Bart D. Ehrman

The marvelous (Reza Aslan, bestselling author of Zealot), New York Times bestselling story of how Christianity became the dominant religion in the West.How did a religion whose first believers were twenty or so illiterate day laborers in a remote part of the empire became the official religion of Rome, converting some thirty million people in just four centuries? In The Triumph of Christianity, early Christian historian Bart D. Ehrman weaves the rigorously-researched answer to this question into a vivid, nuanced, and enormously readable narrative (Elaine Pagels, National Book Award-winning author of The Gnostic Gospels), showing how a handful of charismatic characters used a brilliant social strategy and an irresistible message to win over hearts and minds one at a time.This humane, thoughtful and intelligent book (The New York Times Book Review) upends the way we think about the single most important cultural transformation our world has ever seenone that revolutionized art, music, literature, philosophy, ethics, economics, and law.

How did Christianity become the dominant religion in the West?In the early first century, a small group of peasants from the backwaters of the Roman Empire proclaimed that an executed enemy of the state was Gods messiah. Less than four hundred years later it had become the official religion of Rome with some thirty million followers.It could so easily have been a forgotten sect of Judaism.Through meticulous research, Bart Ehrman, an expert on Christian history, texts and traditions, explores the way we think about one of the most important cultural transformations the world has ever seen, one that has shaped the art, music, literature, philosophy, ethics and economics of modern Western civilisation.

A New York Times bestselling historian of early Christianity takes on two of the most gripping questions of human existence: where did the ideas of heaven and hell come from and why do they endure?What happens when we die? A recent Pew Research poll showed that 72% of Americans believe in a literal heaven and 58% believe in a literal hell. Most people who hold these beliefs are Christian and assume they are the age-old teachings of the Bible. But eternal rewards and punishments are found nowhere in the Old Testament and are not what Jesus or his disciples taught. So where did these ideas come from? In this eloquent understanding of how death is viewed through many spiritual traditions (Publishers Weekly, starred review), Bart Ehrman recounts the long history of the afterlife, ranging from The Epic of Gilgamesh up to the writings of Augustine, focusing especially on the teachings of Jesus and his early followers. He discusses ancient guided tours of heaven and hell, in which a living person observes the sublime blessings of heaven for those who are saved and the horrifying torments of hell for those who are damned. Some of these accounts take the form of near death experiences, the oldest on record, with intriguing similarities to those reported today. One of Ehrmans startling conclusions is that there never was a single Greek, Jewish, or Christian understanding of the afterlife, but numerous competing views. Moreover, these views did not come from nowhere; they were intimately connected with the social, cultural, and historical worlds out of which they emerged. Only later, in the early Christian centuries, did they develop into notions of eternal bliss or damnation widely accepted today. In this elegant history (The New Yorker), Ehrman helps us reflect on where our ideas of the afterlife come from. With his richly layered narrative (The Boston Globe) he assures us that even if there may be something to hope for when we die, there certainly is nothing to fear.

Where did the ideas of heaven and hell come from?An engaging but expert guide.THE TIMESAs strange as it may seem to us now, there was a time when no one thought they would go to heaven or hell after they died. In fact, there is no mention of them in the Old Testament, and Jesus did not believe the souls of the departed were bound for either realm.In this gripping history of the afterlife, Bart Ehrman reveals how the concepts of heaven and hell developed and took hold, and why they endure to this day. He examines the social, cultural and historical roots of competing views held by Greeks, Jews and Christians, and traces how beliefs changed over time. Ultimately, he shows that many of our ideas about heaven and hell emerged long after Jesuss time, through the struggle to explain the injustices of the world.***Theres no one Id rather read on what Christians believe, and why they believe it, than Bart Ehrman.TOM BISSELL, AUTHOR OF APOSTLEAn impressively readable, clear and wide-ranging study.SPECTATORThis elegant history explores the evolution of the concept of the afterlife in Western thought... presented with engaging clarity.THE NEW YORKER

A humane, thoughtful, and intelligent (The New York Times Book Review) bestselling Biblical scholar reveals why our popular understanding of the Apocalypse is all wrongand why that matters. Youll find nearly everything the Bible says about the end in the Book of Revelation: a mystifying prophecy filled with bizarre symbolism, violent imagery, mangled syntax, confounding contradictions, and very firm ideas about the horrors that await us all. But no matter what you think Revelation revealswhether you read it as a literal description of what will soon come to pass, interpret it as a metaphorical expression of hope for those suffering now, or only recognize its highlights from pop cultureyoure almost certainly wrong. In Armageddon, acclaimed New Testament authority Bart D. Ehrman delves into the most misunderstoodand possibly most dangerousbook of the Bible, on a vigilantly persuasive (The Washington Post) tour through three millennia of Judeo-Christian thinking about how our world will end. With wit and verve, he explores the alarming social and political consequences of expecting an imminent apocalypse, considers whether the message of Revelation may be at odds with the teachings of Jesus, and offers inspiring insight into how to live in the face of an uncertain future. By turns hilarious, moving, troubling, and provocative, Armageddon is nothing short of revelatory in its account of what the Bible really says about the end.

