Jesus Is Dead

This provocative monograph represents Robert M. Price's most direct assault on the historicity of Jesus Christ, extending his earlier mythicist arguments into a comprehensive deconstruction of Christian origins. Price, drawing on his extensive background in biblical criticism and his association with the Jesus Seminar, argues that the figure of Jesus as presented in the New Testament dissolves entirely under critical scrutiny, leaving no historical residue that would satisfy the standards of ancient historiography.

The work systematically dismantles what Price considers the pillars of Jesus historicity. He applies form criticism and the history of religions approach to demonstrate that every element of the Gospel narratives can be traced to pre-existing mythological motifs, mystery religion patterns, and midrashic rewriting of Hebrew scripture. Price particularly emphasizes parallels between Jesus stories and those of dying-and-rising gods in Mediterranean mystery cults, arguing that early Christianity represents a Jewish adaptation of these widespread religious themes rather than memories of an actual Galilean preacher.

Methodologically, Price employs what he terms "methodological atheism," treating biblical texts with the same skepticism applied to other ancient religious literature. He challenges the criteria typically used to establish Jesus's historicity—multiple attestation, embarrassment, and dissimilarity—arguing that these tools, when properly applied, actually undermine rather than support the existence of a historical Jesus. His approach directly confronts not only traditional Christian scholars but also the consensus position among secular historians who accept a minimal historical Jesus while rejecting supernatural claims.

The monograph's significance lies in its challenge to both religious and academic orthodoxy. While most critical scholars strip away miraculous elements while maintaining a historical core, Price argues this approach is methodologically inconsistent. He contends that once supernatural elements are removed as later accretions, the same critical principles should eliminate the supposedly historical remainder. This position places Price among a small but vocal group of mythicists including Earl Doherty and Richard Carrier.

Price's work contributes to the God debate by suggesting that Christianity's central figure is entirely mythological, thereby undermining claims to revealed truth and historical divine intervention. His argument implies that Christianity, rather than being grounded in historical events, represents another example of humanity's tendency to create divine figures through mythological processes, supporting naturalistic explanations for religious phenomena.