Nailed

This provocative monograph challenges the historical existence of Jesus Christ through a systematic examination of early Christian sources and contemporary historical records. Fitzgerald employs historical-critical methodology to argue that the figure of Jesus represents a mythical construct rather than a historical person, positioning this claim as relevant to broader debates about religious truth claims and the foundations of Christian theism.

The work operates within the mythicist tradition, building upon earlier scholars like Earl Doherty and Robert Price while presenting a more accessible synthesis for general readers. Fitzgerald scrutinizes the canonical gospels, Pauline epistles, and non-Christian sources from the first and second centuries, arguing that the earliest Christian writings treat Jesus as a celestial being rather than a recently deceased teacher. He contends that gospel narratives emerged decades after Paul's letters, representing a later historicization of an originally mythical figure.

Central to Fitzgerald's argument is his analysis of the silence of contemporary historians. He examines why writers like Philo of Alexandria, Pliny the Elder, and others who documented first-century Palestine never mention Jesus, despite recording other messianic movements and religious teachers. The author argues that later references in Josephus and Tacitus represent either Christian interpolations or hearsay about Christian beliefs rather than independent historical attestation.

The work engages critically with mainstream historical Jesus scholarship, particularly challenging the criteria of authenticity used by scholars like Bart Ehrman and Maurice Casey. Fitzgerald contends these methodologies presuppose a historical Jesus rather than demonstrating one, creating circular arguments that mistake theological development for historical memory.

While primarily focused on historical questions, the monograph's implications extend to philosophical debates about divine revelation and religious epistemology. If Christianity's central figure lacks historical foundation, Fitzgerald suggests, this undermines claims about God's intervention in history and challenges fideistic appeals to revelation. The work thus contributes to naturalistic critiques of theism by questioning the evidentiary basis for Christianity's historical claims.

The monograph's accessible style and comprehensive scope make it a significant contribution to popular atheist literature, though its radical conclusions remain controversial within academic biblical studies. Fitzgerald's work exemplifies how historical-critical methods can serve broader skeptical projects, demonstrating the intersection between historical research and philosophical arguments about religious truth claims.