Spirt is intrinsically related to mind. They CANNOT be separated. Christian philosophers use spirit and mind as correlations. Logic and reason ARE spiritual. Religious matters are NOT the same as spiritual matters. Religion has to do with ritual. Spirit is related to the mind. Your false dichotomy between mind and spirit produces a type of Christian schizoid who cannot relate the spiritual to the real world.

Biblical scholars who use their God-given brains and are not merely satisfied with "Just believe ... and don't ask or attempt to find answers!"

OLD TESTAMENT

The four document theory by the Graf-Welhansen school in the 19th century explains the Old Terstament's composition.. This contains the symbols J (Y), E, D, P for the separate strands of biblical narration being Yahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomic and Priestly. Each had their own agenda and modified sections of the bible for their own purpose. The bible did not drop out of heaven fully made!!!

The YAHWIST editor began circa 960 BCE in Jerusalem. He calls God YHWH.and describes God in humanlike terms. The Yahwist editor wrote Genesis 2 ( Genesis 1 had not yer been written.). Bible heroes are not whitewashed - Abraham is called a liar (Gen 20), Noah's drunken state is described (Gen 9)

and Lot's incest is told (Gen 19). The monarchy and priesthood in Jeruslem are important. This editor wrote the first version of the 10 Commandments in Exodus 34 which contains no reference to resting on the Sabbath.

The ELOHIST editor begin circa 850 BCE in Samaria. He calls God Elohim. The Elohist editor has a democratic value system and so asserts that no priest, leader or king can claim permanent status over God's people. There is no dynasty established. He starts his story with Abraham and wrote about Isaac and Jacob. He places importance on the Northern kingdoms power and shrines. He uses dreams, miracle and magic as a way to demonstrate God's power. he asserts that God raises up prophets whn required.

The DEUTERONOMIST editor began in 621 BCE in the reign of King Josiah in Jerusalem. The "discovered" book was called the second (deuters) giving of the Law (nomas) and became known as Deuteronomy. It was responsive to the prophetic tradition of Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, Micah and Jeremiah (who was alivce at the time of writing). The deuteronomist editor centralised worship under the supervision of the Jerusalem priesthood. Its interest's were in a high spiritual monotheism and therefdore wrote than no image could be made of God.

The PRIESTLY editors began after the city of Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar and the babylonians in 596 BCE. Many of the Psalms were written in this time (including Psalm 137). The priests edited and rewrote massive parts of the sacred story. They emphasised circumcision, dietary laws and Sabbath day observance and were responsible for writing Genesis 1 to provide a reason for observing the Sabbath abnd it was one of the last parts of the Old Testament to be written. At the same time synagogues were built to indoctrinate the people. As a result thje etails of worship, the rules of worship, the observance of worship became important and resulted in much of Exodus, almost all of Leviticus and major portions of Numbers. All the chronologies were written by the priestly editors.

The incompleted harmonisation of the Yahwist and Elohist editors produce most of the contradictions in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament was written by a variety of people over 500 years.

NEW TESTAMENT

Jesus' date of death is difficult to ascertain but is in the range of 27 - 34 CE. Paul's letters to the Thessalonians & Galatians are the first written references to Jesus dated 48 or 49 CE. The last of Paul's writings, perhaps Colossians, is dated about 62 CE. When Paul died not a single gospel had been written and none of Paul's letters were considered scripture. Paul knows nothing about a virgin birth nor a Damascus road experience and describes the resurrection passively as "was raised". Paul was converted to Christianity no earlier than one year and no later than 6 years after Jesus' death.

The Gospels are further away from the time of the historical Jesus. Mark's gospel was written no earlier than 65 CE and no later than 75 CE. Matthew probably wrote his gospel in Antioch and is dated circa 85 CE. The Gospel of Luke and Acts (one two-volumed book!) seems to have been written in Caesaraa between 83 CE and 90 CE. John's gospel appears to have been written around 100 CE.

This is what I mean by EXTERNAL EVIDENCE!!!!!!