Classic edition of Richard Burridge’s Four Gospels, One Jesus?

It was an absolute delight to attend the launch of the Classic edition of Richard Burridge’s Four Gospels, One Jesus? a few weeks ago with a number of my 1st year students. Prof Steve Walton (LST) and Dr Edward Adams (King’s) delivered papers reflecting on Richard’s book and they both did a wonderful job outlining just why Four Gospels has made such an impact. I loved the fact that our students got to meet people they have heard about in lectures! For your reading enjoyment, the presenters were kind enough to send me their papers.

First Eddie Adam's contribution (click on link for pdf):

Eddie, Steve and Richard in discussion in the King's College Chapel

And here is Steve Walton's paper (click on link for pdf):

Afterwards, Richard himself responded and I took the opportunity to paparazzi (yes, I'm going to use that as a verb)

Compulsory shot of the key guests:

Left to right: Eddie, Richard, SPCK's Philip Law (who commissioned the 1st ed!), Steve

And finally, a nice picture of Richard presenting the justly famous Desmond Tutu (who brings all of the  Peace Prizes to the yard) with a copy of the Classic Edition.

If you haven't yet read Richard's book, you have a real treat ahead. It is a work written not just for the academic community; its prose is so clear anyone will enjoy reading through. I have learnt much from it, particularly (a) to respect the fourfold nature of the Gospels, something it seems the church is constantly tempted to ignore (whether in the name of historical Jesus Questing or naive harmonisation). And yet (b) it also makes clear that these biographies are primarily about Jesus, not something else!

Tolle lege!