-
How the Gospels Became History
- Jesus and Mediterranean Myths (Synkrisis)
- Narrated by: Doug Smith
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
How the Gospels Became History
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
God's Monsters
- Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible
- By: Esther Hamori
- Narrated by: Lisa Larsen
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Traditional interpretations of the creatures of the Bible have sanded down their sharp, unsavory edges, transforming them into celestial beings of glory and light—or chubby, happy cherubs. Those cherubs? They're actually hybrid guardian monsters, more closely associated with the Egyptian sphinx than with flying babies. And the seraphim? Winged serpents sent to mete out God's vengeance. Demons aren't at war with angels; they're a distinct supernatural species used by Satan and by God. The pattern is chilling. Most of these monsters aren't God's opponents—they're God's entourage.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
God’s Monsters
- By rileybug on 12-26-23
By: Esther Hamori
-
Armageddon
- What the Bible Really Says About the End
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff, Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 165
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 135
In Armageddon, acclaimed New Testament authority Bart D. Ehrman delves into the most misunderstood—and possibly the most dangerous—book of the Bible, exploring the horrifying social and political consequences of expecting an imminent apocalypse and offering a fascinating tour through three millennia of Judeo-Christian thinking about how our world will end. By turns hilarious, moving, troubling, and provocative, Armageddon presents inspiring insights into how to live our lives in the face of an uncertain future.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The best explanation I have heard in my 70 years on Revelations
- By Ian Huntington on 05-19-23
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
On the Historicity of Jesus
- Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt
- By: Richard Carrier
- Narrated by: Richard Carrier
- Length: 28 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 827
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 742
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 732
The assumption that Jesus existed as a historical person has occasionally been questioned in the course of the last hundred years or so, but any doubts that have been raised have usually been put to rest in favor of imagining a blend of the historical, the mythical, and the theological in the surviving records of Jesus. Historian and philosopher Richard Carrier reexamines the whole question and finds compelling reasons to suspect the more daring assumption is correct.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very detailed analysis with a clear conclusion
- By E. Moore on 07-09-15
By: Richard Carrier
-
God
- An Anatomy
- By: Francesca Stavrakopoulou
- Narrated by: Francesca Stavrakopoulou
- Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 185
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 184
The scholarship of theology and religion teaches us that the God of the Bible was without a body, only revealing himself in the Old Testament in words mysteriously uttered through his prophets, and in the New Testament in the body of Christ. The portrayal of God as corporeal and masculine is seen as merely metaphorical, figurative, or poetic. But, in this revelatory study, Francesca Stavrakopoulou presents a vividly corporeal image of God: a human-shaped deity who walks and talks and weeps and laughs, who eats, sleeps, feels, and breathes, and who is undeniably male.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
GREAT READ!!
- By Chester Johnson on 04-27-23
-
After Jesus, Before Christianity
- A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements
- By: Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, Hal Taussig, and others
- Narrated by: Cindy Kay
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent and informative
- By Claire Z. on 04-17-22
By: Erin Vearncombe, and others
-
The Trap
- What It Is. How It Works. And How We Escape Its Illusions
- By: David Icke
- Narrated by: David Icke
- Length: 18 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 694
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 616
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 617
David Icke has been writing books for decades warning that current events were coming. He has faced ridicule and abuse for saying that the end of human freedom was being planned, how, and by whom. The Trap is the "Rosetta Stone" of illusory reality and opens the door to freedom in its greatest sense. Listen to this book and the "world" will never look the same again. The veil of illusion shall be swept aside and the amazing truth this has kept from us shall set you free.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
BEST DAVID ICKE BOOK EVER!!!
