The Gospels
Sir: I would like to offer two com- ments on Professor Trevor-Roper's discussion of the origins of Chris- tianity (27 February).
1. He disposes of the evidence of Tacitus by claiming that it de- rives directly or indirectly from the missionary propaganda of the church. The Roman historian in fact says: 'Christus, the author of that name, had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius by sentence of the pro- curator, Pontius Pilate.' This is a plain historical statement by a hostile witness, and shows no sign of derivation from mission- ary propaganda. Christ is re- garded as a human criminal and not as a divine saviour.
2. He doesn't deal in detail with the teaching of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. Does Professor Trevor-Roper really believe that the stories of the Lost Sheep, the Good Samaritan and the Prodi- gal Son were invented by the early Christians? He might as well argue that Bacon wrote Shakespeare.
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