

• Main Author: Zafer Duygu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Uludag University 2019-08-01
• Series: Oksident
• Subjects: christianity; gospels; celsus; porphyry
• Online Access: https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/oksident/issue/47598/513909

The question of whether the traditional Gospels provide reliable historical information is discussed currently by scholars in light of various scientific methods. This matter, however, was also on the agenda among some intellectuals of antiquity. Some pagan writers criticized Christian Scriptures. They targeted the Gospels through allegations that especially the Gospels contained inconsistent information and the Gospels were changed many times by Christians subsequently. In the same way, the problems of the Gospels had taken the time of Christian thinkers too in those days. These Christian thinkers also professed the problematic structure of the Gospels with their writings, suggestions or deeds. This article deals with the claims of the pagan philosophers, Celsus and Porphyry, and with the discussions and suggestions of such Christian thinkers as Marcion, Tatian, Origen and Augustine. Accordingly, this article investigates the ancient roots of the main discussion which continued in the later periods.