- By Vitaly on 09-03-22
By: David Icke
-
God's Monsters
- Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible
- By: Esther Hamori
- Narrated by: Lisa Larsen
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Traditional interpretations of the creatures of the Bible have sanded down their sharp, unsavory edges, transforming them into celestial beings of glory and light—or chubby, happy cherubs. Those cherubs? They're actually hybrid guardian monsters, more closely associated with the Egyptian sphinx than with flying babies. And the seraphim? Winged serpents sent to mete out God's vengeance. Demons aren't at war with angels; they're a distinct supernatural species used by Satan and by God. The pattern is chilling. Most of these monsters aren't God's opponents—they're God's entourage.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
God’s Monsters
- By rileybug on 12-26-23
By: Esther Hamori
-
Armageddon
- What the Bible Really Says About the End
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff, Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 165
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 135
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 135
In Armageddon, acclaimed New Testament authority Bart D. Ehrman delves into the most misunderstood—and possibly the most dangerous—book of the Bible, exploring the horrifying social and political consequences of expecting an imminent apocalypse and offering a fascinating tour through three millennia of Judeo-Christian thinking about how our world will end. By turns hilarious, moving, troubling, and provocative, Armageddon presents inspiring insights into how to live our lives in the face of an uncertain future.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The best explanation I have heard in my 70 years on Revelations
- By Ian Huntington on 05-19-23
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
On the Historicity of Jesus
- Why We Might Have Reason for Doubt
- By: Richard Carrier
- Narrated by: Richard Carrier
- Length: 28 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 827
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 742
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 732
The assumption that Jesus existed as a historical person has occasionally been questioned in the course of the last hundred years or so, but any doubts that have been raised have usually been put to rest in favor of imagining a blend of the historical, the mythical, and the theological in the surviving records of Jesus. Historian and philosopher Richard Carrier reexamines the whole question and finds compelling reasons to suspect the more daring assumption is correct.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very detailed analysis with a clear conclusion
- By E. Moore on 07-09-15
By: Richard Carrier
-
God
- An Anatomy
- By: Francesca Stavrakopoulou
- Narrated by: Francesca Stavrakopoulou
- Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 185
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 184
The scholarship of theology and religion teaches us that the God of the Bible was without a body, only revealing himself in the Old Testament in words mysteriously uttered through his prophets, and in the New Testament in the body of Christ. The portrayal of God as corporeal and masculine is seen as merely metaphorical, figurative, or poetic. But, in this revelatory study, Francesca Stavrakopoulou presents a vividly corporeal image of God: a human-shaped deity who walks and talks and weeps and laughs, who eats, sleeps, feels, and breathes, and who is undeniably male.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
GREAT READ!!
- By Chester Johnson on 04-27-23
-
After Jesus, Before Christianity
- A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements
- By: Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, Hal Taussig, and others
- Narrated by: Cindy Kay
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent and informative
- By Claire Z. on 04-17-22
By: Erin Vearncombe, and others
-
The Trap
- What It Is. How It Works. And How We Escape Its Illusions
- By: David Icke
- Narrated by: David Icke
- Length: 18 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 694
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 616
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 617
David Icke has been writing books for decades warning that current events were coming. He has faced ridicule and abuse for saying that the end of human freedom was being planned, how, and by whom. The Trap is the "Rosetta Stone" of illusory reality and opens the door to freedom in its greatest sense. Listen to this book and the "world" will never look the same again. The veil of illusion shall be swept aside and the amazing truth this has kept from us shall set you free.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
BEST DAVID ICKE BOOK EVER!!!
- By Vitaly on 09-03-22
By: David Icke
-
Journeys to Heaven and Hell
- Tours of the Afterlife in the Early Christian Tradition
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: John Tefler
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
From classics such as the Odyssey and the Aeneid to fifth-century Christian apocrypha, narratives that described guided tours of the afterlife played a major role in shaping ancient notions of morality and ethics. In this new account, acclaimed author Bart Ehrman contextualizes early Christian narratives of heaven and hell within the broader intellectual and cultural worlds from which they emerged.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
New Hits Here. Not Repackaged Hits.
