The early Christian Church was a chaos of contending beliefs. Some groups of Christians claimed that there was not one God but two or twelve or thirty. Some believed that the world had not been created by God but by a lesser, ignorant deity. Certain sects maintained that Jesus was human but not divine, while others said he was divine but not human. In Lost Christianities, Bart D. Ehrman offers a fascinating look at these early forms of Christianity and shows how they came to be suppressed, reformed, or forgotten. All of these groups insisted that they upheld the teachings of Jesus and his apostles, and they all possessed writings that bore out their claims, books reputedly produced by Jesus's own followers. Modern archaeological work has recovered a number of key texts, and as Ehrman shows, these spectacular discoveries reveal religious diversity that says much about the ways in which history gets written by the winners. Ehrman's discussion ranges from considerations of various"lost scriptures"--including forged gospels supposedly written by Simon Peter, Jesus's closest disciple, and Judas Thomas, Jesus's alleged twin brother--to the disparate beliefs of such groups as the Jewish-Christian Ebionites, the anti-Jewish Marcionites, and various "Gnostic" sects. Ehrman examines in depth the battles that raged between "proto-orthodox Christians"-- those who eventually compiled the canonical books of the New Testament and standardized Christian belief--and the groups they denounced as heretics and ultimately overcame. Scrupulously researched and lucidly written, Lost Christianities is an eye-opening account of politics, power, and the clash of ideas among Christians in the decades before one group came to see its views prevail.
Lost Christianities
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
|
There is a newer edition of this item:
|
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
What if Marcion's canon-which consisted only of Luke's Gospel and Paul's letters, entirely omitting the Old Testament-had become Christianity's canon? What if the Ebionites-who believed Jesus was completely human and not divine-had ruled the day as the Orthodox Christian party? What if various early Christian writings, such as the Gospel of Thomas or the Secret Gospel of Mark, had been allowed into the canonical New Testament? Ehrman (The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture), a professor of religion at UNC Chapel Hill, offers answers to these and other questions in this book, which rehearses the now-familiar story of the tremendous diversity of early Christianity and its eventual suppression by a powerful "proto-orthodox" faction. The proto-orthodox Christians won out over many other groups, and bequeathed to us the four Gospels, a church hierarchy, a set of practices and beliefs, and doctrines such as the Trinity. Ehrman eloquently characterizes some of the movements and Scriptures that were lost, such as the Ebionites and the Secret Gospel of Mark, as he outlines the many strands of Christianity that competed for attention in the second and third centuries. He issues an important reminder that there was no such thing as a monolithic Christian orthodoxy before the fourth century. While Ehrman sometimes raises interesting questions (e.g., are Paul's writings sympathetic to women?), his book covers territory already well-explored by others (Gregory Riley, The River of God; Elaine Pagels, Beyond Belief), generating few fresh or provocative insights.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"Ehrman's style is marked by the narrative thrust of a good story or even a sermon."--Christian Science Monitor
"A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, but it is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some of the more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."--Time Magazine
"A fascinating look at how Christianity was molded."--Dallas Morning News
"Ehrman displays expert knowledge of the texts and the best modern scholarship, as well as sound critical judgment about their content. His balanced exposition of the Gospel of Thomas, with its careful delineation of the different materials in it, is outstanding. His essay on the Secret Gospel of Mark, with its suggestion that the text may be a modern forgery (perhaps even by its learned editor, Morton Smith), reads like a detective story. Studying a text in Lost Scriptures and reading Ehrman's discussion of it can be both informative and engrossing."--America
"The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--Library Journal (on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures)
"History, it's often said, is written by the victors. Bart Ehrman argues in a pair of intriguing new books that the same could be said of the Bible's New Testament. That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory considered heretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touch with the most volatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 New Testament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only a handful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life in wide circulation in the early centuries of the religion. And they were hardly the only ones to claim direct ties to the Apostles.... Presents the major strains of early Christianity and explains how each feuded bitterly with the others. He also discusses how and why the group representing the closest thing to modern-day Christianity ultimately won out."--Scott Bernard Nelson, The Boston Globe
"A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinal feuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the early Church. Or better, Churches."--Kirkus Reviews
"This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of 'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movement began. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writing that is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels, Princeton University
"Ehrman eloquently characterizes some of the movements and Scriptures that were lost, such as the Ebionites and the Secret Gospel of Mark, as he outlines the many strands of Christianity that competed for attention in the second and third centuries. He issues an important reminder that there was no such thing as a monolithic Christian orthodoxy before the fourth century."--Publishers Weekly
"Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's book provides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and the means by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it. This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety of readers."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, Duke University
"A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, but it is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some of the more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."--Time Magazine
"A fascinating look at how Christianity was molded."--Dallas Morning News
"Ehrman displays expert knowledge of the texts and the best modern scholarship, as well as sound critical judgment about their content. His balanced exposition of the Gospel of Thomas, with its careful delineation of the different materials in it, is outstanding. His essay on the Secret Gospel of Mark, with its suggestion that the text may be a modern forgery (perhaps even by its learned editor, Morton Smith), reads like a detective story. Studying a text in Lost Scriptures and reading Ehrman's discussion of it can be both informative and engrossing."--America
"The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--Library Journal (on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures)
"History, it's often said, is written by the victors. Bart Ehrman argues in a pair of intriguing new books that the same could be said of the Bible's New Testament. That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory considered heretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touch with the most volatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 New Testament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only a handful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life in wide circulation in the early centuries of the religion. And they were hardly the only ones to claim direct ties to the Apostles.... Presents the major strains of early Christianity and explains how each feuded bitterly with the others. He also discusses how and why the group representing the closest thing to modern-day Christianity ultimately won out."--Scott Bernard Nelson, The Boston Globe
"A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinal feuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the early Church. Or better, Churches."--Kirkus Reviews
"This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of 'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movement began. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writing that is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels, Princeton University
"Ehrman eloquently characterizes some of the movements and Scriptures that were lost, such as the Ebionites and the Secret Gospel of Mark, as he outlines the many strands of Christianity that competed for attention in the second and third centuries. He issues an important reminder that there was no such thing as a monolithic Christian orthodoxy before the fourth century."--Publishers Weekly
"Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's book provides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and the means by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it. This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety of readers."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, Duke University
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Ancient Christians knew of far more Gospels than the four that eventually came to be included in the New Testament. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Ancient Christians knew of far more Gospels than the four that eventually came to be included in the New Testament. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Those who decry the fragmentation of contemporary Christianity into so many denominations and sects would do well to take notice of Bart Ehrman's carefully chosen title --- LOST CHRISTIANITIES, plural. As much as we'd like to believe that early Christians worshiped in unity and held to a unified doctrinal viewpoint, historical evidence indicates otherwise. The faith of the followers of Christ in the first three centuries took such diverse paths that even those denominations that seem to be polar opposites today have far more in common than some of the Christian sects that flourished in the early years of the church.
Due in part to the rapid and widespread growth of Christianity but without a corresponding improvement in communication, local churches were at the mercy of a host of influences and a diversity of beliefs about God, Jesus, and the interpretation of apostolic teaching. Numerous writings, most of which were later omitted from the New Testament canon, were considered authentic and true representations of the teachings of Christ.
That diversity of belief gave rise to sects like the anti-Jewish Marcionites, who dismissed the Old Testament as irrelevant, loved the writings of Paul, and believed Jesus did not have a flesh-and-blood body; the Ebionites, who considered Paul a heretic and believed Jesus was born of the (...) union of Joseph and Mary, later to be "adopted" by God as His son to fulfill His mission; and the Phibionites, who allegedly engaged in orgiastic and cannibalistic activities, though the accounts of those activities are highly suspect. Those are just three examples of the numerous sects that flourished at the time, all of which Ehrman examines in fascinating detail.
Ehrman, of course, also gives plenty of ink to the non-canonical writings, many of them a part of the now well-known collection of Gnostic literature. Because the canon had not been established, these writings were widely read and circulated and considered by many Christians to be just as authoritative as the books we now have in the New Testament. That created a fair amount of conflict when the bishops of the church began meeting in the fourth century to try to sort out all the divergent views and to separate the "correct" writings from the obvious and not-so-obvious forgeries as well as the writings that were authentic but expressed views that the bishops considered unorthodox.
