Books I Read In December
Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew
Bart D. Ehrman
Lost Christianities is an excellent beginner's overview of the early sects of Christianity, up to the fourth century. It is presented in three sections, the first examining some non-canonical gospels and other scriptures, the second looking at the beliefs and practices of several "heretical" Christian sects, and the third, at the polemical tactics used by these diverse groups against each other, including the forging of apostolic writings.
Non-canonical texts discussed include the Gospel of Thomas and the acts of Thecla, along with many others, though most only briefly. The three sects receiving specific attention in this work are the Ebionites, the Marcionites and my personal favorites, the Gnostics, though the authors make note to point out that those were far from the only "heretical" groups in the first four centuries.
You might have noticed that I'm putting quotation marks around the word "heretical." This isn't just a personal choice. Lost Christianities explains that terms like orthodox and heretical, although useful, are inaccurate when discussing early Christianity, because there was no consensus on right belief, even in generalities, as there is today. To each sect, every other sect's beliefs were heretical.
An interesting point made by Lost Christianities is that many of the "church fathers," men who's writings and influence contributed greatly to what would eventually become the dominant form of Christianity, the form from which all major modern forms descend, held beliefs that would today be considered heretical.
The formation of the orthodox Christian canon (a.k.a. the Bible) is also discussed. Personally, I was unaware that the first known list of the New Testament canon as we know it comes from the late fourth century, over 300 years after Jesus' death and decades after even the First Council of Nicea! Forged and questionable books, such as the Pastorals of Paul and Revelations are also examined. Not even the canonical gospels escape the authors' scrutiny (although their scrutiny is not in-depth, given the nature of the book).
On the whole, I found Lost Christianities to be enjoyable, well organized and highly informative. I feel I've gained a better understanding of Christian history and greater appreciation for the diversity of Christianity, in its early centuries.
Bart D. Ehrman
Lost Christianities is an excellent beginner's overview of the early sects of Christianity, up to the fourth century. It is presented in three sections, the first examining some non-canonical gospels and other scriptures, the second looking at the beliefs and practices of several "heretical" Christian sects, and the third, at the polemical tactics used by these diverse groups against each other, including the forging of apostolic writings.
Non-canonical texts discussed include the Gospel of Thomas and the acts of Thecla, along with many others, though most only briefly. The three sects receiving specific attention in this work are the Ebionites, the Marcionites and my personal favorites, the Gnostics, though the authors make note to point out that those were far from the only "heretical" groups in the first four centuries.
You might have noticed that I'm putting quotation marks around the word "heretical." This isn't just a personal choice. Lost Christianities explains that terms like orthodox and heretical, although useful, are inaccurate when discussing early Christianity, because there was no consensus on right belief, even in generalities, as there is today. To each sect, every other sect's beliefs were heretical.
An interesting point made by Lost Christianities is that many of the "church fathers," men who's writings and influence contributed greatly to what would eventually become the dominant form of Christianity, the form from which all major modern forms descend, held beliefs that would today be considered heretical.
The formation of the orthodox Christian canon (a.k.a. the Bible) is also discussed. Personally, I was unaware that the first known list of the New Testament canon as we know it comes from the late fourth century, over 300 years after Jesus' death and decades after even the First Council of Nicea! Forged and questionable books, such as the Pastorals of Paul and Revelations are also examined. Not even the canonical gospels escape the authors' scrutiny (although their scrutiny is not in-depth, given the nature of the book).
On the whole, I found Lost Christianities to be enjoyable, well organized and highly informative. I feel I've gained a better understanding of Christian history and greater appreciation for the diversity of Christianity, in its early centuries.