- By Adam on 06-19-22
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
The Red Book: A Reader's Edition
- Philemon
- By: C. G. Jung
- Narrated by: Mike Fraser
- Length: 20 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 435
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 355
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 352
The Red Book, published to wide acclaim in 2009, contains the nucleus of C. G. Jung's later works. It was here that he developed his principal theories of the archetypes, the collective unconscious, and the process of individuation that would transform psychotherapy from treatment of the sick into a means for the higher development of the personality.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
REVISED EDITION--FOOTNOTES HAVE BEEN REMOVED
- By WTom on 10-15-20
By: C. G. Jung
-
When Christians Were Jews
- The First Generation
- By: Paula Fredriksen
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 6 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 92
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 80
In this electrifying social and intellectual history, Paula Fredriksen answers the question of how Jewish missionaries ended up inaugurating a movement that would grow into the gentile church by reconstructing the life of the earliest Jerusalem community. As her account arcs from this group’s hopeful celebration of Passover with Jesus, through their bitter controversies that fragmented the movement’s midcentury missions, to the city’s fiery end in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, she brings this vibrant apostolic community to life.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
nothing to see here, nothing to read here
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-18
By: Paula Fredriksen
-
The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament, Volume 1
- By: Joshua Bowen
- Narrated by: Seth Andrews
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 252
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 219
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 219
The Old Testament is a fierce battleground for atheists and Christian apologists, with each side accusing the other of taking challenging and troubling passages out of context. In this handbook, Joshua Bowen not only provides the background to the Old Testament and the ancient Near East, but engages with hotly contested topics like slavery, failed prophecy, and the authorship of debated Old Testament books.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very informative with beautiful narration
- By Frank Rizzo on 07-07-21
By: Joshua Bowen
-
The New Testament
- By: Bart D. Ehrman, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,017
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,757
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,744
Whether taken as a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings the world has ever known, its web of meaning relied upon by virtually every major writer in the last 2,000 years. Yet the New Testament is not only one of Western civilization’s most believed books, but also one of its most widely disputed, often maligned, and least clearly understood, with a vast number of people unaware of how it was written and transmitted.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
If you want a balanced overview this is not it
- By Amazon Customer on 02-27-16
By: Bart D. Ehrman, and others
-
Ten Things Christians Wish Jesus Hadn't Taught: And Other Reasons to Question His Words
- By: David Madison
- Narrated by: Seth Andrews
- Length: 3 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
For centuries the gospels have been cherished devotional literature, and under the guidance of preachers and priests, they’ve been understood as reliable depictions of Jesus. But even the most devout Christians stumble across sayings of Jesus that don’t sound quite right. In fact - if we’re honest - some of them are alarming. But the problem won’t go away, even if many of the faithful file these troublesome texts in a mental drawer marked “Too uncomfortable to think about”. In fact, the problem is much larger than many people suppose.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
How dare you!
- By amanda on 09-22-21
By: David Madison
-
Misquoting Jesus
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Richard M. Davidson
- Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 3,240
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2,265
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 2,262
When world-class biblical scholar Bart Ehrman first began to study the texts of the Bible in their original languages he was startled to discover the multitude of mistakes and intentional alterations that had been made by earlier translators. In Misquoting Jesus, Ehrman tells the story behind the mistakes and changes that ancient scribes made to the New Testament and shows the great impact they had upon the Bible we use today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Understanding Manuscripts
- By KaHef on 11-22-06
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
How Jesus Became God
- The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 971
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 856
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 849
In a book that took eight years to research and write, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Ehrman explores how an apocalyptic prophet from the backwaters of rural Galilee crucified for crimes against the state came to be thought of as equal with the one God Almighty Creator of all things. Ehrman sketches Jesus's transformation from a human prophet to the Son of God exalted to divine status at his resurrection. Only when some of Jesus's followers had visions of him after his death - alive again - did anyone come to think that he, the prophet from Galilee, had become God.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Wishing for a bit more meat on the bones
- By Darwin8u on 04-09-14
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
The Oxford History of the Biblical World
- By: Michael D. Coogan - editor
- Narrated by: Scott R. Pollak
- Length: 26 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4
For more than a century, archaeologists have been unearthing the tombs, temples, texts, and artifacts of the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world. Using new approaches, contemporary scholars have begun to synthesize this material with the biblical traditions. The Oxford History of the Biblical World incorporates the best of this scholarship, and in chronologically ordered chapters presents the listener with an integrated study of the history, art, architecture, languages, literatures, and religion of biblical Israel and early Judaism and Christianity in their larger cultural contexts.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great content but also repetitive
