Will you please find me the quotation in which Josephus speaks about Jesus? Mr. R. (reading): "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it is lawful to call him a man, for he was a great doer of miracles." Do you find a word there about Tacitus?–No. What do you mean […]

Mr. Roberts’ First Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts Questions Mr. Bradlaugh Mr. Bradlaugh Questions Mr. Roberts Mr. Roberts’ Second Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts’ Third Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Third Speech

The CHAIRMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, the threat that I addressed to you at the beginning we are about to remit: instead of keeping you later we intend this evening to close at ten o’clock, I shall therefore be obliged to restrict each gentlemen to ten minutes in their concluding speeches. Mr. Roberts will now speak. […]

THE CHAIRMAN: Mr. Roberts will now speak for a quarter of an hour. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I only wish Mr. Bradlaugh would employ the opportunity he has during his option of questioning me for 15 minutes, to put to me that host of difficulties he says I did not answer, instead […]

THURSDAY, 15th JUNE, 1876, IN THE TEMPERANCE HALL, BIRMINGHAM. MR. GEORGE H. ST. CLAIR IN THE CHAIR. THE CHAIRMAN: Ladies and Gentlemen, we are met together to hear a very important question discussed by two gentlemen very competent to discuss it. The question is, "Are the Scriptures the authentic and reliable records of Divine revelation?" […]

THE CHAIRMAN: Allow me to say that I do think that those persons who are not prepared to calmly listen to both sides should not have come. I for my part am very desirous of hearing what each of the disputants has to say, and I am of opinion that if I listen quietly I […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Roberts said why don’t I touch the question that Christ rose from the dead. I thought I had challenged that what he had said about Christ being seen for forty days according to Acts was contradicted in Luke. I thought I had said, giving texts to him on the previous nights, and […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: There is one thing that I think I ought to do before commencing this speech, and that is personal to myself. A little while ago I disputed the ruling of the chairman. It happened to be exactly the reverse of the ruling of the chairman last night, and I thought I was right […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Roberts has been good enough to sketch to you what has happened on the previous two nights of this debate, but his sketch lacks one or two features which I will take the liberty of supplying. The question for discussion and the point that Mr. Roberts ought to try to prove is […]

The CHAIRMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, I can understand that this process of questioning and answering might be extremely interesting if we were only permitted to listen to it quietly. Mr. Bradlaugh will now have the privilege of either making a speech or questioning Mr. Roberts. By whom do you think the Book of Genesis was […]

Mr. Roberts’ First Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s First Speech Mr. Roberts Questions Mr. Bradlaugh Mr. Bradlaugh Questions Mr. Roberts Mr. Roberts’ Second Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts’ Third Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Third Speech

Mr. ROBERTS: I was only asking the chairman that I might have a quarter of an hour for the conclusion of my argument, but it seems we are pledged to close at 10 o’clock, and, therefore, I must submit to the partition of the remaining time. I have, therefore, to say that Mr. Bradlaugh has […]

The CHAIRMAN: Mr. Roberts will now have a quarter of an hour’s speech. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Bradlaugh occupied a considerable portion of his half hour’s speech in reminding me of what he considered my failures. I have to remind him of what is a much greater failure on his part, and that is to deal […]

WEDNESDAY, 14th JUNE, 1876, IN THE TEMPERANCE HALL, LEICESTER. THE CHAIR WAS OCCUPIED BY MR. W. STANYON OF LEICESTER. The CHAIRMAN having asked the meeting to refrain from the expression of their feelings, called upon Mr. Roberts to resume the debate. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, in commencing my remarks this evening, I […]

Mr. Bradlaugh, you have admitted the reliability of the evidence of Tacitus and of Pliny to the fact that there existed a large Christian community at the end of the first century, and that they were the subjects of persecution?–I have not admitted the reliability of the quotation from Tacitus. I am inclined to think […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: I have not admitted, and I carefully guarded my answer to prevent the possibility of such an admission, that there was a body of Christians in the first century believing in the story of Jesus as recorded in the gospels; for I pointed out that the people called Christians were people whom I […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: I understand Mr. Roberts now to say that it is impossible for him to prove his case in six nights. Then he ought not to have challenged me to this debate. He says he could do it before a judge and jury. He selected his own tribunal–a public audience. He says that all […]

