(November 29, 2012 at 9:24 am)Daniel Wrote: He isn't as special as you think he is. There are thousands of Biblical Scholars - he is one with ideas and theories well outside general scholarly thought, and he uses sensationalism to sell his books. Just because he reaches one conclusion doesn't mean it's the only conclusion to be met, it doesn't even mean that it's the correct conclusion, all it means is that he made the conclusion.
How is he outside the mainstream? Isn't he primarily a popularizer of knowledge not considered that controversial by most Biblical scholars? If you're going to invoke popularity, I'd like more evidence that his views are considered controversial by most (the majority, at least) of other Biblical scholars.
