Page "Christ myth theory" Paragraph 1

Both conservative Christian scholar Graham Stanton and agnostic Bible scholar Bart Ehrman have asserted that virtually all scholars involved with historical Jesus research believe his existence can be established using documentary and other evidence ; however, scholars such as Paula Fredriksen, Robert Funk and E. P. Sanders hold that much of the material about him in the New Testament should not be taken at face value as it is driven by theological agendas.

Critics skeptical of the existence of a historical Jesus believe that Christian influence and bias ( conscious or unconscious ) has extended far outside the walls of formal Christianity.

For example, atheist activist and Bible scholar Hector Avalos speaks of an " ecclesiastical-academic complex " which he believes has widely contaminated scholarship even in non-Christian academic institutions which nonetheless have a culturally Christian background or roots in religious institutions.