Stanley

One I have read:

Readers Digest "After Jesus the Triumph of Christianity" Copyright 1992

One I am reading:

"Christianity the first two thousand years" by Peter Partner - Copyright 2002

These are both history type books detailing how Christianity and governments shaped each other through history.

Malachi151

Are you serious? Anything my Readers Digest is suspect at best.

Vorkosigan

'effin' right. Joshua Morris, its founder, was a reich-wing Kristian nut.


Try The Birth of Christianity by J. D. Crossan, for a liberal NT scholar's view.

Steven Carr

Maccoby died a couple of days ago, if you are interested.

Vinnie

That he did

Infidelettante

I'm sorry to hear it. I learned a lot from his work.

Enai

Thanks for all your recommendations, guys. It seems I have some reading to do...

Enai

capnkirk

Since you already have enough of a reading list to keep you busy for a long time, I hesitate to add any more, but since you specifically asked for books that offer a social phenomena POV, I will recommend a new book by Burton Mack titled The Christian Myth: Origins, Logic, and Legacy and a slightly older one (1995) Who Wrote the New Testament: the Making of the Christian Myth. Both deal with the origins of Xtianity as exercises in mythmaking in response to the social displacement of people in the wake of the collision of cultures precipitated by Alexander the Great's conquest of the Temple-states of the east.

__________________
Enterprise...OUT.

Magdlyn

My new favorite, The Incredible Shrinking Son of Man by Robert Price. He wrote Deconstructing Jesus a few years ago as well.

( I do have a special soft spot in my heart for Freke and Gandy. :notworthy )

I found Fox and Armstrong to be overly dry. I couldn't finish their books.

itsdatruth

You could try Fox's book of martrs, an extensive compilation of Early Christian persecutions. Shows an accuarate of how the existing social and govermental institutions delt with the Christains.

Anything you read should be cross read with the Book of Acts to get an idea of how the early Church functioned.