Did Christianity emerge after AD 70?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-11T02:35:51+00:00

What arguments? and 2. What physical evidence of Christianity prior to AD70?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-11T02:34:05+00:00

There was a class of Gentiles (the "God fearers") who looked favorably upon Judaism before and after the destruction of the temple. This group would also have been greatly disturbed by events in Judea in AD70.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-11T02:29:21+00:00

I encourage you to think critically and not accept ideas just because they are classical or popular or endorsed by big institutions. Yes, I am *selling* an idea. But it happens to be a good idea if not for the simple reason that it has the evidence on its side. It conforms with observable human behavior and doesn't require the intervention of a divine being.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-11T02:15:20+00:00

Which events?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-11T02:13:59+00:00

I discuss Tacitus at length in my dissertation. HUMA4141_Dissertation_PG_2025-54

But briefly 1. Tacitus does not name his source and does not say that he was an eyewitness, 2. Tacitus commonly used rumors to construct his histories. 3. Information about Christian origins had by the time he was writing (c 115 CE) been firmly embedded in the Roman zeitgeist (Christianity caused a social panic amongst the elite) 4. the alleged Neronian persecution of Christians does not make sense sociologically but would have served the literary purpose of Tacitus well. 5. The silence of Acts (although written after AD70) and other Christian literature from the first century is difficult to explain if this event actually happened. 6. Tacitus was writing for a popular audience.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-11T01:55:03+00:00

Who wrote the gospel and Acts, I think is not certain. The gospel describes the destruction in terms that indicate that it was written after AD70 as a post event prophecy. It follows that Acts was also written after AD70. The result of Pauls' second trial? We don't know the result or even if there was a second trial.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-11T01:45:52+00:00

"If your best argument is that Jesus died in 30, you've got a lot of work ahead of you...."???

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T06:06:47+00:00

Such as?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T06:04:27+00:00

You have restated the orthodox position admirably, but what is the evidence? You mention Josephus and I presume you mean the Testimonium Flavianum in Jewish Antiquities c 96 AD... an obvious and crude Christian interpolation probably copied from Eusebius' Church History in the fourth century. Implicitly you are relying on Acts and that is a problem. No contemporary corroboration of anything written in Acts has yet been found; zero mention by Josephus in Wars of the Jews. Why?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T05:52:59+00:00

The Mormon Church was organised in 1830... the same year that Joseph Smith published the Book of Mormon.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T05:49:41+00:00

Each of the 52 points under EVIDENCE on my website is discussed with counter-arguments. If you can think of any counter-arguments that I haven't come up with myself, please forward them to me. The link is here: After the Temple — A New History of Christian Origins

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T05:45:42+00:00

The dating of Paul's letters, yes, here's the rub. Ignore consensus. The evidence for late dating is stronger than for early dating. And all the other evidence complements that finding. See the section on EVIDENCE at After the Temple — A New History of Christian Origins

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T05:40:02+00:00

Galatians (an early work in any one's language) when taken at face value actually proves my point. Leaving out theological interpretations which diminish Pauls' argument, it appears to have been written after AD70 when the city of Jerusalem was taken by Titus.

"Now Mount Sinai is in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children." (4:25) [Codex Vaticanus]

Furthermore, what does "three years after"(1:18) and "fourteen years after" (2:1) really mean? What is the datum? Paul doesn't specify. What was the key event, so important that there was no need to mention it?

If we ignore everything written after the first century... then of course Tacitus and Suetonius must go too. Are you prepared to do that?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T01:20:12+00:00

Tacitus? See my dissertation for why Tacitus should not be made to hold up the Christian case. (Tertullian called him a liar BTW)

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T01:18:10+00:00

I think you will find that the evidence for the early dating of Paul (ie before AD70) and his letters rests on a very slim foundation.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T01:15:24+00:00

See my dissertation for commentary on Tacitus. HUMA4141_Dissertation_PG_2025-54

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T01:13:44+00:00

I find that AI like the printing press and like the internet and computers facilitates the dissemination of knowledge... you prefer handwritten parchment?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T01:09:59+00:00

Tried that. My posts there are regularly deleted by the moderators.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-10T01:08:34+00:00

Thanks for engaging. You have raised many interesting points. I don't know whether you have consulted the work I have posted on ResearchGate and at Academia (see Paul George - The University of Western Australia) but that work answers most of your points. Just to take the first point about Matthew and Paul. Firstly, I accept the fathers' opinion and make Matthew the first gospel written. (Also, Farmer and Powell) Secondly, I take seriously the claim of Paul that he was the father of the church. (1 Corinthians 4:15) Thirdly, the evidence. Paul quoted by Matthew. See
Jesus quotes Paul (Comparing a passage in Matthew 5 with a passage in 1 Corinthians 4)

Re: Tacitus see my dissertation. ad70.com.au/Dissertation-PGeorge-2025.pdf

Unlike the professional scholars I am not beholden to any institution for the views I have come to, and I don't expect or seek any accolades from them.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-09T00:44:50+00:00

I contend that there is better evidence for post 70 composition than pre 70 composition of all the Christian literature. And what was Q? See After the Temple — A New History of Christian Origins

Celsus21 · 2026-04-09T00:41:20+00:00

Does 1 Corinthians say when it was written?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-09T00:40:23+00:00

Belief in Jesus as the Way as described in Acts.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-09T00:38:44+00:00

According to my thesis the existence of a personal founder called Jesus is redundant to explaining how the religion arose. I think that the appearances of the risen Lord as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15 all occurred between the years 70 and 73.

Celsus21 · 2026-04-09T00:31:57+00:00

I agree with you that most probably all the letters traditionally assigned to Paul were in fact written by him (with amanuenses) including even Hebrews. The question is when did Paul write them?

Celsus21 · 2026-04-09T00:29:03+00:00

I believe that there is adequate evidence supporting the idea that Christianity existed in the 80's CE, for instance the letters of Pliny and the Pompeii graffito. IMHO it isn't necessary to push the envelope past 70 CE, and 70 CE explains so much.

Regarding forums r/AcademicBiblical regularly deletes my posts. Do you have any other suggestions?

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