- By Jacob Kilgore on 01-07-24
-
Creating Christ
- How Roman Emperors Invented Christianity
- By: James S. Valliant, C. W. Fahy
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 201
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 181
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 181
This explosive work of history unearths clues that finally demonstrate the truth about one of the world's great religions: that it was born out of the conflict between the Romans and messianic Jews who fought a bitter war with each other during the first century. The Romans employed a tactic they routinely used to conquer and absorb other nations: they grafted their imperial rule onto the religion of the conquered.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
life is one big lie
- By Anonymous User on 12-25-19
By: James S. Valliant, and others
-
Evidence That Demands a Verdict
- Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World
- By: Josh McDowell, Sean McDowell PhD
- Narrated by: Josh McDowell, Sean McDowell PhD, Bob Souer
- Length: 42 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 558
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 469
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 469
The modern apologetics classic that started it all is now completely revised and updated - because the truth of the Bible doesn't change, but its critics do. With the original Evidence That Demands a Verdict, best-selling author Josh McDowell gave Christian audiences the answers they needed to defend their faith against the harshest critics and skeptics. Now, with his son Sean McDowell, Josh McDowell has updated and expanded this classic resource for a new generation. This is a book that invites listeners to bring their doubts.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lexicons aren't best suited for Audible
- By Leifen on 10-24-17
By: Josh McDowell, and others
-
The Bible with and Without Jesus
- How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently
- By: Amy-Jill Levine, Marc Zvi Brettler
- Narrated by: Marni Penning
- Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 80
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 67
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 68
Esteemed Bible scholars and teachers Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Z. Brettler take readers on a guided tour of the most popular Hebrew Bible passages quoted in the New Testament to show what the texts meant in their original contexts and then how Jews and Christians, over time, understood those same texts. By understanding the depth and variety by which these passages have been, and can be, understood, The Bible With and Without Jesus does more than enhance our religious understandings, it helps us to see the Bible as a source of inspiration for any and all listeners.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Scholarly
- By Michael on 01-31-21
By: Amy-Jill Levine, and others
Publisher's summary
Did the early Christians believe their myths? Like most ancient—and modern—people, early Christians made efforts to present their myths in the most believable ways.
In this eye-opening work, M. David Litwa explores how and why what later became the four canonical gospels take on a historical cast that remains vitally important for many Christians today. Offering an in-depth comparison with other Greco-Roman stories that have been shaped to seem like history, Litwa shows how the evangelists responded to the pressures of Greco-Roman literary culture by using well-known historiographical tropes such as the mention of famous rulers and kings, geographical notices, the introduction of eyewitnesses, vivid presentation, alternative reports, and so on. In this way, the evangelists deliberately shaped myths about Jesus into historical discourse to maximize their believability for ancient audiences.
This is the most compelling and thorough comparison of the gospels and Greco-Roman mythology to appear in the last 50 years.
More from the same
Narrator
Related to this topic
-
Reading the Bible Again for the First Time
- Taking the Bible Seriously but Not Literally
- By: Marcus J. Borg
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 31
Many Christians mistakenly believe that their only choice is either to reconcile themselves to a fundamentalist reading of scripture (a "literal-factual" approach) or to simply reject the Bible as something that could bring meaning and value into their lives. In Reading the Bible Again for the First Time, Marcus Borg shows how instead we can freshly appreciate all the essential elements of the Old and New Testaments - from Genesis to Revelation - in a way that can open up a new world of intelligent faith.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A serious and thoughtful analysis of the Bible
- By Anonymous User on 05-03-24
By: Marcus J. Borg
-
Jesus
- Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 247
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 213
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 209
In this highly accessible discussion, Bart Ehrman examines the most recent textual and archaeological sources for the life of Jesus, along with the history of first-century Palestine, drawing a fascinating portrait of the man and his teachings. Ehrman shows us what historians have long known about the Gospels and the man who stands behind them. Through a careful evaluation of the New Testament (and other surviving sources, including the more recently discovered Gospels of Thomas and Peter), Ehrman proposes that Jesus can be best understood as an apocalyptic prophet.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I must read for those whose wanting to expand their insight from a single perspective (devotional) to include historical
- By RGO on 11-25-19
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
How God Became God
- What Scholars Are Really Saying About God and the Bible
- By: Richard M. Smoley
- Narrated by: Richard M. Smoley
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 47
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 44
This epic, thrilling journey through Bible scholarship and ancient religion shows how much of Scripture is historically false - yet the ancient writings also resound with theologies that crisscrossed the primeval world and that direct us today toward a deep, authentic inner experience of the truly sacred.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Just Okay.
