Jim West breaks the sad news -
I am writing with disappointing news. After over a year of pressure from Lincoln Christian University donors, concerned citizens, and certain employees, the president of the university has decided to terminate my employment. I have been told that this decision is in direct response to the publication of my popular-level book, Historical Jesus (Eerdmans, 2011). I have no doubt that the LCU administration made a staunch effort on my behalf, but eventually needed to assuage the fears of (what I am told) is a largely anti-intellectual constituency.
Le Donne is an excellent author – and both books are a wealth of information. His website is here.
Oddly enough, Lincoln University is set to host a Conference dedicated to a forthcoming volume,
Lincoln Christian University (Lincoln, Illinois) is hosting a two-day conference to critique the assumptions and methods of the so called “Third Quest of the Historical Jesus” on October 4 & 5, 2012.
Bringing together world-class authors and speakers, this conference will discuss “authenticity” and “criteria” as these concepts have been traditionally understood and employed in New Testament studies.
For questions about the conference or book, contact
The list of speakers?
Featuring
Dale C. Allison Jr.
(Pittsburgh Theological Seminary)Mark Goodacre
(Duke University)Chris Keith
(Lincoln Christian University)Anthony Le Donne
(Lincoln Christian University)Scot McKnight
(North Park University)Loren T. Stuckenbruck
(Princeton Theological Seminary)Jens Schroeter
(Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin)Dagmar Winter
(Newcastle Diocese, UK)Rafael Rodríguez
(Johnson University)
Maybe it is time to boycott the event.
Joel L. Watts holds a Masters of Arts from United Theological Seminary with a focus in literary and rhetorical criticism of the New Testament. His interests include exploring the role of mimesis in human civilization, specifically in the study of religion and media, as well as science fiction and the way in which it has allowed mythology to be explored in light of scientific discoveries of the past century. He is the author of Mimetic Criticism of the Gospel of Mark: Introduction and Commentary (Wipf and Stock, 2013) and a co-editor and contributor to From Fear to Faith: Stories of Hitting Spiritual Walls (Energion, 2013).
Website: → Unsettled Christianity
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it’s absurd that they would host such an event given the fact that ‘certain donors’ are happy to force a good, good scholar out for the very issues doubtless to be addressed! hypocrisy!
Hypocrisy – indeed.
Look at the conference – and the fact that they used him to build the conference. Boycott them
i hate bullies. i just bought his book.
Dear Friends,
As Anthony Le Donne’s colleague, co-editor, and co-organizer for the conference, let me say that I’m as destroyed as anyone at the unexpected dismissal of him. One of the first things we decided, however, was that the conference would no longer be on LCU’s campus. We are currently seeking an alternative host site.
clk
Dr. Keith,
I currently attend United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Perhaps there?
I recommend Duke Divinity as there will be a seminar on the Historical Jesus at the time of the proposed conference.
[...] a conference that was to be held at LCU discussing the issues raised in Le Donne’s work. See here. Share this:TwitterFacebookLinkedInStumbleUponRedditDiggPinterestTumblrEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe [...]
Move it to Regent College, Vancouver. They have free speech up in Canada.
I would do all I can to help organize the event at Vanderbilt University.
I’ve emailed our Academic dean asking him to look into it… but….
The article doesn’t tell us why Le Donne was fired, only that it supposedly has something to do with his historical Jesus book. What is so shocking about the book? I haven’t read it.
It’s not ‘conservative’ enough, I suspect.
I suspect you heard about Mike Licona’s firing last year over statements made in his Jesus book that didn’t please the inerrantists. It sounds like Le Donne is in a similar situation. Is this the new Inquisition?
http://www.uncrediblehallq.net/2011/11/15/the-mike-licona-kerfluffle-and-what-it-tells-us-about-evangelicals-and-inerrancy/
Yes. If you go further back, you’ll find Peter Enns who was fired, and a recent Calvinist theologian fired because he questioned Genesis 1
[...] conference that was to be held at LCU discussing the issues raised in Le Donne’s work. See here.” Huzzah.In the meantime, keep Le Donne and his family in your prayers, teach a course in [...]
The cynical pathos in this post is damnable, especially considering its source. I might suggest that the blind criticism, poorly-founded accusations, soapbox emotion, and blatant pride found herein be replaced by humility, grace, and a posture of seeking understanding. Did you call the university’s administration to let it speak for itself? Perhaps if you would have, you could have learned that the conference would no longer be held at LCU, and this post suggesting a “boycott” of the event would not even be necessary.
- An undergraduate student at LCU who is deeply concerned about the firing, an advocate for the pursuit of truth, and friend and former TA of Anthony Le Donne
Damon, perhaps you’d check the date on this post. This post was done before they announced that it was going to be moved.
I realize that, but if perhaps you had contacted someone at the university seeking better understanding of the situation and expressed your concerns about the conference being held there given the firing you might have been notified that LCU wouldn’t be hosting the conference any longer. Perhaps you’d noticed that Dr. Keith’s comment was submitted on the same day of the post’s publishing, the words of which suggest that the decision had been made to move the conference prior to his posting the comment. My point is that the information might have been available, and you might have received it had you been willing to be open-minded.
I’m not sure your ultimate point, Damon.
[...] [3] http://unsettledchristianity.com/2012/04/for-the-firing-of-anthony-le-donne-time-to-boycott-the-jesu… [...]