Of Jesus's 12 Disciples, it is known that ten were martyred for bravely professing what they believed, knowing the likely consequences yet refusing to be cowed.

The same goes for many thousands of early Christians in the first century and later. These were brave people.

I think it ill-behoves Jean Calder to describe the Gospel writers as cowardly. Does she think they were trying to be PC for their time? That toning down Rome's role in Jesus's death would make the gospels acceptable to Rome?

The very ideas Jean Calder describes as anathema to Rome are in the Gospels anyway. They are our only source of knowing what Jesus's teachings were.

Simply being a follower of Jesus was enough to be thrown to the lions or crucified. As for producing pro-christian propaganda at such a time, cowardice doesn't come into it.

A retraction may be in order, if she's brave enough?

-A. Clark, Hove