When you hear of a devastating earthquake thousands of miles away, you might reach into your pockets to make a donation. Thats the fault of an itinerant Jewish preacher from Palestine, an obscure backwater of the Roman Empire, otherwise known as Jesus Christ.Kindness to strangers is not hardwired in our DNA. Nor was it esteemed by the great canon of ancient Western philosophy the Greeks and Romans prioritised generosity to your friends and family. When Jesus told his followers to give up everything they owned to the poor, he heralded a moral revolution. The needy, the sick, the outcast were to be cared for even if they were unknown to you. This was a tough pill to swallow for early Christians, and to this day, many insist Jesus didnt really mean it. Nonetheless Jesus most radical commandment transformed the moral conscience of the West: its legacy lives on in public hospitals, the billions given in charity each year and even government welfare.

Mais comment a-t-on transmis le souvenir de Jésus ? Qui étaient les premiers témoins oculaires ? Quelles chaînes de transmission ont permis aux rédacteurs des évangiles décrire leurs textes, près dun

In Did Jesus Exist? historian and Bible expert Bart Ehrman confronts the question, "Did Jesus exist at all?" Ehrman vigorously defends the historical Jesus, identifies the most historically reliable sources for best understanding Jesus mission and message, and offers a compelling portrait of the person at the heart of the Christian tradition.Known as a master explainer with deep knowledge of the field, Bart Ehrman methodically demolishes both the scholarly and popular mythicist arguments against the existence of Jesus. Marshaling evidence from within the Bible and the wider historical record of the ancient world, Ehrman tackles the key issues that surround the mythologies associated with Jesus and the early Christian movement.In Did Jesus Exist?: The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth, Ehrman establishes the criterion for any genuine historical investigation and provides a robust defense of the methods required to discover the Jesus of history.In this forceful scholarly rebuttal to the "Jesus didnt exist" theory, Ehrman demonstrates:Historical Methods Explained: Why virtually every expert on the planetregardless of their faithagrees that Jesus of Nazareth was a real historical figure. Non-Christian Sources: A critical examination of what Roman and Jewish writers like Tacitus and Josephus actually said about a man named Jesus. The Gospels as Evidence: How scholars analyze the Gospels not as inerrant scripture, but as historical documents containing valuable data about the life and death of a first-century Jew. Early Christian Origins: A definitive takedown of mythicist claims, showing how the belief in a crucified messiah could only have emerged from a real, historical event. The Apocalyptic Prophet: A compelling portrait of who the historical Jesus truly was: a Jewish apocalypticist who expected the imminent end of the world.

The bestselling author of Misquoting Jesus, one of the most renowned and controversial Bible scholars in the world today examines oral tradition and its role in shaping the stories about Jesus we encounter in the New Testamentand ultimately in our understanding of early Christianity.Throughout much of human history, our most important stories were passed down orallyincluding the stories about Jesus before they became written down in the Gospels. In this fascinating and deeply researched work, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Ehrman investigates the role oral history has played in the New Testamenthow the telling of these stories during decades of oral transmission not only spread Jesus message but helped shape it.A master explainer of Christian history, texts, and traditions, Ehrman draws on a range of disciplines, including the psychology of memory and anthropology, to examine the role of memory in the creation of the Gospels. Explaining how oral tradition evolves based on the latest scientific research, he demonstrates how the act of telling and retelling impacts the story, the storyteller, and the listenercrucial insights from New Testament scholarship that challenge our typical historical understanding of the silent period between when Jesus lived and died and when his stories began to be written down.As he did in his previous books on religious scholarship, debates on New Testament authorship, and the existence of the historical Jesus, Ehrman combines his deep knowledge and meticulous scholarship in a compelling and eye-opening narrative that will change the way we read and think about these sacred texts.This groundbreaking exploration of Christian history reveals:The Power of Oral Tradition: Discover how stories about Jesus were told, retold, and transformed during the decades before they were ever written down, shaped by the needs of early Christian communities. The Unreliability of Eyewitness Testimony: Ehrman applies modern research from psychology and legal studies to question how accurately eyewitness accounts of Jesus could have been preserved and transmitted. The Formation of the Gospels: Go inside the "silent period" between Jesuss death and the first Gospels to understand how memories, myths, and legends were woven into the sacred texts we know today. Collective Memory and Early Christianity: Learn how social groups construct their own pasts and what the varying accounts of Jesus reveal about the different communities that remembered him.

