Contrary to common understanding, Christianity as we know it was not established fully formed in the first decades after the death of Jesus. Rather the growth, spread and eventual victory of the interpretation of the religion that we know of today was only one of several different factions - often at odds with one another over very significant doctirnal and theological differences. As Ehrman writes, "Just because one side is triumphant, we shoud not assume that its victory was assured at the outset or that its opponents were not easily defeated."
At the center of the controversies in the first few hundred years after Jesus' death were who can become a Christian, and what are the gospels? To those in the present, these questions may sound silly, but as Ehrman points out there were several groups, all of whom called themselves Christian, that held widely divergent answers to these questions. Paul's epistles shed much light on the "proto-orthodox" (as Ehrman referrs to the group which would eventually be victorious) - but there are other sources as well. Among these are the Nag Hammadi's "gnostic gospels" as well as volumes of writings by early Church fathers denouncing the beliefs of other groups. From these, Ehrman has done a convincing job of "reverse engineering" what these other groups believed.
While this was fascinating to read, what I found most interesting was Ehrman's analysis of why the "proto-orthodox" eventually won the contest. In brief, this group came out on top because (1) they were able to falsify documents in the names of the apostles (typically adding or editing works to support the "proto-orthodox" interpretation of Christianity), (2) published character slurs of those they were in conflict with (Paul is rich with such examples), (3) they rejected the practices of ancient Judiaism, (4) they claimed ancient roots (the new was rejected in favor of the ancient; by relating Hebrew prophecy with the new religion, they lay claim to a history that pre-dated Homer) and perhaps most importantly, (5) the proto-orthodox were in constant communication with each other, effectively dominating the conversation.
To "literalist" Christians, Ehrman's work will be shocking, even heretical. His scholarship is beyond reproach, however, and he goes to great lenghts to explain how Biblical historians know what they know and on what evidence they base their inferences. Perhaps most telling of all, Ehrman writes, "historians cannot decide who is right on the question of whether there is one God or two; they can simply show what different people have thought at different times." Highly recommended.
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Top reviews from other countries
Richard S.
Hervorragend gesammelte und zusammengestellte Fakten
Reviewed in Germany on April 12, 2024Amazon Customer
Fantiskt bra bok! KÖP! Mycket finare och större än vad jag trodde. Mycket bra kvalite! 5/5
Reviewed in Sweden on April 17, 2023kinomac
Fascinating from both historical and religious points of view
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2019