There are plenty of other books on the market now that offer a glimpse into the somewhat complicated world of early Christianity. But what sets LOST CHRISTIANITIES apart is Ehrman's ability to convey such an abundance of historical information in such an enjoyable way. As an academic --- Ehrman is the chair of the religious studies department at the Chapel Hill campus of the University of North Carolina --- he provides a thorough overview of what it meant to be Christian in the three centuries immediately following the resurrection without ever lapsing into a dry, scholarly (also known as "boring") mode. Throughout, he speculates on a series of "What if?" questions ("What if the Marcionites had had their way?" and the like), eventually drawing the conclusion that had one of the more peculiar expressions of Christian faith become the dominant one, Christianity itself would be little more than a footnote in today's history books. Some believers may have their most cherished notions about the early church rocked to the core, but in reality there's nothing here that should threaten anyone's faith.
If you're looking for a single book that pulls together an enormous amount of information on the early years of Christianity and presents it in a highly readable and entertaining way, you'd be hard-pressed to find a book that surpasses LOST CHRISTIANITIES.
--- Reviewed by Marcia Ford
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
My thoughts on this book are mixed. It includes many excellent and balanced presentations of his topic, such as "Morton Smith and the Secret Gospel of Mark" or "The Story of Thecla". Indeed, much of the book is illuminating and very well presented. That being said, again and again after reading some statement I found astonishingly bold I turned to the footnotes in search of further evidence only to find a reference to another Ehrman book. This became somewhat maddening! Worse, in his discussions about Luke 3:22 (Pg 102 and 222 ) where he twice asserts that the "oldest witness to Luke's Gospel" reads that Jesus was "begotten" at his baptism, he provides no footnote at all. The difference is extremely interesting and monumentally important to theology. What, then, is this "oldest witness"? I checked some reference Bibles and found the "begotten" version was supported by a late 5th century manuscript (D) and some Latin versions. The reading present in our Bibles is supported by all the rest of the early manuscripts. I could not find a single quote from an Apostolic Father in support of the "begotten" version. Phillip W Comfort states that the "second reading (begotten) is a manifest corruption, probably evolving from the Adoptionist Heresy". So, I am left wondering what this ancient witness is, why it outweighs the rest of the evidence, and how this suggests a proto-orthodox corruption instead of an Adoptionist corruption!?! In discussing the variant readings of Mark 15:34 Erhman asserts the changes were made because of Gnostic interpretations. He excludes from his consideration the debates among the proto-orthodox themselves over just how Jesus is theos ((G)god) and what his relationship with the Father is and how this text impacts that discussion. In fact, Erhman seems to adopt, in this book, a rather simplistic view of how Christ was understood to be theos by the proto-orthodox (pg 223, cf. Hurtado). This is no small oversight in a book which purports to delineate the arguments, texts, and corruptions made by various groups on just such issues. His discussion of John 1:18 (pg 223) is rather weak. At issue, it seems to me, was not some proto-orthodox zeal to see the Word called "only God" rather than "only Son", but rather, scribal discomfort with the title "only-begotten God". He does not even reveal the theologically loaded term "begotten" in this text. I'm not saying Ehrman is wrong in any of these cases. I'm merely faulty the book for making assertions without providing the reader sufficient (or any) evidence. I have ordered two more Ehrman books to try to find answers to these and other questions. I will say that I am, at the moment, tentatively suspicious of all his assertions since the few I am able to check in my meager library were found wanting.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ehrman condenses the insights of critical scholarship in a very readable and lively book. I won't here repeat what others have said in their reviews, but will say this much.
For those with a more conservative background, Ehrman may have a reputation of being antagonistic towards the faith. Ehrman certainly may not have the conception of the early church that many conservatives do, but the charge of a liberally biased scholarship should not be laid at this scholar's door.
There are a number of times where Ehrman has the opportunity to adopt a radically liberal position, but chooses not to on the basis of evidence, etc. There is the impression that he simply wants the reader to understand the diversity and sloppiness of the history of early Christianity, not undercut a person's faith.
One of the things I like especially about this book, and Ehrman's methodology in general, is his willingness to ask the "What if...?" questions. "What if the history of the early church was eventually dominated by the Ebionites, Gnostics, etc.?" These are important questions to ask, simply because they usually turn up answers (or even other questions) that assist one thinking outside the box.