- By Thomas on 10-28-21
-
How Jesus Became God
- The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 971
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 856
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 849
In a book that took eight years to research and write, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Ehrman explores how an apocalyptic prophet from the backwaters of rural Galilee crucified for crimes against the state came to be thought of as equal with the one God Almighty Creator of all things. Ehrman sketches Jesus's transformation from a human prophet to the Son of God exalted to divine status at his resurrection. Only when some of Jesus's followers had visions of him after his death - alive again - did anyone come to think that he, the prophet from Galilee, had become God.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Wishing for a bit more meat on the bones
- By Darwin8u on 04-09-14
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
Forbidden Faith
- The Secret History of Gnosticism
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 138
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 116
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity - truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries AD, but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An absolute must for understanding Gnosticism.
- By Patriot RN - Doc on 05-12-21
By: Richard Smoley
-
Mystery of the Magi
- The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men
- By: Dwight Longenecker
- Narrated by: Stephen McLaughlin
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 56
The Magi of nativity scenes are romanticized as well-dressed wisemen bringing gifts to Jesus. Traditional Chrstians tell of a miraculous star that guided exotic kings from Persia, India, and Africa. Academics dismiss both accounts as no more than a pious legend. Who is right? In The Mystery of the Magi, Dwight Longenecker shows that all sides are wrong and the Magi were diplomats from Petra, the capital of the Nabatean kingdom of Arabia.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A Fascinating Deep Dive into the Story of the Magi
- By Pastor Ryan on 08-06-18
-
Reading the Bible Again for the First Time
- Taking the Bible Seriously but Not Literally
- By: Marcus J. Borg
- Narrated by: Maurice England
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 31
Many Christians mistakenly believe that their only choice is either to reconcile themselves to a fundamentalist reading of scripture (a "literal-factual" approach) or to simply reject the Bible as something that could bring meaning and value into their lives. In Reading the Bible Again for the First Time, Marcus Borg shows how instead we can freshly appreciate all the essential elements of the Old and New Testaments - from Genesis to Revelation - in a way that can open up a new world of intelligent faith.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A serious and thoughtful analysis of the Bible
- By Anonymous User on 05-03-24
By: Marcus J. Borg
-
Jesus
- Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 247
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 213
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 209
In this highly accessible discussion, Bart Ehrman examines the most recent textual and archaeological sources for the life of Jesus, along with the history of first-century Palestine, drawing a fascinating portrait of the man and his teachings. Ehrman shows us what historians have long known about the Gospels and the man who stands behind them. Through a careful evaluation of the New Testament (and other surviving sources, including the more recently discovered Gospels of Thomas and Peter), Ehrman proposes that Jesus can be best understood as an apocalyptic prophet.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I must read for those whose wanting to expand their insight from a single perspective (devotional) to include historical
- By RGO on 11-25-19
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
How God Became God
- What Scholars Are Really Saying About God and the Bible
- By: Richard M. Smoley
- Narrated by: Richard M. Smoley
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 47
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 44
This epic, thrilling journey through Bible scholarship and ancient religion shows how much of Scripture is historically false - yet the ancient writings also resound with theologies that crisscrossed the primeval world and that direct us today toward a deep, authentic inner experience of the truly sacred.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Just Okay.
