Robert M. Price

Robert M. Price (b. 1954) is an American New Testament scholar, philosopher of religion, and prominent proponent of the Christ myth theory, which holds that a historical Jesus either did not exist or is irrecoverable behind layers of mythological accretion. He holds two PhDs (in systematic theology and New Testament) from Drew University and was formerly a Baptist minister before moving through liberal theology to atheism. Price has taught at the Johnnie Colemon Theological Seminary and the Coleman Theological Seminary, and served as a fellow of the Jesus Seminar and the Center for Inquiry Institute. His major works include 'Deconstructing Jesus' (2000), 'The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man' (2003), 'The Pre-Nicene New Testament' (2006), and 'Jesus is Dead' (2007). With Jeffery Jay Lowder he co-edited 'The Empty Tomb' (2005), a major skeptical response to evidentialist apologetics for the resurrection, particularly the work of William Lane Craig and Gary Habermas. Price hosts 'The Bible Geek' and 'The Human Bible' podcasts. His mythicist position is contested by mainstream historical-Jesus scholars including Bart Ehrman, Maurice Casey, and James McGrath, who argue it lies outside scholarly consensus. Price's later public alignment with right-wing American politics and his 2016 U.S. presidential candidacy for the Constitution Party have generated additional controversy regarding his public persona, distinct from his scholarly work.