Bart Ehrman Michael Bird Debate 2016

Professor Bart D. Ehrman met with Australian theologian and New Testament scholar Michael F. Bird at the 2016 Greer-Heard Point Counter Point Forum on February 12-13, 2016 for a two part debate. The event was held at 7:00 p.m. and Part 2 the next day at 2:00 p.m. in the Leavell College Chapel at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. An attendee question and answer session followed the debate. The subject of the debate was “How Jesus Became God.”

Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He came to UNC in 1988, after four years of teaching at Rutgers University. At UNC he has served as both the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies. A graduate of Wheaton College (Illinois), Professor Ehrman received both his Masters of Divinity and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary, where his 1985 doctoral dissertation was awarded magna cum laude.

Michael F. Bird, BMin, BA (Hons), PhD taught New Testament at the Highland Theological College in Scotland (2005-9) before joining Crossway College in Brisbane as lecturer in Theology (2010-12). He joined the faculty at Ridley as lecturer in Theology in 2013. As an industrious researcher, Michael has written and edited over twenty books in the fields of Septuagint, Historical Jesus, Gospels, St. Paul, Biblical Theology, and Systematic Theology.

Copyright © Bart D. Ehrman, Michael F. Bird and Greer-Heard Point Counter Point Forum. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use, re-posting and/or duplication of this media without express and written permission from any of these three entities is strictly prohibited.

[NathanielHarari]

I have to say that Michael Bird was the most refreshingly intelligent opponent I have see you yet debate, Dr. Ehrman. He knew the material intimately well, he brought up good points, he was funny, and I think he was absolutely honest in his assessment. I still think he was wrong, and I think you did a good job of pointing out the errors, but it wasn't akin to any of the others you have debated in the past. It was a good show all around.

[kenmoorer]

Glad to hear Bart address that Council of Nicea mess. I'm tired of critics using that as the basis of their arguments. They lose all credibility with me.

[prisonss]

Bart is 100% authentic...logic, evidence, fact is spoken and the rebuttal is faith!! Bart keep spreading the word please

[Robert.Deeeee]

To be fair, the Ozzie guy seems a cut above the usual biblical inerrantist "scholars" Bart has debated in the past.

[randymoffat]

I think Michael Bird is the first person that makes good arguments Versus Bart Ehrman. He doesn't rely totally on his bible as does most of Bart's opponents, and he doesn't outright disagree as most normally does. He agrees with Bart a great deal, while still arguing for his belief, which was formidable. I thoroughly enjoyed this Debate. Thumbs up to both Michael bird and Bart Ehrman.

[johnthomas]

Michael Bird really gets off on the wrong foot when he references Jesus as the suffering servant of Isaiah. He is taking Isaiah Chapter 53 out of context. Who is the suffering servant? See: Isaiah 41:8-9

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off.”

[dirk]

It's very refreshing to watch such a cordial debate. Unlike many of the nasty apologists Bart debates, Michael Bird was quite affable, is someone who I enjoyed listening to, and would welcome hearing more from.
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Greer-Heard Point Counter Point Forum have earned some respect from me for putting on the debate, and I am very surprised to be saying that about any school affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Good work everyone!

[kernowarty]

OMG!  Bart is debating Austin Powers!! Yeh baby!!

[ronfoss]

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these ..
Please give one example where any Christian has raised the dead, healed the sick, made the blind see, and do so many miracles that would "fill several books"

[ronaldov]

Yes we might have given the world Croc Dundee, but we also gave it Ken

[stiryotype]

Bart is a genius. i enjoy listening to him very much.

[versioncity]

Above & beyond the historic & theological ideas on this, you have to ask yourself if you believe that Jesus was/is God, the following:
God in christianity is the supreme being, the creator of all. Given what we know about the universe, the almost incomprehensible size of it, the galaxies it contains, the stars, the planets, every single form of life, the complexity of each creature, each microsystem. This was all thought of, designed and brought into being by this single consciousness of God. After around 13 billion years God decided to reveal itself to mankind. The most important thing for this God in doing this was not to just be known to humans, but to to be believed in, followed and worshipped. The God that had such intelligence and ability to bring everything into being decided the best way to do this was to incarnate himself into human form of a man in a pre-existing religion, that would live his life being largely mocked, not believed in and crucified for his ideas. And in order for others to believe in him he would leave his deeds and words in book that he himself was incapable of writing as he was most likely illiterate.
Really? This is the best idea of convincing humans that a God of such magnitude could come up with?

[cheicknacamara]

So it was people that decided to throne Jesus as God ? But Not God himself ok I get it 😂 they decide if he was whether God’s son or God himself and then they decided that they should throne him as the almighty God . This is a disaster

[SundayVibesmusic]

I’m very surprised the reason Bart left. Christianity isn’t because of some intellectual discrepancy but rather an emotional and moral one. Isn’t the book of job all about suffering? Christ himself suffered horribly..I understand anyone’s concern for the children who are starving..hopefully we’d all do something about it..what I’m confused about is how suffering can be used as a basis for not believing God when the entire Bible is one suffering story after another..

[celticwinter]

Both amazing speakers - entertaining, but still very much focused on facts, a leveled debate. Ehrman is one of the few atheists/agnostics I'm eager to listen to.

[Dr.Alkhatib]

Excellent. All religious traditions need this kind of rigorous academic study.

[egm]

I have always found professor Ehrman an outstanding scholar in his field. I think Christians can benefit and strengthen their faith by listening to him. Many times Ehrman has expressed that he does not seek to weaken the faith of believers.

[GetMeThere]

Only at time 39:xx, but I'm happy to see that Bart's opponent has at least a DASH of personality, and is (it's a miracle!) the ability to acknowledge points counter to his own. SO much more interesting to listen to than the typical, single-minded believers he usually debates.

[nivto]

Your enthusiasm, Bart, is contagious and very touching :)

[myriadcorp]

I thought that was Austin Powers for a second.