- By Thomas on 10-28-21
-
How Jesus Became God
- The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 971
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 856
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 849
In a book that took eight years to research and write, leading Bible scholar Bart D. Ehrman explores how an apocalyptic prophet from the backwaters of rural Galilee crucified for crimes against the state came to be thought of as equal with the one God Almighty Creator of all things. Ehrman sketches Jesus's transformation from a human prophet to the Son of God exalted to divine status at his resurrection. Only when some of Jesus's followers had visions of him after his death - alive again - did anyone come to think that he, the prophet from Galilee, had become God.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Wishing for a bit more meat on the bones
- By Darwin8u on 04-09-14
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
Forbidden Faith
- The Secret History of Gnosticism
- By: Richard Smoley
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 138
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 117
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 116
The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity - truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries AD, but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An absolute must for understanding Gnosticism.
- By Patriot RN - Doc on 05-12-21
By: Richard Smoley
-
Mystery of the Magi
- The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men
- By: Dwight Longenecker
- Narrated by: Stephen McLaughlin
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 56
The Magi of nativity scenes are romanticized as well-dressed wisemen bringing gifts to Jesus. Traditional Chrstians tell of a miraculous star that guided exotic kings from Persia, India, and Africa. Academics dismiss both accounts as no more than a pious legend. Who is right? In The Mystery of the Magi, Dwight Longenecker shows that all sides are wrong and the Magi were diplomats from Petra, the capital of the Nabatean kingdom of Arabia.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A Fascinating Deep Dive into the Story of the Magi
- By Pastor Ryan on 08-06-18
-
The Great Shift
- Encountering God in Biblical Times
- By: James L. Kugel
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28
Why does the Bible depict a world in which humans, with surprising regularity, encounter the divine - wrestling an angel, addressing a burning bush, issuing forth prophecy without any choice in the matter? These stories spoke very differently to their original audience than they do to us, and they reflect a radically distinct understanding of reality and the human mind. Yet over the course of the thousand-year biblical era, encounters with God changed dramatically.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Changing Conceptions of God and the Self
- By DJ on 10-27-22
By: James L. Kugel
-
The Exodus
- By: Richard Elliott Friedman
- Narrated by: Richard Elliott Friedman
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 172
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 153
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 149
Biblical scholars, Egyptologists, archaeologists, historians, literary scholars, anthropologists, and filmmakers are drawn to the mystery of the exodus. Unable to find physical evidence until now, many archaeologists and scholars claim this mass migration is just a story, not history. Others oppose this conclusion, defending the biblical account.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
It started well......
- By kboy2008 on 04-21-20
-
Battling the Gods
- Atheism in the Ancient World
- By: Tim Whitmarsh
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 97
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 88
Long before the European Enlightenment and the Darwinian revolution, which we often take to mark the birth of the modern revolt against religious explanations of the world, brave people doubted the power of the gods. Religion provoked skepticism in ancient Greece, and heretics argued that history must be understood as a result of human action rather than divine intervention. They devised theories of the cosmos based on matter and notions of matter based on atoms.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
We have a history as long and as rich as any relig
- By Glencannnon on 08-13-19
By: Tim Whitmarsh
-
After Jesus, Before Christianity
- A Historical Exploration of the First Two Centuries of Jesus Movements
- By: Erin Vearncombe, Brandon Scott, Hal Taussig, and others
- Narrated by: Cindy Kay
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 75
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent and informative
- By Claire Z. on 04-17-22
By: Erin Vearncombe, and others
-
The Evolution of God
- By: Robert Wright
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,061
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 679
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 676
In this sweeping narrative, which takes us from the Stone Age to the Information Age, Robert Wright unveils an astonishing discovery: there is a hidden pattern that the great monotheistic faiths have followed as they have evolved. Through the prisms of archeology, theology, and evolutionary psychology, Wright's findings overturn basic assumptions about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and are sure to cause controversy.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Very heavy reading
- By Stephen on 08-07-09
By: Robert Wright
-
God and Empire
- Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now
- By: John Dominic Crossan
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
In contrast to the oppressive Roman military occupation of the first century, Crossan examines the meaning of the non-violent Kingdom of God prophesized by Jesus and the equality advocated by Paul to the early Christian churches. Crossan contrasts these messages of peace with the misinterpreted apocalyptic vision from the Book of Revelation, which has been misrepresented by modern right-wing theologians and televangelists to justify US military actions in the Middle East.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Smart Book
- By Wesley Bishop on 07-01-22
-
The Fourth Gospel
- Tales of a Jewish Mystic
- By: John Shelby Spong
- Narrated by: Al Kessel
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
John Shelby Spong, best-selling author and popular proponent of a modern, scholarly, and authentic Christianity, argues that this last gospel to be written was misinterpreted by the framers of the fourth-century creeds to be a literal account of the life of Jesus when in fact it is a literary, interpretive retelling of the events in Jesus' life through the medium of fictional characters, from Nicodemus and Lazarus to the "Beloved Disciple."
