Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Dean Anderson · 01-08-2006, 02:30 PM

The title says it all, really.

I saw a review of this book in Fortean Times of all places, and it sounded good (they gave it 9/10).

What is the opinion of the people here? Is it scholarly and referenced (and are its conclusions well supported) or is it from the Dan Brown / Freke and Gandy school of 'Biblical Scholarship'?

(Okay - that last sentence was below the belt - Freke and Gandy are nowhere near as bad as Dan Brown...)

Toto · 01-08-2006, 03:09 PM

Bart Ehrman is an impeccably credentialed academic, in a different world from Brown, or even Freke and Gandy.

Is there a link to the Fortean Times review?

Diogenes the Cynic · 01-08-2006, 05:09 PM

I have Lost Christianities. I think it's an execellent resource. Ehrman is one of the best out there. He presents information in a very lucid and throrough manner and his books are refreshingly free of personal pet theories or flights of speculative fancy.

mens_sana · 01-08-2006, 06:44 PM

Lost Christianities is a very good study, with excellent bibliography and "footnotes" in the back of the book. The first section, on ancient forgeries, is almost worth the price of the book, certainly the price of the book used. I'm sorry the Ebionites chapter wasn't more extensive. After all, the Ebionites are as close as we can get to the pre-Pauline Christians (who were Jewish) and they lasted almost to the time of Augustine. The Teaching Company has another version of Ehrman lecturing on Lost Christianities on DVD and CD. If you like the written Ehrman, you will also like the Ehrman lectures.

By the way, he has a new book out, Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. This is a popularly written version of his Orthodox Corruption of Scripture — and it parallels Lost Christianities quite nicely.

(Please be assured that I have no connections with Ehrman or his family, his publishers, or any of the companies who advertise his work. Neither do I have a connection with his employer, U.N.C., Chapel Hill. :angel: )

Toto · 01-08-2006, 08:01 PM

Searchable on Amazon: Lost Christianities

THe last thread on Misquoting Jesus.

Amaleq13 · 01-08-2006, 08:23 PM

You can never have too many links I always say.

S.C.Carlson · 01-08-2006, 09:49 PM

Short answer: yes.

Julian · 01-09-2006, 07:47 AM

I just finished Lost Christianities a few months ago and found it to be excellent but far too brief. Well worth the time and money, though.

His Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, mentioned above, is still my all-time favorite book on early christianity. If you can follow the threads here on BC&H, I strongly suggest that you get that instead of Misquoting Jesus as much of his reasoning is not spelled out in the latter, causing some confusion. Here is what Bart Ehrman said over on the TC list:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bart Ehrman

I'd suggest you look at the full discussion in my book Orthodox
Corruption of Scripture, which was written for scholars, rather than the
brief overview in Misquoting Jesus, which is written for lay folk. I
discuss all of these variants at length there.

Julian

Dean Anderson · 01-09-2006, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toto

Is there a link to the Fortean Times review?

It's in this month's issue. Not everything is on the Internet, you know...

Dean Anderson · 01-09-2006, 09:30 AM

Well, it sounds like I need to get this book and look at "Orthodox Corruption"

My wife won't be happy at the expense... but I'll just blame you lot.

01-08-2006, 02:30 PM	#1
Dean Anderson Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Brighton, England Posts: 6,947	'Lost Christianities' by Bart Ehrman... any good? The title says it all, really. I saw a review of this book in Fortean Times of all places, and it sounded good (they gave it 9/10). What is the opinion of the people here? Is it scholarly and referenced (and are its conclusions well supported) or is it from the Dan Brown / Freke and Gandy school of 'Biblical Scholarship'? (Okay - that last sentence was below the belt - Freke and Gandy are nowhere near as bad as Dan Brown...)

01-08-2006, 06:44 PM	#4
mens_sana Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: 1/2 mile west of the Rio sin Grande Posts: 397	Go ahead, blow your book budget... Lost Christianities is a very good study, with excellent bibliography and "footnotes" in the back of the book. The first section, on ancient forgeries, is almost worth the price of the book, certainly the price of the book used. I'm sorry the Ebionites chapter wasn't more extensive. After all, the Ebionites are as close as we can get to the pre-Pauline Christians (who were Jewish) and they lasted almost to the time of Augustine. The Teaching Company has another version of Ehrman lecturing on Lost Christianities on DVD and CD. If you like the written Ehrman, you will also like the Ehrman lectures. By the way, he has a new book out, Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. This is a popularly written version of his Orthodox Corruption of Scripture — and it parallels Lost Christianities quite nicely. (Please be assured that I have no connections with Ehrman or his family, his publishers, or any of the companies who advertise his work. Neither do I have a connection with his employer, U.N.C., Chapel Hill. :angel: )

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01-08-2006, 03:09 PM	#2
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Bart Ehrman is an impeccably credentialed academic, in a different world from Brown, or even Freke and Gandy. Is there a link to the Fortean Times review?

01-08-2006, 05:09 PM	#3
Diogenes the Cynic Moderator - Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Posts: 4,639	I have Lost Christianities. I think it's an execellent resource. Ehrman is one of the best out there. He presents information in a very lucid and throrough manner and his books are refreshingly free of personal pet theories or flights of speculative fancy.

01-08-2006, 08:01 PM	#5
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Searchable on Amazon: Lost Christianities THe last thread on Misquoting Jesus.

01-08-2006, 08:23 PM	#6
Amaleq13 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 7,816	You can never have too many links I always say.

01-08-2006, 09:49 PM	#7
S.C.Carlson Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,307	Short answer: yes.

01-09-2006, 09:30 AM	#10
Dean Anderson Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Brighton, England Posts: 6,947	Well, it sounds like I need to get this book and look at "Orthodox Corruption" My wife won't be happy at the expense... but I'll just blame you lot.

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