Lost Christianities

[Bikewer]

I'm about halfway through this one:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...2904835/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-5419036-3007344

After hearing the author on "Fresh Air" a couple of months ago.

This is a fascinating book. The author is showing how the Gospels we have today have come to be the "accepted versions", and how the many competing Gospels and myriad early Christian sects were gradually winnowed out.
He points out that if you think the current scene, with some 200+ Christian sects is bizzarre, the early Christians were even more so. Instead of differing in minor points of doctrine and worship, there were huge differences as to the number of Gods, the nature of Jesus/Christ, the relationship to Judaism, the origins of the world, and so forth. The author, Ehrman, goes into considerable detail on the scholarship involved, including the history of numerous forgeries. He has a low-key sense of humor about the whole thing as well.
Must reading for any skeptic, IMO.

 

[Dancing David]

Fascinating stuff that is just ignored by the churches, I especialy like the discussion Erhman had on the book of Mary when I heard him on the radio.

 

[Hexxenhammer]

I'm definitly going to pick that up. That sounds very cool.

To sidetrack some, David Drake, in his book "Birds of Prey" had a loony early Christian cult that crucified people to save their souls. Very scary. Of course, the rest of the book was about time traveling aliens that a Roman secret agent had to stop...and then there was the allosaurus...

 

[MLynn]

Thanks, Bikewer - it looks very interesting. I'll pick up a copy soon.