Simply put: Evangelicals and other conservatives need not fear the contents of this book, but would benefit greatly (as everyone else) by being challenged with evidence of the enormous diversity of the early Christian movement(s). I find no evidence whatsoever of a "liberal" agenda. Rather, judicious and penetrating scholarship lies behind this very readable and introductory text, which will help only to underscore the necessary element of faith in one's existential encounter of Christ, instead of the uncertainties of historical evidence.
For those with a more conservative background, Ehrman may have a reputation of being antagonistic towards the faith. Ehrman certainly may not have the conception of the early church that many conservatives do, but the charge of a liberally biased scholarship should not be laid at this scholar's door.
There are a number of times where Ehrman has the opportunity to adopt a radically liberal position, but chooses not to on the basis of evidence, etc. There is the impression that he simply wants the reader to understand the diversity and sloppiness of the history of early Christianity, not undercut a person's faith.
One of the things I like especially about this book, and Ehrman's methodology in general, is his willingness to ask the "What if...?" questions. "What if the history of the early church was eventually dominated by the Ebionites, Gnostics, etc.?" These are important questions to ask, simply because they usually turn up answers (or even other questions) that assist one thinking outside the box.
Simply put: Evangelicals and other conservatives need not fear the contents of this book, but would benefit greatly (as everyone else) by being challenged with evidence of the enormous diversity of the early Christian movement(s). I find no evidence whatsoever of a "liberal" agenda. Rather, judicious and penetrating scholarship lies behind this very readable and introductory text, which will help only to underscore the necessary element of faith in one's existential encounter of Christ, instead of the uncertainties of historical evidence.
Want to see more reviews on this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 143 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
...an excellent historical narration
Bart D. Ehrman has created a highly readable and engrossing text that deals with the formation of the Christian religion between the date of 35 to 350 CE. Read more
Published on Mar 10 2011 by Ronald W. Maron
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Analysis
Having read all of E. Pagels' books on the topic of Christianity I am finding this Analysis equally outstanding- after 60 years of studying and searching for the tenets of what I... Read more
Published on Jan 14 2011 by Brunch66
5.0 out of 5 stars
Variety is the spice of this and the next life!
This exploration of early Christianity is conducted in three parts:
Forgeries & Discoveries, in which four intriguing texts are examined as representative of the wide... Read more
Forgeries & Discoveries, in which four intriguing texts are examined as representative of the wide... Read more
Published on Dec 29 2007 by Pieter Uys
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Thirty-one flavours" of Christianity?
Like the famous ice-cream chain, Christianity offers a wide selection of options. At least one should meet the needs of the discriminating shopper. Read more
Published on April 27 2006 by Stephen A. Haines
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent discussion of little-known texts and traditions
Dr. Bart Ehrman provides an impressive overview of many of the texts and traditions of early Christianity. Read more
Published on Jun 27 2004 by Bobby Newman
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting historical survey, but shows its bias
This book provides a wealth of information about early Christian sects that flourished briefly in the first centuries, but the author tries unsuccessfully to discredit the accepted... Read more
Published on Jun 9 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent review of "lost" texts.
Bart D. Ehrman has created and excellent document to review a number of texts that were unavailable for hundreds of years because they were unpopular or suppressed. Mr. Read more
Published on Jun 8 2004 by D. Smithee
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lost Christianities:The Battle for Scripture and the Faiths
An engaging, succinct review of how modern Christianity emerged from the teachings of Jesus. Ehrman describes,in a clear and interesting style,little- known, ancient disputes about... Read more
Published on Jun 6 2004
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible knowledge and detail
This book offers a lot of information that that the diversity of belief during Christianity's formative centuries is considerably greater than churches would like us to think... Read more
Published on Jun 4 2004 by Martha Lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars
What the Minister Left Out of His Sermon ...
The author, Bart D. Ehrman, is a religious scholar who chairs the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Read more
Published on April 17 2004 by Erika Borsos
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Bibles
- Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Church History
- Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Reference > Criticism & Interpretation
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts > Apocrypha
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > History
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Theology
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
