David Laird Dungan Synoptic Problem Hardcover sku-8151716

A History of the Synoptic Problem by David Laird Dungan is a hardcover academic study listed under Christian Books & Bibles, SKU sku-8151716. It examines how readers have addressed differences among the gospel accounts of Jesus's life, a question predating the biblical canon.

Dungan surveys approaches taken by Origen, Augustine, Erasmus, Spinoza and Locke, and discusses which gospels and texts to consider and how to read them. He also examines political and economic influences on biblical interpretation, including the relationship he draws between historical-critical reading, literal readings of Scripture and political democracy.

The book discusses the answer advanced by John Dominic Crossan and the Jesus Seminar, which treats some gospel events and statements as historically true and others as false. Dungan presents the search for an answer as part of the Church's continuing interpretation of the gospels.