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William Benjamin Smith

January 01, 1970

William Benjamin Smith (October 26, 1850 – August 6, 1934) was a professor of mathematics at Tulane University, best known as a proponent of the Christ myth theory.[1][2]

William Benjamin Smith
BornOctober 26, 1850
Stanford, Kentucky
DiedAugust 6, 1934
Columbia, Missouri
Occupation(s)Mathematician, writer

Biography edit

In a series of books, beginning with Ecce Deus: The Pre-Christian Jesus, published in 1894, and ending with The Birth of the Gospel, published posthumously in 1954, Smith argued that the earliest Christian sources, particularly the Pauline epistles, stress Christ's divinity at the expense of any human personality, and that this would have been implausible, if there had been a human Jesus. Smith therefore argued that Christianity's origins lay in a pre-Christian Jesus cult—that is, a Jewish sect had worshipped a divine being Jesus in the centuries before the human Jesus was supposedly born.[3] Evidence for this cult was found in Hippolytus' mention of the Naassenes[4] and Epiphanius' report of a Nasarene sect that existed before Christ, as well as passages in Acts.[5] The seemingly historical details in the New Testament were built by the early Christian community around narratives of the pre-Christian Jesus.[6]

Smith also argued against the historical value of non-Christian writers regarding Jesus, particularly Josephus and Tacitus.[7]

Infamously, Smith was also a white supremacy advocate whose book The Color Line: A Brief on Behalf of the Unborn (1905) argued for the racial inferiority of Negroes. He unsuccessfully challenged the studies of races by American anthropologist Franz Boas.[8]

Translator edit

Upon his death in 1934, Smith left a partial translation of Homer's Iliad. This work was completed by his old Tulane colleague Walter Miller and when published in 1944 was the first English translation in the original dactylic hexameter.[9]

Further information: English translations of Homer § WmSmith

Publications edit

Books

  • Elementary Co-Ordinate Geometry for Collegiate Use and Private Study (Boston: Ginn & Company, 1886)
  • James Sidney Rollins: Memoir (New York: De Vinne Press, 1891)
  • Introductory Modern Geometry of Point, Ray, and Circle (New York: Macmillan & Co, 1893)
  • Color Line: A Brief on Behalf of the Unborn (New York: McClure, Phillips & Company, 1905)
  • Der Vorchristliche Jesus (Giessen: Töpelmann, 1906) [with an introduction by Paul Wilhelm Schmiedel]
  • The Silence of Josephus & Tacitus (Chicago: Open Court Publishing Company, 1910)
  • Ecce Deus: Studies of Primitive Christianity (Open Court Publishing Company, 1913)
  • The Birth of the Gospel: A Study of the Origin and Purport of the Primitive Allegory of the Jesus (1957) [edited by Addison Gulick]

Papers

  • Smith, William Benjamin. (1903). The Pauline Manuscripts F and G. A Text-Critical Study. The American Journal of Theology 7 (3): 452-485.
  • Smith, William Benjamin. (1911). The Pre-Christian Jesus. The American Journal of Theology 15 (2): 259-265.
  • Smith, William Benjamin. (1914). Latest Lights and Shadows on the Jesus Question. The Monist 24 (4): 618-634.
  • Smith, William Benjamin. (1919). What Remaineth? The Monist 29 (1): 1-31.

See also edit

 
Wikisource has original works by or about:
William Benjamin Smith

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Kayser (1947) 189-190.
  2. ^ Van Voorst, Robert E. (2000). Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence . Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. p. 12. ISBN 0-8028-4368-9 "On the American scene, William Benjamin Smith (1850-1934), a mathematics professor in Tulane University, was the most notable advocate of the nonhistoricity of Jesus."
  3. ^ Case (1911) 627.
  4. ^ Hippolytus Philosophumena 5.10.
  5. ^ Schweitzer (2000) 375.
  6. ^ Schweitzer (2000) 378.
  7. ^ Van Voorst (2000) 12.
  8. ^ Baker (2004).
  9. ^ . Time. 1944-12-11. Archived from the original on April 22, 2008.

References edit

  • Baker, Lee D. (2004). "Franz Boas Out of the Ivory Tower". Anthropological Theory. 4 (1): 20–42. doi:10.1177/1463499604040846. S2CID 143573265.
  • Case, Shirley Jackson (1911). "The Historicity of Jesus an Estimate of the Negative Argument". The American Journal of Theology. 15 (1): 20–42. doi:10.1086/478974. JSTOR 3155273.
  • Keyser, Cassius Jackson (1947). Mathematics as a Culture Clue, and Other Essays. New York: Scripta Mathematica.
  • Schweitzer, Albert (2000) [1913]. John Bowden (ed.). The Quest of the Historical Jesus (first complete ed.). London: SCM. ISBN 0-334-02791-8.
  • Van Voorst, Robert E. (2000). Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-4368-9.

