Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend [Paperback]

Starred Review. There is a bit of irony in the subtitle of this terrific book. Ehrman, chair of the Department of Religious Studies at UNC–Chapel Hill and author of several well-received volumes including Lost Scriptures and Lost Christianities, struggles with the very issue of how to separate history from legend, whether it can be done at all and whether it matters. He contends "it is often easier to know how the past was remembered than to decide what actually happened." By shifting focus from the tales to the tellers, Ehrman enters the ongoing discussion of biblical literalism and reliability, insisting that we're not arriving at satisfactory answers because we're not asking the right questions. Drawing widely from history, scripture and extra-biblical writings, he studies the many stories of the lives of the first-century "Peter, Paul and Mary," arguing that inclusion of some accounts in the canon should not elevate these texts above the others, some of which were accepted early on by the church but later excluded from the canon. As with his other works, Ehrman presents his case clearly and succinctly. So, are the biblical stories more reliable than those outside the canon? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind. (May)
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*Starred Review* Prolific biblical historian Ehrman has titled his book with a wink and a nod to the beloved folksingers, but he makes the point that they sang about injustice, oppression, and other issues that were also concerns of early Christians. Here he presents three of the best known and most important of Jesus' followers and does so in a way that is uncompromising in its scholarship yet utterly engaging for general readers. Ehrman uses New Testament texts, other historical writings, and, interestingly, legends and myths to define his subjects; in the latter case, he examines the stories that sprang up around this trio, noting that they all expressed the "beliefs, concerns, values, priorities, and passions" of Christians. Ehrman has quite a lot to work with in his discussions of Peter and Paul--whose lives are well documented--and he delves deeply into the characters of both men as well as their beliefs, arguments with one another, and roles in the early church. As for Mary, he notes that though little is actually known about her, she has become the "media star" of the group. (Ehrman also covered this aspect of Mary in his book Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code, 2004.) Throughout, Ehrman asks questions and makes readers think about the answers. This interactive technique, paired with a highly readable, entertaining style, will garner a wide popular audience for a book whose subject often leads to work that is dense and arcane. Ilene Cooper
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"An informed but breezy look at the myths surrounding Jesus' most influential followers.... This book contains valuable historical scholarship. It also encourages readers to approach the Scriptures with fresh and enlightened eyes."--Christian Science Monitor
"With penetrating insight, backed up by first class scholarship and communicated in comprehensible English, Bart Ehrman examines in a new light the interpretive process that gathered around Jesus and his followers both before and after the gospels were written. In so doing he opens new wide vistas
into the origins of Christianity and sets the stage for a dramatic rethinking of the Christian creeds. It is a terrific book for open minds seeking truth in ancient religious formulas, but a frightening book for those who think they already possess infallible or inert truth." --John Shelby Spong,
author of The Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible's Terrible Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love, and Bishop, The Episcopal Church
"Bart Ehrman has done it again! He has marvelously succeeded in producing a riveting but historically credible account of three of the most important early followers of Jesus, shedding important new light on the very foundations of early Christianity. Ehrman is a master at telling his story, at
separating fact from fiction, and carefully weighing all the evidence. He has done more than any scholar of our time to share the fascinating results of responsible historical investigations with the wider public." --James D. Tabor, author of The Jesus Dynasty: A New Historical Investigation of
Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth ofChristianity
"Drawing widely from history, scripture and extra-biblical writings, he studies the many stories of the lives of the first-century 'Peter, Paul and Mary, ' arguing that inclusion of some accounts in the canon should not elevate these texts above the others, some of which were accepted early on by the
church but later excluded from the canon. As with his other works, Ehrman presents his case clearly and succinctly."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Provides intriguing information on these New Testament personages. One will read accounts, for instance, in which Peter brings a smoked tuna back to life and in which Mary Magdalene travels to France to become an early missionary. Both stories are fictional but, Ehrman emphasizes, help show
something of the ideas present in the early church period."--Library Journal
"Bart Ehrman offers a startlingly fresh look at three of the prime early followers of Jesus--startling in its emperor's-new-clothes intelligence and Ehrman's envigorating dare for his readers to confront him with the fact that he's often skating merrily on thin ice, but ice all the same. I read him
always with addictive pleasure in his brilliance and his generous-hearted eagerness to tell us all he knows, which is very much indeed."--Reynolds Price, author of The Good Priest's Son: A Novel, A Serious Way or Wondering: The Ethics of Jesus Imagined, and Kate Vaiden

8 halftones --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Bart Ehrman chairs the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. One of the major public experts on early Christianity, Jesus, and the New Testament, he has appeared on NBCs Dateline, AandE, the History Channel, CNN, and a number of nationally syndicated NPR programs, and has taped several highly popular lecture series for "The Teaching Company."

Many audio scholars will recognize Professor Bart Ehrman from the courses on early Christianity he has recorded for The Teaching Company. In this title, he explorers the lives of three of Jesus's most famous followers, explaining what has been distorted by legend and popular culture--which turns out to be a lot. Ehrman not only has a profound understanding of ancient writings, which he conveys with ease, but also a surprising sense of humor, which makes the material that much more engaging. Grover Gardner's expert narration is straightforward and unadorned, making for an enjoyable listen over the duration of this rather lengthy recording. D.B. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.