Reviews
"The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and earlyChristian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on earlyChristianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as theyilluminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--Library Journal(on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures), "Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's bookprovides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and themeans by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it.This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety ofreaders."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, DukeUniversity, Ehrman's racy style is gripping ... and he offers a vivid picture of what different groups believed and why., "Ehrman's style is marked by the narrative thrust of a good story or evena sermon."--Christian Science Monitor, "A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinal feuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the early Church. Or better, Churches."--Kirkus Reviews, "Ehrman eloquently characterizes some of the movements and Scriptures that were lost, such as the Ebionites and the Secret Gospel of Mark, as he outlines the many strands of Christianity that competed for attention in the second and third centuries. He issues an important reminder that therewas no such thing as a monolithic Christian orthodoxy before the fourth century."--Publishers Weekly, "A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, but it is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some of the more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."--Time Magazine, "A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinalfeuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the earlyChurch. Or better, Churches."--Kirkus Reviews, "This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movementbegan. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writingthat is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels, PrincetonUniversity, "A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, but it is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some of the more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."-- Time Magazine (cover story) "A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinal feuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the early Church. Or better, Churches."-- Kirkus Reviews "Ehrman's style is marked by the narrative thrust of a good story or even a sermon."-- Christian Science Monitor "This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of 'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movement began. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writing that is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels, Princeton University "That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory considered heretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touch with the most volatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 New Testament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only a handful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life in wide circulation in the early centuries of the religion."--Scott Bernard Nelson, The Boston Globe "Ehrman displays expert knowledge of the texts and the best modern scholarship, as well as sound critical judgment about their content. His balanced exposition of the Gospel of Thomas, with its careful delineation of the different materials in it, is outstanding. His essay on the Secret Gospel of Mark, with its suggestion that the text may be a modern forgery (perhaps even by its learned editor, Morton Smith), reads like a detective story. Studying a text in Lost Scriptures and reading Ehrman's discussion of it can be both informative and engrossing."-- America "The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."-- Library Journal (on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures ) "A fascinating look at how Christianity was molded."-- Dallas Morning News "Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's book provides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and the means by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it. This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety of readers."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, Duke University, "A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, but it is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some of the more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."--Time Magazine (cover story)"A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinal feuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the early Church. Or better, Churches."--Kirkus Reviews"Ehrman's style is marked by the narrative thrust of a good story or even a sermon."--Christian Science Monitor"This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of 'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movement began. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writing that is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels, Princeton University"That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory considered heretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touch with the most volatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 New Testament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only a handful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life in wide circulation in the early centuries of the religion."--Scott Bernard Nelson, The Boston Globe"Ehrman displays expert knowledge of the texts and the best modern scholarship, as well as sound critical judgment about their content. His balanced exposition of the Gospel of Thomas, with its careful delineation of the different materials in it, is outstanding. His essay on the Secret Gospel of Mark, with its suggestion that the text may be a modern forgery (perhaps even by its learned editor, Morton Smith), reads like a detective story. Studying a text in Lost Scriptures and reading Ehrman's discussion of it can be both informative and engrossing."--America"The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--Library Journal (on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures)"A fascinating look at how Christianity was molded."--Dallas Morning News"Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's book provides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and the means by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it. This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety of readers."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, Duke University, "History, it's often said, is written by the victors. Bart Ehrman arguesin a pair of intriguing new books that the same could be said of the Bible's NewTestament. That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory consideredheretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touch with the mostvolatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 NewTestament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only ahandful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life inwide circulation in the early centuries of the religion. And they were hardlythe only ones to claim direct ties to the Apostles.... Presents the majorstrains of early Christianity and explains how each feuded bitterly with theothers. He also discusses how and why the group representing the closest thingto modern-day Christianity ultimately won out."--Scott Bernard Nelson, TheBoston Globe, "History, it's often said, is written by the victors. Bart Ehrman argues in a pair of intriguing new books that the same could be said of the Bible's New Testament. That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory considered heretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touchwith the most volatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 New Testament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only a handful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life in wide circulation in the early centuries of thereligion. And they were hardly the only ones to claim direct ties to the Apostles.... Presents the major strains of early Christianity and explains how each feuded bitterly with the others. He also discusses how and why the group representing the closest thing to modern-day Christianity ultimatelywon out."