Debates: Roberts-Bradlaugh Debate: Second Night: Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. BRADLAUGH: Mr. Chairman.–It is very evident that either my memory has utterly deceived me, or that Mr. Robert’s memory has utterly deceived him. He said he had given you evidence, last night, that the writings were in current circulation at the time they were produced. […]

Did I understand you last night to say that the chronology in the Septuagint differed from the chronologies in the authorised English version?–Yes. Which chronology is true?–The Hebrew. How do you know that the Hebrew chronology is more true than that in the Septuagint?–By a process of argument which would be too extensive to rehearse […]

Mr. Roberts’ First Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s First Speech Mr. Roberts Questions Mr. Bradlaugh Mr. Bradlaugh Questions Mr. Roberts Mr. Roberts’ Second Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts’ Third Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Third Speech

The CHAIRMAN: Mr. Roberts will now occupy six minutes out of the twelve remaining, and then Mr. Bradlaugh will reply till ten o’clock. Mr. ROBERTS: Ladies and gentlemen; if Mr. Bradlaugh would strictly confine himself to accuracy in his representations of what I say, my arguments would not suffer in his hands. I have not […]

The CHAIRMAN: Ladies and Gentlemen.–Mr. Roberts will now have a quarter of an hour in which to address you. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Bradlaugh’s opening remarks, in his speech in reply to mine, addressed themselves to a matter which afforded me a little surprise, though perhaps I need not have been surprised, and that is his […]

TUESDAY, 13th JUNE, 1876, IN THE TEMPERANCE HALL, LEICESTER. THE CHAIR WAS OCCUPIED BY MR. W. STANYON OF LEICESTER. THE CHAIRMAN having stated the order of proceedings, and asked the meeting to restrain the manifestation of their feelings, he called upon Mr. Roberts to open the Debate. Mr. ROBERTS: Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen,–I would […]

Mr. Bradlaugh, do you believe that there ever existed such a man as Jesus Christ?–l do not believe that there ever existed such a man as Jesus Christ, with the history recorded of him in the Four Gospels. It is quite possible that a man named Jesus, not having such history, may have existed. Then, […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: Your statement was that the Septuagint was accepted and recognised by all educated men; you made no exception whatever. You have curiously forgotten that I said that you classed together Clement of Rome, Clement of Alexandria, and Irenaeus, as "of those days"; and you said you gave the date of Tertullian. I did […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: First, the evidence as to the Septuagint is exactly the opposite to the statement Mr. Roberts has made, and it shows, therefore, the misfortune in conducting this debate without giving authorities as we go on. Mr. Roberts — and I am quite sure that he means to tell you, at least I think […]

Mr. BRADLAUGH: The proposition which Mr. Roberts has undertaken to prove in this debate is, that "the Scriptures are the authentic and reliable records of Divine revelation"; and, so far as this debate is concerned, you have nothing whatever to do with what persons of Mr. Bradlaugh’s class may have urged at some other time, […]

Do you mean by "the Scriptures", or by "these Scriptures", the authorised English version of the Bible, commencing with Genesis, and ending with Revelations?–Yes. Do you agree that the attributes I stated in my speech for Deity are fair attributes?–Not as to one item, with the construction you put upon it. Which is that?–All-goodness. You […]

Mr. Roberts’ First Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s First Speech Mr. Roberts Questions Mr. Bradlaugh Mr. Bradlaugh Questions Mr. Roberts Mr. Roberts’ Second Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Second Speech Mr. Roberts’ Third Speech Mr. Bradlaugh’s Third Speech

“Is the Bible Divine?” Preface First Night of the Discussion Second Night of the Discussion Third Night of the Discussion Fourth Night of the Discussion Fifth Night of the Discussion Sixth Night of the Discussion A Review of the Discussion