In this presentation, Dr Richard Carrier will summarize his groundbreaking new book, On the Historicity of Jesus, the first book extensively challenging the historicity of Jesus to be published by a peer reviewed academic press (through the University of Sheffield). He will briefly summarize his thesis and argument, explaining why we should suspect Jesus never existed as a historical man, but was originally an archangel known only through visions and scripture, and only later were earthly stories invented about him, which later churches then sold as the truth.
Tickets will be $5 cash at the door for unreserved seating. Tickets for reserved seating may be bought online in advance at Eventbrite. The event is 7:30pm on Friday 17 October at 702 Bernard Ave (French Cultural Centre), downtown Kelowna.
Richard Carrier is a world-renowned author and speaker. As a professional historian, published philosopher, and prominent defender of the American freethought movement, Dr. Carrier has appeared across the U.S., Canada and the U.K., and on American television and London radio, defending sound historical methods and the ethical worldview of secular naturalism. His books and articles have received international attention. With a Ph.D. from Columbia University in ancient history, he specializes in the intellectual history of Greece and Rome, particularly ancient philosophy, religion, and science, with emphasis on the origins of Christianity and the use and progress of science under the Roman empire. He is also a published expert in the modern philosophy of naturalism as a worldview. He is the author of On the Historicity of Jesus: Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt; Proving History: Bayes’s Theorem and the Quest for the Historical Jesus; Sense and Goodness without God; Not the Impossible Faith; Why I Am Not a Christian; and Hitler Homer Bible Christ, and a major contributor to The Empty Tomb, The Christian Delusion, and The End of Christianity, and for his copious work in history and philosophy, online and in print. He is currently working on his next books, Science Education in the Early Roman Empire and The Scientist in the Early Roman Empire.
We will also be holding a “Guess the Weight” contest for some very special prizes for people who appreciate ancient history and the history of Christianity! $5 for each guess. Cash only. Prizes will include some wonderful ancient coins! One is a rather scarce coin issued by Pontius Pilate in Judaea at the time standardly claimed for Jesus’ crucifixion. The other is one of the earliest coins issued with a Christian symbol on it (the Chi-Rho) from just after the time of Constantine the Great, during the reign of his son, Constantius II. The Chi-Rho can be seen on the standard held by Emperor Constantius II, on the coin below. This is a close-up photo of one of the actual coins that you will have an opportunity to win, which was minted between 348-350 AD.
Please do not use the Safeway parking lot, it is for customers only and frequently checked. There are Impark lots nearby, on St Paul and Bertram, or else on street parking is often available in the evenings.
The French Cultural Centre is not endorsing or sponsoring this event in any way. We have simply rented their space for the evening.