Wikipedia

Robert Hutchinson (author)

Robert J. Hutchinson (born November 12, 1957) is an American writer[1] essayist and author. He has been a  contributor to Catholic and evangelical publications, including the National Catholic Register, Christianity Today, and Aleteia. Hutchinson is the author of numerous books of popular history, most notably Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth (2015)[2][3] and The Dawn of Christianity (2018). His book When in Rome is one of the books on Italy recommended by the Lonely Planet travel guide.[4] Additionally, in 2020 Hutchinson debuted the What Really Happened series, the first about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the second about the death of Adolf Hitler (in light of claims of the dictator's survival).  He writes a regular column on philosophical and religious topics, Disputed Questions, on Substack and Patheos.com.

Robert Hutchinson
Hutchinson at Athens, 2014
Hutchinson at Athens, 2014
Born (1957-11-12) November 12, 1957 (age 66)
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
OccupationWriter, author
LanguageEnglish, French, Hebrew
EducationMA, theology, BA, philosophy
Alma materSeattle University
GenreHistory, Travel, Religion
Years active1995–present
Notable worksThe Dawn of Christianity,
Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth,
When in Rome: A Journal of Life in Vatican City
Notable awardsSociety of Professional Journalists, Associated Church Press, Catholic Press Association
SpouseGlenn Ellen (m. 1990)
Children5
Website
roberthutchinson.com

Biography edit

Hutchinson was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where he attended Catholic schools[5] and earned a degree in philosophy at Seattle University.

In 1979, Hutchinson moved to Israel where he completed a series of uplanim––intensive six-month language courses for new Israeli immigrants ––  and developed a lifelong interest in the Jewish roots of Christianity.[6][7]

In addition to his time in Israel, Hutchinson has also lived in Rome, Italy, and in Hawaii, where he worked as the managing editor of Hawaii Magazine.[8]

In 2004, Hutchinson earned a Master of Arts degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.[9]

He has contributed essays and syndicated columns to such outlets as Fox News,[10] Townhall,[11]Blaze Media, Newsmax, and Mercatornet.[12]

Views edit

In a series of books, Hutchinson challenges longstanding academic views on Jesus of Nazareth and early Christianity that have held sway for over a century, sparking debate.[13]

Hutchinson claims recent archaeological discoveries and New Testament scholarship now undermine older notions that Jesus believed the world would end in his lifetime or that he was sympathetic to violent revolutionaries. Leading secular scholars at elite universities are increasingly dismissing these century-old ideas, he argues.[13]

Instead, Hutchinson contends the evidence points to Jesus being much as the Gospels portray him – a charismatic religious leader who drew large crowds and created a social movement, which he called the kingdom of God, that threatened religious and political leaders in his time.  Hutchinson argues that the Gospels’ account of why Jesus was executed is inherently plausible.  He claims Jewish leaders feared Jesus might be proclaimed king by his followers and that such an event could spark a devastating war with the Romans.  Such a war did, in fact, break out only a few decades later that led to the complete destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple.  Hutchinson's balanced presentation of these scholarly controversies has earned praise from renowned experts such as N.T. Wright, Craig Evans and James Crossley.[14]

He also argues that the Bible's philosophical concepts formed the bedrock of Western civilization and helped pave the way for experimental science, the abolition of slavery, the development of limited government and the recognition of universal human rights.[15][16]

Appearances edit

In addition to in-person lectures, Hutchinson has appeared on a number of TV shows, including "Fox News" "Spirited Debate" with Lauren Green and the Christian Broadcasting Network.[17] Hutchinson has been a guest on nationally syndicated radio talk shows and podcasts, including Handel in the Morning, Point of View with Kirby Anderson and The Bottom Line with Roger Marsh.[18][19]

Bibliography edit

Year Title Publisher ISBN
1995 The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Gambling Simon & Schuster ISBN 0671529323
1996 The Book of Vices: A Collection of Classic Immoral Tales Putnam ISBN 157322006X
1998 When in Rome: A Journal of Life in Vatican City Doubleday ISBN 0385486472
2004 Czech translation of When in Rome: Tajnosti Vatikánu – Průvodce zákulisím Faun ISBN 8086275183
2007 The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible Regnery ISBN 1596985208
2015 Searching for Jesus: New Discoveries in the Quest for Jesus of Nazareth Thomas Nelson ISBN 0718018303
2017 The Dawn of Christianity: How God Used Simple Fishermen, Soldiers, and Prostitutes to Transform the World Thomas Nelson ISBN 0718079426
2017 French translation of Searching for Jesus: Enquête sur le Jésus historique Salvator ISBN 2706714824
2018 French translation of The Dawn of Christianity: Enquête sur le début du Christianisme Salvator ISBN 2706716371
2020 The Lincoln Assassination: What Really Happened Regnery History ISBN 1621578860
2020 The Death of Hitler: What Really Happened Regnery History ISBN 1621578887

References edit

  1. ^ Review of When in Rome, Kirkus Reviews
  2. ^ "Authors present contrasting viewpoints on biblical theories". Catholic Philly. January 22, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Searching for Jesus : new discoveries in the quest for Jesus of Nazareth-- and how they confirm the Gospel accounts". 2015.
  4. ^ Simonis, Damien (September 15, 2010). Italy (Country Guide) Lonely Planet. p. 24. ISBN 978-1-74179-229-4.
  5. ^ "Catholic Professional Network - Robert J. Hutchinson" (PDF). cpbcfresno.org. November 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "Robert J. Hutchinson - Bible, Corporate Speaker, Foreign Affairs Catholic Speaker". Catholic Speakers. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  7. ^ "Robert J. Hutchinson – Conservative Book Club". conservativebookclub.com. November 16, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  8. ^ "When in Rome". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "Alumni Authors | Fuller Seminary". fuller.edu. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  10. ^ "Catholic Professional Network" (PDF). cpbcfresno.org. November 2018.
  11. ^ "The 155th Anniversary of Lincoln's Killing: The Cost of Political Hatred". townhall.com. April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "How Netflix boosted my life-long love affair with foreign languages". Mercator. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Archaeological Discoveries Prove Jesus Existed, Disprove Atheist 'Mythicist' Scholarship, Book Claims (Interview)". christianpost.com. December 27, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  14. ^ "Author Explains Why Mysterious Archeological Find Blew Him Away and Sent an 'Earthquake' Through the Biblical Studies World | Blaze Media". www.theblaze.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  15. ^ "The Politically Incorrect Guide To The Bible". 710 KNUS. March 20, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  16. ^ "The Politically Incorrect Guide™ to the Bible – Conservative Book Club". www.conservativebookclub.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  17. ^ ""Debate over Jesus being a 'revolutionary prophet'"Spirited Debate". Fox News. December 18, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  18. ^ "Point of View Livecast". Point of View Radio Talk Show. October 27, 2015. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  19. ^ "The Bottom Line Podcast". The Bottom Line. November 16, 2015. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2016.

External links edit

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