--Scott Bernard Nelson, The Boston Globe, "Ehrman eloquently characterizes some of the movements and Scriptures thatwere lost, such as the Ebionites and the Secret Gospel of Mark, as he outlinesthe many strands of Christianity that competed for attention in the second andthird centuries. He issues an important reminder that there was no such thingas a monolithic Christian orthodoxy before the fourth century."--PublishersWeekly, "Ehrman displays expert knowledge of the texts and the best modern scholarship, as well as sound critical judgment about their content. His balanced exposition of the Gospel of Thomas, with its careful delineation of the different materials in it, is outstanding. His essay on the Secret Gospelof Mark, with its suggestion that the text may be a modern forgery (perhaps even by its learned editor, Morton Smith), reads like a detective story. Studying a text in Lost Scriptures and reading Ehrman's discussion of it can be both informative and engrossing."--America, "The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--LibraryJournal (on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures), "This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of 'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movement began. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writing that is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels,Princeton University, "A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, but it is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some of the more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."--Time Magazine (cover story) "A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinal feuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the early Church. Or better, Churches."--Kirkus Reviews "Ehrman's style is marked by the narrative thrust of a good story or even a sermon."--Christian Science Monitor "This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of 'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movement began. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writing that is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels, Princeton University "That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory considered heretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touch with the most volatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 New Testament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only a handful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life in wide circulation in the early centuries of the religion."--Scott Bernard Nelson, The Boston Globe "Ehrman displays expert knowledge of the texts and the best modern scholarship, as well as sound critical judgment about their content. His balanced exposition of the Gospel of Thomas, with its careful delineation of the different materials in it, is outstanding. His essay on the Secret Gospel of Mark, with its suggestion that the text may be a modern forgery (perhaps even by its learned editor, Morton Smith), reads like a detective story. Studying a text in Lost Scriptures and reading Ehrman's discussion of it can be both informative and engrossing."--America "The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--Library Journal (on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures) "A fascinating look at how Christianity was molded."--Dallas Morning News "Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's book provides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and the means by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it. This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety of readers."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, Duke University, "A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, but it is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some of the more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."--Time Magazine(cover story) "A well-crafted, scholarly tale of forgeries, burned books, doctrinal feuds, and other episodes in the making of the New Testament and the early Church. Or better, Churches."--Kirkus Reviews "Ehrman's style is marked by the narrative thrust of a good story or even a sermon."--Christian Science Monitor "This book offers a fascinating introduction to an astonishing range of 'lost Christianities' that flourished at the time when the Christian movement began. Bart Ehrman has the rare gift of communicating scholarship in writing that is lively, enjoyable, and accessible."--Elaine Pagels, Princeton University "That Ehrman makes his case without pushing into territory considered heretical by many mainstream Christians shows a deft touch with the most volatile of subjects.... Will shock more than a few lay readers. The 27 New Testament gospels, epistles, acts, and revelations, it turns out, were only a handful of the letters, arguments, visions, and accounts of Christ's life in wide circulation in the early centuries of the religion."--Scott Bernard Nelson,The Boston Globe "Ehrman displays expert knowledge of the texts and the best modern scholarship, as well as sound critical judgment about their content. His balanced exposition of the Gospel of Thomas, with its careful delineation of the different materials in it, is outstanding. His essay on the Secret Gospel of Mark, with its suggestion that the text may be a modern forgery (perhaps even by its learned editor, Morton Smith), reads like a detective story. Studying a text inLost Scripturesand reading Ehrman's discussion of it can be both informative and engrossing."--America "The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--Library Journal(onLost ChristianitiesandLost Scriptures) "A fascinating look at how Christianity was molded."--Dallas Morning News "Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's book provides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and the means by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it. This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety of readers."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, Duke University, "Ehrman's style is marked by the narrative thrust of a good story or even a sermon."--Christian Science Monitor, Chapter One: Recouping Our Loses PART ONE: Forgeries and Discoveries Chapter Two: The Ancient Discovery of a Forgery: Serapion and the Gospel of Peter Chapter Three: The Ancient Forgery of a Discovery: The Acts of Paul and Thecla Chapter Four: The Discovery on an Ancient Forgery: the Coptic Gospel of Thomas Chapter Five: The Forgery of an Ancient Discovery? Morton Smith and the Secret Gospel of Mark PART TWO: Heresies and Orthodoxies Chapter Six: At Polar Ends of the Spectrum: Early Christian Ebionites and Marcionites Chapter Seven: Christians "In the Know": The Worlds of Early Christian Gnosticism Chapter Eight: On the Road to Nicea: The Broad Swath of Proto-Orthodox Christianity PART THREE: Winners and Losers Chapter Nine: The Quest for Orthodoxy Chapter Ten: The Arsenal of the Conflicts: Polemical Treatises and Personal Slurs Chapter Eleven: Additional Weapons in the Proto-Orthodox Arsenal: Forgeries and Falsifications Chapter Twelve: The Invention of Scripture: The Formation of the Proto-Orthodox New Testament Chapter Thirteen: Winners, Losers, and the Question of Tolerance, The strengths of this book are multiple. It brings together discussion about a range of significant texts; it builds a wider historical frame in which to understand such writings; it is appreciative of the diversity of Christianity and seeks to hear those voices that have hitherto been too often marginalized; and, it is extremely readable while remaining a significant work. This book should be read by all those who are keen to appreciate more fully the multifaceted nature of Christianity prior to the fourth century., "A charting of the full theological kaleidoscope would take volumes, butit is possible, using Ehrman's book as a jumping-off point, to examine some ofthe more striking and widespread of the Christian roads not taken."--TimeMagazine, "Highly readable and based on up-to-date scholarship, Ehrman's book provides an excellent introduction to early Christianity's diversity and the means by which early orthodoxy, and the New Testament canon, developed from it. This lively study will prove eye-opening to a wide variety ofreaders."--Elizabeth A. Clark, John Carlisle Kilgo Professor, Duke University