New York Times bestselling author and Bible expert Bart Ehrman reveals how Jesuss divinity became dogma in the first few centuries of the early Church.The claim at the heart of the Christian faith is that Jesus of Nazareth was, and is, God. But this is not what the original disciples believed during Jesuss lifetimeand it is not what Jesus claimed about himself. How Jesus Became God tells the story of an idea that shaped Christianity, and of the evolution of a belief that looked very different in the fourth century than it did in the first.A master explainer of New Testament history, texts, and traditions, Ehrman reveals how an apocalyptic prophet from the backwaters of rural Galilee crucified for crimes against the state came to be thought of as equal with the one God Almighty, Creator of all things. But how did he move from being a Jewish prophet to being God? In a book that took eight years to research and write, Ehrman sketches Jesuss transformationthe development of early Christologyfrom a human prophet to the Son of God exalted to divine status at his resurrection. Only when some of Jesuss followers had visions of him after his deathalive againdid anyone come to think that he, the prophet from Galilee, had become God. And what they meant by that was not at all what people mean today.A work of compelling biblical scholarship written for secular historians of religion and believers alike, How Jesus Became God will engage anyone interested in the historical developments that led to the affirmation at the heart of Christianity: Jesus was, and is, God.How did this belief take hold?Historical Jesus Scholarship: Explore the difference between the Jesus of history, an apocalyptic prophet from Galilee, and the Christ of faith. Early Christian Beliefs: Trace the evolution of doctrine through the first centuries, showing how the claim that Jesus was God was not what the original disciples believed during his lifetime. The Role of the Resurrection: Understand why the visionary experiences of Jesuss followers after his death became the turning point in the development of Christian doctrine. Ancient Historical Context: Discover the surprising world of divine humans, sons of God, and exalted rulers in Greek, Roman, and even Jewish traditions that shaped how early Christians saw Jesus.

The problems with the Bible that New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman discussed in his bestseller Misquoting Jesusand on The Daily Show with John Stewart, NPR, and Dateline NBC, among othersare expanded upon exponentially in his latest book: Jesus, Interrupted.This New York Times bestseller reveals how many books in the Bible were not written by their traditional authors, and that the New Testament itself is filled with conflicting accounts about Jesusinformation that scholars of biblical criticism know but the general public does not. If you enjoy the work of Elaine Pagels, Marcus Borg, John Dominic Crossan, and John Shelby Spong, youll find much to ponder in Jesus, Interrupted.This landmark work unpacks the provocative questions that scholars have debated for centuries but are rarely discussed outside the seminary.Hidden Contradictions: A deep dive into the irreconcilable discrepancies between the Gospels regarding Jesuss birth, his final words, and even the day and time of his death. Forged Books of the Bible: An investigation into the anonymous authors of the Gospels and the pseudonymous writers who forged letters in the names of the apostles to promote their own views. The Historical Jesus: How scholars use the historical-critical method to separate the man from the myths and reconstruct what Jesus of Nazareth likely said and did. Inventing Christianity: A startling exploration of how core Christian doctrineslike the suffering Messiah, the divinity of Christ, and the Trinitywere later developments of the early church.

War, disease, natural disasters, abuse, pain, and death why do we suffer? And if God is loving, all-powerful, and in control, why doesnt he make it all stop? Surprisingly, the Bible does not have a single answer to these questions.In Gods Problem, Bart Ehrman, the New York Times bestselling author of Misquoting Jesus, discusses his personal anguish following his discovery that the Bible only provides incoherent and conflicting reasons for human suffering. According to the prophets, suffering is a punishment for sin. Apocalyptic texts promise that God will eventually make all things right. And the Book of Job provides two explanations for suffering: it is both a test, and something beyond comprehension.While writing this book, Ehrman became so disillusioned by what he discovered, he actually lost his faith.Bart D. Ehrman chairs the department of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. A leading authority on the early Church and the life of Jesus, he has been featured in Time and has appeared on Dateline NBC, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, CNN, the History Channel, major NPR shows, and other top media outlets. He is the author of twenty books and lives in Durham, N.C.[Gods Problem is a] serious inquiry ... Ehrman pursues it with an energy and goodwill that invite further conversation with sympathetic and unsympathetic readers alike. This book neither trivializes its subject nor demonizes those who have a different view of it which is more than can be said for the efforts of those fashionable atheist writers whose major form of argument would seem to be ridicule. - Stanley Fish in the New York Times