External links edit

 
Wikisource has original works by or about:
William Benjamin Smith

January 01, 1970
william, benjamin, smith, october, 1850, august, 1934, professor, mathematics, tulane, university, best, known, proponent, christ, myth, theory, bornoctober, 1850stanford, kentuckydiedaugust, 1934columbia, missourioccupation, mathematician, writer, contents, b. William Benjamin Smith October 26 1850 August 6 1934 was a professor of mathematics at Tulane University best known as a proponent of the Christ myth theory 1 2 William Benjamin SmithBornOctober 26 1850Stanford KentuckyDiedAugust 6 1934Columbia MissouriOccupation s Mathematician writer Contents 1 Biography 2 Translator 3 Publications 4 See also 5 Footnotes 6 References 7 External linksBiography editIn a series of books beginning with Ecce Deus The Pre Christian Jesus published in 1894 and ending with The Birth of the Gospel published posthumously in 1954 Smith argued that the earliest Christian sources particularly the Pauline epistles stress Christ s divinity at the expense of any human personality and that this would have been implausible if there had been a human Jesus Smith therefore argued that Christianity s origins lay in a pre Christian Jesus cult that is a Jewish sect had worshipped a divine being Jesus in the centuries before the human Jesus was supposedly born 3 Evidence for this cult was found in Hippolytus mention of the Naassenes 4 and Epiphanius report of a Nasarene sect that existed before Christ as well as passages in Acts 5 The seemingly historical details in the New Testament were built by the early Christian community around narratives of the pre Christian Jesus 6 Smith also argued against the historical value of non Christian writers regarding Jesus particularly Josephus and Tacitus 7 Infamously Smith was also a white supremacy advocate whose book The Color Line A Brief on Behalf of the Unborn 1905 argued for the racial inferiority of Negroes He unsuccessfully challenged the studies of races by American anthropologist Franz Boas 8 Translator editUpon his death in 1934 Smith left a partial translation of Homer s Iliad This work was completed by his old Tulane colleague Walter Miller and when published in 1944 was the first English translation in the original dactylic hexameter 9 Further information English translations of Homer WmSmithPublications editBooks Elementary Co Ordinate Geometry for Collegiate Use and Private Study Boston Ginn amp Company 1886 James Sidney Rollins Memoir New York De Vinne Press 1891 Introductory Modern Geometry of Point Ray and Circle New York Macmillan amp Co 1893 Color Line A Brief on Behalf of the Unborn New York McClure Phillips amp Company 1905 Der Vorchristliche Jesus Giessen Topelmann 1906 with an introduction by Paul Wilhelm Schmiedel The Silence of Josephus amp Tacitus Chicago Open Court Publishing Company 1910 Ecce Deus Studies of Primitive Christianity Open Court Publishing Company 1913 The Birth of the Gospel A Study of the Origin and Purport of the Primitive Allegory of the Jesus 1957 edited by Addison Gulick Papers Smith William Benjamin 1903 The Pauline Manuscripts F and G A Text Critical Study The American Journal of Theology 7 3 452 485 Smith William Benjamin 1911 The Pre Christian Jesus The American Journal of Theology 15 2 259 265 Smith William Benjamin 1914 Latest Lights and Shadows on the Jesus Question The Monist 24 4 618 634 Smith William Benjamin 1919 What Remaineth The Monist 29 1 1 31 See also edit nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about William Benjamin Smith Christ myth theoryFootnotes edit Kayser 1947 189 190 Van Voorst Robert E 2000 Jesus Outside the New Testament An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence Grand Rapids MI Eerdmans p 12 ISBN 0 8028 4368 9 On the American scene William Benjamin Smith 1850 1934 a mathematics professor in Tulane University was the most notable advocate of the nonhistoricity of Jesus Case 1911 627 Hippolytus Philosophumena 5 10 Schweitzer 2000 375 Schweitzer 2000 378 Van Voorst 2000 12 Baker 2004 Books First Great War Book Time 1944 12 11 Archived from the original on April 22 2008 References editBaker Lee D 2004 Franz Boas Out of the Ivory Tower Anthropological Theory 4 1 20 42 doi 10 1177 1463499604040846 S2CID 143573265 Case Shirley Jackson 1911 The Historicity of Jesus an Estimate of the Negative Argument The American Journal of Theology 15 1 20 42 doi 10 1086 478974 JSTOR 3155273 Keyser Cassius Jackson 1947 Mathematics as a Culture Clue and Other Essays New York Scripta Mathematica Schweitzer Albert 2000 1913 John Bowden ed The Quest of the Historical Jesus first complete ed London SCM ISBN 0 334 02791 8 Van Voorst Robert E 2000 Jesus Outside the New Testament An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence Grand Rapids MI Eerdmans ISBN 0 8028 4368 9 External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about William Benjamin Smith Works by William Benjamin Smith at Project Gutenberg Works by or about William Benjamin Smith at Internet Archive Works by William Benjamin Smith at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Benjamin Smith amp oldid 1219307866, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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