Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman

The podcast explores whether Jesus could read and write based on historical plausibility and the limited evidence in the New Testament. It analyzes ancient literacy rates, the role of writing in Judaism, and the challenges of determining Jesus' literacy as a rural Galilean. The podcast also touches on the authorship of the New Testament Gospels and introduces a new course launch and 'Outsmart Bart' segment discussing early Christian texts and Jesus' literacy in relation to the development of Christianity.

The podcast delves into the fear of death, its portrayal in ancient literature, and its influence on the development of Christianity. It explores the appeal of an afterlife as an incentive for non-Christians to convert. Additionally, it discusses the radicalization of Jesus' ethics, translation discrepancies in his sayings, the importance of using parallel versions of the gospels, and the influence of the fear of death on ancient Judaism and early Christianity.

Exploring the evolution of early Christianity, reliability of the Book of Acts, disciples' activities, growth of Christian community, belief in Jesus' resurrection, origins of Christianity, upcoming webinar on authorship of New Testament Gospels, Bart's recent activities, motivations and ironies in writing about Christianity, copying patterns in New Testament and growth of Christianity

For our 52nd episode -- our one-year anniversary! -- we will be having a live Q&A with Bart. Questioners have submitted questions, some out of the many have been chosen, Megan will host the event, and questioners will ask their questions live, to hear Bart's responses! A special time of celebration as we (also) reflect on our Year One!

If Jesus was an apocalyptic prophet, then why isn't mainstream, modern Christianity an apocalyptic religion? Was the move away from apocalypticism deliberate, and are modern doomsday preachers actually closer to preaching Jesus' message than other churches?

Most scholars write books and articles for other scholars, using jargon and presupposing knowledge available only to experts trained in their discipline. But some scholars write books designed for popular audiences about their fields of expertise. Can non-scholars write books like that? Should they try? Why do most scholars choose not to do so? Are there pitfalls in trying to communicate complex knowledge in simple terms? Is it possible to do so without "dumbing it down"? And why do so many academics look down on fellow-scholars who try to do so?

Discover how oral traditions shaped the narratives of the New Testament, influencing how stories about Jesus were passed down through generations. Dive into the complexities of storytelling and memory distortion, likening it to a game of telephone that raises questions about authenticity. Explore the authorship of the Gospels and challenge traditional views on who wrote them. Plus, engage with discussions on historical misconceptions about Jesus, urging thoughtful reflection and critical thinking in understanding these narratives.

One of the most intriguing non-canonical Gospels to be discovered in modern times is the Gospel of Peter. Unlike the New Testament Gospels, which were written anonymously (only later to be given the titles Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), this Gospel actually claims to be written by an apostle, Jesus' own right-hand man, Peter. The account we have is only fragmentary, an alternative version of Jesus' trial, death, and resurrection. And what an account it is, involving an actual record of Jesus emerging from his tomb at his resurrection, as tall as a mountain, followed, from the tomb by a walking-talking cross. What is this fascinating account really all about, and why did someone write it, falsely claiming to be the disciple Peter?

Delve into the challenges Christian scholars face when studying the New Testament, balancing faith and historical analysis. Listen as personal journeys reveal the intricacies of navigating academic rigor alongside personal beliefs. Discover intriguing perspectives from students in religious studies and the evolution of textual criticism from manual to computer-assisted methods. An upcoming conference promises engaging insights from top scholars, while discussions on the influence of bias challenge conventional approaches to biblical texts.

The genius of Luke’s Gospel is frequently overlooked by those who simply breeze through it or assume it is saying the same thing as Matthew and Mark. In fact, it is strikingly different. What especially matters are not so much the contradictions one finds, but the larger picture. Luke has radically edited Mark’s account in places to create a new portrait of Jesus. In this episode we see how he did it and what the end result is. Among other things, when you look carefully at the details of Luke’s account, you find that, unlike the other Gospels, here Jesus does not suffer during his passion and his death does not bring an atonement for sins. These are not minor differences. Why would Luke change the story so significantly?