After Jesus, Before Christianity

A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements

By: Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, Hal Taussig, The Westar Institute

Narrated by: Cindy Kay

Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

From the creative minds of the scholarly group behind the groundbreaking Jesus Seminar comes this provocative and eye-opening look at the roots of Christianity that offers a thoughtful reconsideration of the first two centuries of the Jesus movement, transforming our understanding of the religion and its early dissemination.

Christianity has endured for more than two millennia and is practiced by billions worldwide today. Yet that longevity has created difficulties for scholars tracing the religion’s roots, distorting much of the historical investigation into the first two centuries of the Jesus movement. But what if Christianity died in the fourth or fifth centuries after it began? How would that change how historians see and understand its first two hundred years?

Considering these questions, three Bible scholars from the Westar Institute summarize the work of the Christianity Seminar and its efforts to offer a new way of thinking about Christianity and its roots. Synthesizing the institute’s most recent scholarship - bringing together the many archaeological and textual discoveries over the last 20 years - they have found:

• There were multiple Jesus movements, not a singular one, before the fourth century
• There was nothing called Christianity until the third century
• There was much more flexibility and diversity within Jesus’s movement before it became centralized in Rome, not only regarding the Bible and religious doctrine, but also understandings of gender, sexuality and morality.

Exciting and revolutionary, After Jesus, Before Christianity provides fresh insights into the real history behind how the Jesus movement became Christianity.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

©2021 Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, Hal Taussig, The Westar Institute (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

A new essential resource

An excellent resource for anyone studying the history of early Christianities. I highly recommend it.

Ancient texts speak for themselves

Encyclopedic in scope, rigorous referencing, careful scholarship. Listened three times; now I'm reading the book.

Informative & Important!

A book for our times. Unlike the negative reviewer, one doesn’t have to be woke to benefit from this scholarship. I recommend it highly.

whiny, woke pabulum

... And Tedious, to boot.
I counted at least 2 chapters bellyaching about those awful Romans expressing their dominance
With violence .
(no mention of roads, aquaducts, prolonged peace..)
chapter 8 was all about queerness and chapter 15, whilst ostensibly about gnosticism, went off on a 10 minute Rant about penguins.
yes. penguins.
( i like penguins, but.. By this time, I was only listening to the first half of the chapters, it was so painful)
ch 16 was mostly gender bending nonsense..
Chapter 17 was a number of strained interpretations of biblical stories to suit modern political themes.
ch 18 Was more bad scholarship, again about those nasty Romans.
I am a big fan of this subject comma having read most of bart ermann's books and tables books on paul. But this It was too much for me and I tuned out

thought provoking

glad to have listened. scholarship always is a place of many life giving discoveries and land mines! but loving Jesus and the way(s) he leads us to live serving each other is light!

Very interesting

It challenges ideas that you may have had about truth about Jesus and the simplicity of knowing what Jesus himself may have had. Anyone interested in exploring Christianity should read this.

Excellent for Book Club Discussion

The intersections of non-canonical writings with New Testament passages is the most helpful feature of this interesting and provocative book.

The book depicts loosely affiliated communities of people who considered themselves related to the life and ministry of Jesus, yet with their various practices, writings, and leaders. Similarities to their contemporaries is striking, along with notable differences. Much of today’s diversity reflected in small groups, networks, associations, denominations, and ecumenical councils mirrors that of the period described in this book, albeit with much more settled dogma, practice, and writings among them now than then.

Relevant papers referenced at the end of each chapter is helpful. I like the comfortably well-read Audible version for hearing the broad scope, and the Kindle version for reviewing and highlighting details. The progressive organization and presentation of materials enables each chapter and part to be built on the preceding materials leading toward completion.

This book gives plenty to discuss at our church book club in addition to being interesting and enjoyable, Avenues for further reading and reflection are opened. The ideas are offered in an informed exploratory tone, freeing each reader, listener, and participant to come to their own conclusions and applications, which is of particular advantage to a book club setting.

Excellent and informative

Every scholar or theologian looking to learn more about early Christianity and early Jesus movements needs to read this book. It is incredibly informative and delves deeper into familiar topics and thoroughly explores ones I had never heard. The way each topic is presented was very beneficial for someone looking at these topics from an academic perspective as the sources are clearly given for further reading, which I found very helpful. I greatly appreciate the honesty with which the hypothesis is stated, as well as how the authors are forthcoming with certain misunderstandings and gaps in knowledge that have caused divisions in the past. The performance was wonderful and engaging and I think I may listen to it again now that I'm done!

some interesting parts some propaganda

Essentially woke gnostic themes and eventually moves to defense of gnatiicism with a bo true Scotsman fallacy. Leaves out obvious counter arguments and doesnt consider God as an active actor in the evolution of Christianity. But assuming there are no direct lies it was very interesting info in many spots.

Fascinating

This book made me think, soothed my soul, and reignited my excitement for Christianity. I'd recommend it to anyone, highly.