Offensive heading

YOUR heading ‘The Jesus myth’ (Irish Examiner, June 6) was offensive both academically and spiritually.

Academically, your assertion that there is no contemporary written evidence for the existence of Jesus outside of the Gospels is incorrect.

Jesus is mentioned by the Jewish historian, Josephus, and in Pliny’s letter to Trajan, to mention just some other, non-canonical sources from classical antiquity.

Spiritually, Jesus is a friend and inspiration for us Christians, a living person whom we meet every day in word and sacrament, and in other people. Such a lack of depth and intelligence is disappointing in a publication of the Irish Examiner’s calibre.

Fr Rob McNamara, CSSR

Redemptorist Community

Mount St Alphonsus

Limerick