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Mark Goodacre

Mark Goodacre is an associate professor in New Testament studies in the Department of Religion at Duke University in North Carolina. He earned his MA, M.Phil and PhD at the University of Oxford, and was Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham until 2005. His research interests include the Synoptic Gospels, the Historical Jesus and the Gospel of Thomas. Dr. Goodacre is editor of the Library of New Testament Studies book series and the author of several books including The Synoptic Problem: A Way Through the Maze (London & New York: T & T Clark, 2001) and The Case Against Q: Studies in Markan Priority and the Synoptic Problem (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2002). He is well known for his award-winning internet site, The New Testament Gateway, which is a web directory of academic New Testament resources, and he has his own regular podcast on the subject of the New Testament, the NT Pod. Professor Goodacre appears regularly on television and radio to talk about religious matters, particularly those pertaining to the New Testament.

Presenter at

Bible & Archaeology Fest XV, November 16 - 18, 2012
The Secret Gospel of Mark: Primitive Gospel or Modern Hoax?
Professor Morton Smith announced his discovery of the Secret Gospel of Mark in 1958 and scholars have been in debate about this extraordinary text ever since. Does Jesus' nocturnal initiation of the young man hint at homosexuality? Was it originally part of the Gospel of Mark? Could it shed light on the evolution of the Gospel tradition or is it in fact an ingenious modern hoax, created by Morton Smith himself? This presentation will take a look at the text of the Secret Gospel and the history of the scholarly debate and ask whether Morton Smith had the genius to pull off what would have been a remarkable literary forgery.

Bible & Archaeology Fest XIV, November 18 - 20, 2011
A Giant Jesus and a Walking, Talking Cross: Exploring the Gospel of Peter
The Gospel of Peter is a non-canonical Gospel that was lost to the world until the late 19th-century, when a portion of it was found buried with a monk. This portion, which consists only of the Passion Narrative, is an enigma. It resembles the Passion narratives in the canonical Gospels and overlaps with them at several points, but its differences are often peculiar, most notably in its narration of what actually happened at the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus emerges from the tomb, grows until his head reaches beyond the heavens, and is followed by his cross, which even appears to speak. The Gospel of Peter is one of the strangest artifacts of early Christianity, its text is full of anomalies and its orthodoxy is not entirely clear. This presentation explores this Gospel’s text and origins, its relationship to the canonical Gospels, and its picture of Jesus.

Bible & Archaeology Fest XIII, November 19-21, 2010
Paul’s Letters: Women, Men and the End
Paul’s attitudes to men, women, sex and gender are famously perplexing. Is he an egalitarian or is he a misogynist? Why does he appear to endorse women in leadership roles at some points, and prevent them from speaking in church at other points? Several key passages warrant careful examination: Romans 16, where he mentions several prominent women; 1 Corinthians 11, where he appears to insist on head-coverings for women; and Galatians 3.28, in which he says that there is no “male or female” and that all are one in Christ. In our context it is easy to miss the fact that Paul’s attitudes to men and women are driven by one over-riding concern: The imminent end.

Bible & Archaeology Fest XII, November 20-22, 2009
Was the Gospel of Thomas familiar with the Synoptic Gospels?
The Gospel of Thomas is perhaps the most controversial early Christian text. Some think that it emerged as an early, autonomous sayings gospel that provides important evidence for research on the Historical Jesus and Christian origins. Others think that it is a later text, useful primarily for shedding light on the development of Christianity in the second century. The key that unlocks the problem is substantial evidence that Thomas knew and used the Synoptic Gospels. This lecture will attempt to explain how, when and why this happened.