Is There a Synoptic Problem?: Rethinking the Literary Dependence of the First Three Gospels

Rating:
Summary: Daring and Overwhelming
Review: This book gets 5 stars simply for daring to do what few have ever thought possible. Linnemann was a respected NT scholar in the tradition of Bultmann before the Holy Spirit radically saved her. Now she teaches the Bible in Indonesia, presumably in a missionary capacity. This book represents her effort to prove the literary independence of the Synoptic Gospels. While it may not reach the level of "proof" (whatever that word means in our postmodern times), it does demonstrate that one can hold to independence and still be a rigorous scholar.

The book has 4 main sections. First, Linnemann excoriates contemporary historical-critical scholarship for its circular reasoning, fanciful speculation, utter disregard for Occam's razor, and total disrespect for church tradition and the gospel writers. It's always good to be reminded of how little evidence many NT scholars have for their claim. The second section is the key part. Linnemann provides a statistical analysis of the Synoptics and the extent of their agreements and disagreements. The chapter on vocabulary is especially convincing. As a whole this section makes it clear that the similarities between the Gospels have been vastly overestimated. Part 3 discusses the possible explanations for the writing of the Synoptics apart from literary dependence. Especially striking is the support that Linnemann gathers from early church tradition for literary independence. Part 4 concludes with some thoughts on hermeneutics in light of literary independence.

While this book will undoubtedly be ignored by the establishment, it should receive a hearing, especially in those sections of evangelicalism which have felt compelled to cater to the liberal-critical scholarship that controls NT studies.

Rating:
Summary: Daring and Overwhelming
Review: This book gets 5 stars simply for daring to do what few have ever thought possible. Linnemann was a respected NT scholar in the tradition of Bultmann before the Holy Spirit radically saved her. Now she teaches the Bible in Indonesia, presumably in a missionary capacity. This book represents her effort to prove the literary independence of the Synoptic Gospels. While it may not reach the level of "proof" (whatever that word means in our postmodern times), it does demonstrate that one can hold to independence and still be a rigorous scholar.

The book has 4 main sections. First, Linnemann excoriates contemporary historical-critical scholarship for its circular reasoning, fanciful speculation, utter disregard for Occam's razor, and total disrespect for church tradition and the gospel writers. It's always good to be reminded of how little evidence many NT scholars have for their claim. The second section is the key part. Linnemann provides a statistical analysis of the Synoptics and the extent of their agreements and disagreements. The chapter on vocabulary is especially convincing. As a whole this section makes it clear that the similarities between the Gospels have been vastly overestimated. Part 3 discusses the possible explanations for the writing of the Synoptics apart from literary dependence. Especially striking is the support that Linnemann gathers from early church tradition for literary independence. Part 4 concludes with some thoughts on hermeneutics in light of literary independence.

While this book will undoubtedly be ignored by the establishment, it should receive a hearing, especially in those sections of evangelicalism which have felt compelled to cater to the liberal-critical scholarship that controls NT studies.