Are the Gospels Historically Reliable? | Trent Horn | Catholic Answers Live

There are two common claims skeptics will make to undermine the historical reliability of the Gospels. The first says their authors are anonymous, and the second says that they were written too long after the life of Jesus to be accurate. Trent Horn answers these challenges on Catholic Answers Live.

After his conversion to the Catholic faith, Trent Horn earned master’s degrees in the fields of theology, philosophy, and bioethics. He serves as a staff apologist for Catholic Answers, where he specializes in teaching Catholics to graciously and persuasively engage those who disagree with them.

Trent models that approach each week on the radio program Catholic Answers Live and on his own podcast, The Counsel of Trent. He has also been invited to debate at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, and Stanford University.

Trent is an adjunct professor of apologetics at Holy Apostles College, has written for The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, and is the author of nine books, including Answering Atheism, The Case for Catholicism, and Why We’re Catholic: Our Reasons for Faith, Hope, and Love.

Are the Gospels Historically Reliable?

[daninspiration]

I always go to Brandt Pitre his teachings are amazing.

[Regular_Pigeon]

Looking forward to the debate with Matt Dillahunty.

[monicaceja]

I really needed this right now! I'm going to get all those books 😂 thank you Trent for your wonderful response!

[marcusmuse]

Plus, were forgetting that the holy ghost would've brought everything into remembrance.

[seans]

If you read an anonymous memoir about the Vietnam war, written in 2016, that included something extraordinary—like a Sasquatch in uniform fighting for the US side in a major battle—would the memoir be sufficient evidence that the account were true?

[danaharper]

Cy Kellett is the most gracious host in all of radio. I often wonder what he is thinking and would not be surprised if he was filled with unspoken doubt about the veracity of Catholicism. What are you thinking Cy?

[ATageH]

I think a layer of this that was ignored in the video are the supernatural claims made in the gospels. these are used as an example to question the historical reliability

[gracianomendoza]

And brother Trent the bible purpose is not about history. And also there were ancient historians who can corroborate its trueness., though not numerous.

[michaelpage]

Totally misses the point. Remarkable claims require remarkable evidence!

[jamesstrohl]

The Gospels are reliable. To say they are not, is heresy. The only reliability standard is it inspired by God.

[edgarmorales]

Just as Jesus discarded the teachings of Judaism, Jesus would also discard the teachings in the Bible. Too much of the Bible has been distorted, misunderstood and incorrectly reported; why put new wine into old wineskins.

[ndeamonk]

But we do have other evidence of Alexander, Hannibal etc. There is none of Jesus or any of the other writers of the four gospels.

[Regular_Pigeon]

Btw it's typically easier to accept historical accounts that don't contradict the laws of nature. That makes a big difference.

[karenhart]

There is more evidence to suggest that spiderman exists than that jesus ever did.

[bazackward]

Well obviously the gospels are not historically reliable, I mean that's a silly question. There is no evidence that any of those people were real and all this host is doing is introducing distractions. Notice he doesn't claim that they weren't anonymous, he just says that he has some reason to believe that they weren't (though a very weak argument in that direction).

Look, if what this guy says is convincing, then no one is going to convince you otherwise. But if you are a person who cares whether what you believe is true, then you should continue to read the bible and investigate its claims objectively. Stay away from apologists like this guy and stick with historians.