James Valliant was a public prosecutor and studied History and Philosophy at NYU. He believes there was an authentic Jesus movement before the Greek-speaking and writing Christians got their hands on it, and that the Passion narrative is fiction designed to exonerate the Romans and blame the Jews for the death of Jesus. Josephus appears to have mentioned Jesus, John the Baptist, and James in a negative fashion, and Josephus also says that Vespasian is the Messiah of prophecy.
James Valliant argues that Christianity combines Jewish monotheism with an open-door policy, which made it attractive to both Gentiles and elite Jews working with the Romans. He also suggests that the Messianic ideology of the Dead Sea Scrolls was influential in the formation of Christianity, although it was the opposite in some ways, as Jesus flaunted purity regulations.
James Valliant argues that Jesus' teachings were an attempt to pacify militant Jews and accommodate Gentiles interested in monotheism, using their own imagery and language turned on its head. He also believes that Julius Caesar, Vespasian, and Titus were all models for Jesus, and that the Gospels were written for distinct communities at different times.
James Valliant discussed the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, noting that Christianity bears the same relation to authentic Judaism as Taco Bell does to authentic Mexican food. He also discussed the influence of the Roman government on Christianity, noting that there was a literary renaissance and an era of toleration of Christianity under several emperors, but also that some emperors turned on the Christian elements within the Roman court.
Full Transcript Here: https://jesusthejewwithinjudaism.wordpress.com/2023/05/29/who-invented-christianity-the-roman-provenance-of-christianity-discussion-with-james-valliant-full-transcript/
Chapters & Topics
0:07 James Valliant's Background in Biblical Literature
Roman government using Jewish Messianic religion of the rebelsExamining the Possibility of a Historical Jesus 5:37
Josephus's Propaganda for the Roman Government9:36The Cultural Corruptions of Hellenism and the Jewish Resistance to Assimilation 16:07
The Roman Empire's adoption of Judaism and its transformation into ChristianityJesus as the New Redemptive Mechanism for Jews Who Believe in an Immortal Soul 20:09
Christianity's Combination of Jewish Monotheism and Roman Openness Led to its Success 22:06
Jesus' Message of Peace and Loyalty to Rome During the Jewish War 30:59
The relationship between the Jewish and Roman Empires in the 1st and 2nd centuriesPaul's Message and the Ebionites 35:50
Jesus's Followers Rejecting Jewish Observance and Adopting Roman Symbols 40:55
The Roman Empire's Influence on the Development of Christianity 44:22
Examining the Relationship between Judaism and Christianity 56:29
The relationship between Judaism and Christianity
Key Questions
Is there room for a historical Jesus? 7:00
How did Christianity combine Jewish monotheism with an open door policy to become irresistible to the Roman Empire? 24:05
How did the Hellenistic influences shape the early Christian movement? 59:22
To what degree did the Roman government influence Christianity? 59:36
Action Items
Analyze the Dead Sea Scrolls to understand the Jewish Messianic religion of the 1st century 29:19
Accommodate the Jewish and Gentile communities in the early Christian movement 44:43
Do further research into the influence of the Ebionites on the birth of Islam 56:14
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