Pedro, Pablo y María de Magdala son actores clave en los inicios de la institución histórica, social, política y, por supuesto, religiosa más longeva de la civilización occidental, la Iglesia cristiana. Pero estos tres personajes no son solo importantes desde el punto de vista historico, que Bart Ehrman analiza aqui desde los textos del Nuevo Testamento y desde fuentes extrabiblicas, sino que, ademas, resultan increiblemente fascinantes como protagonistas de leyendas y mitos, ya sea san Pedro resucitando un aranque ahumado, san Pablo bautizando a un leon parlante o Maria Magdalena en sus diversas facetas de prostituta, esposa de Jesus o misionera en Francia. Para el doctor Ehrman estas historias son tambien importantes porque "expresan las creencias, preocupaciones, valores y prioridades de los cristianos", nos ayudan a comprender los origenes del cristianismo y a repensar criticamente algunos aspectos de su doctrina. John Shelby Spong ha dicho de este libro que "es fascinante para las mentes abiertas que buscan la verdad en antiguas formulas religiosas, pero demoledor para aquellos que creen que estan en posesion de la verdad infalible".

El descubrimiento del Evangelio perdido de Judas Iscariote ha venido no sólo a enriquecer nuestro conocimiento de la vida de Jesús y de los primeros tiempos del cristianismo, sino también a plantearnos nuevos problemas, que obligan a reconsiderar mucho de lo que se consideraba admitido. Nadie podia enfrentarse a estas complejas cuestiones mejor que Bart D. Ehrman, profesor de la Universidad de North Carolina y uno de los mas prestigiosos expertos en la historia de los origenes del cristianismo, que fue precisamente escogido para examinar el manuscrito original antes de su adquisicion. Ehrman nos cuenta en este libro del que el profesor Marvin Meyer ha dicho que es una joya: inteligente, lleno de vida y de atractivo la historia de este Evangelio perdido y nos descubre su significado real, para mostrarnos lo que aporta de nuevo, no solo acerca de la figura de Judas Iscariote, sino tambien sobre la vida de Jesus, sobre sus discipulos y sobre la historia de los primeros tiempos del cristianismo.

El código Da Vinci es un “megaseller” como no se tiene memoria en la reciente historia del mundo de los libros. Cuarenta millones de personas lo han comprado y tal vez sean ochenta quienes lo han leí

Uno de los mayores especialistas en la Iglesia primitiva y la figura de Jesús, el profesor Bart D. Ehrman, nos ofrece en este libro, sostenido por una erudición asombrosa, un fascinante análisis de los credos cristianos que pudieron ser y no fueron, de las luchas de poder en el seno de la Iglesia primitiva y de como los vencedores de esas luchas impusieron la adopcion final de sus ideas que, recopiladas mas tarde en los libros canonicos del Nuevo Testamento, acabaron constituyendose en el credo -uno de los muchos posibles- que aun hoy recitan los cristianos en la misa.

Pocos asuntos biográficos provocan pasiones tan intensas como las interpretaciones de la vida de Jesús. En este libro, a la vez riguroso y accesible, Bart D. Ehrman revisa la más reciente investigacion textual y arqueologica sobre la vida de Jesus y la Palestina del siglo I y dibuja un retrato fascinante y controvertido del hombre y sus enseñanzas. Jesus, el profeta judio apocaliptico trata de mostrar al gran publico lo que los historiadores saben desde hace mucho tiempo sobre los Evangelios y quienes estan detras de ellos. Por medio de una pormenorizada valoracion del Nuevo Testamento y de otras fuentes conservadas --incluidos los evangelios de Tomas y Pedro, recientemente descubiertos--, Ehrman sostiene que Jesus podria caracterizarse, en el fondo, como un profeta apocaliptico, convencido de que el fin del mundo iba a tener lugar de una manera espectacular antes de su muerte y de que en la tierra iba a crearse un nuevo reino, un reino de justicia y de paz dirigido por un Dios benevolente. Segun Ehrman, la creencia de Jesus en un apocalipsis proximo y su esperanza en una completa transformacion de las estructuras sociales no solo pone de relieve el radicalismo de sus enseñanzas, sino que arroja luz tanto sobre el atractivo de su mensaje para los marginados de la sociedad como sobre la amenaza que supuso para las autoridades establecidas en Jerusalen. En este libro, escrito con agudeza y persuasion, Ehrman sugiere que el fervor apocaliptico que tan a menudo se apodera de extensas capas de la sociedad no es algo nuevo. De hecho, la gran cantidad de personas que en la historia han predicho el fin del mundo, incluidos los que en nuestros dias se muestran inquietos ante el nuevo milenio, estan cerca del espiritu y el pensamiento de Jesus, que espero en vano la llegada inminente de un nuevo reino de paz.