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Very thought-provoking
- By Mark J Mickey on 03-18-23
-
The Bible's Cutting Room Floor
- The Holy Scriptures Missing from Your Bible
- By: Joel M. Hoffman
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 54
In The Bible’s Cutting Room Floor, acclaimed author and translator Dr. Joel M. Hoffman gives us the stories and other texts that didn’t make it into the Bible even though they offer penetrating insight into the Bible and its teachings. The Book of Genesis tells us about Adam and Eve’s time in the Garden of Eden, but not their saga after they get kicked out or the lessons they have for us about good and evil.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good content, rather poor presentation by narrator
- By J_T on 12-28-16
By: Joel M. Hoffman
-
The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross
- A Study of the Nature and Origins of Christianity Within the Fertility Cults of the Ancient Near East
- By: John M. Allegro
- Narrated by: Martyn Swain
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 183
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 155
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 155
Where did God come from? What do the bible stories really tell us? Who or what was Jesus Christ? This audiobook challenges everything we think we know about the nature of religion.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Hated it,
- By Troy Sunde on 12-22-22
By: John M. Allegro
-
Creating Christ
- How Roman Emperors Invented Christianity
- By: James S. Valliant, C. W. Fahy
- Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 201
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 181
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 181
This explosive work of history unearths clues that finally demonstrate the truth about one of the world's great religions: that it was born out of the conflict between the Romans and messianic Jews who fought a bitter war with each other during the first century. The Romans employed a tactic they routinely used to conquer and absorb other nations: they grafted their imperial rule onto the religion of the conquered.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
life is one big lie
- By Anonymous User on 12-25-19
By: James S. Valliant, and others
-
Primitive Mythology
- The Masks of God Series, Volume I
- By: Joseph Campbell, David Kudler - editor
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 19 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 141
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 120
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
The author of such acclaimed books as The Hero With a Thousand Faces and The Power of Myth discusses the primitive roots of mythology, examining them in light of the most recent discoveries in archaeology, anthropology, and psychology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Epic speculation into the origins of our mythic consciousness
- By BGZ on 01-10-19
By: Joseph Campbell, and others
-
The Alphabet Versus the Goddess
- The Conflict Between Word and Image
- By: Leonard Shlain
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 24 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 108
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 90
Who changed the sex of God? This groundbreaking book proposes that the rise of alphabetic literacy reconfigured the human brain and brought about profound changes in history, religion, and gender relations. Making remarkable connections across brain function, myth, and anthropology, Dr. Shlain shows why pre-literate cultures were principally informed by holistic, right-brain modes that venerated the Goddess, images, and feminine values.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Can't Even Get Started
- By Marie on 02-08-19
By: Leonard Shlain
Love Books? You'll Love Audible.
Transform your day
Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.
Listen everywhere
Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.
Carry your entire Library
Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.
Listen and learn
Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.
Reach your reading goals
You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.
Find your niche
WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.
What listeners say about How the Gospels Became History
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wintertao
- 08-12-23
Fun all 'round
Very entertaining and informative, I love the way Litwa makes observations and brings up points most do not see. I've been reading Philosophy, History, and books on Christianity since the early 70's at GSU in ATL and I always learn new things from his work.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shahid
- 08-06-23
Excellent scholarly discussion
Excited to have Litwa's work in audiobook format. would love to have his other titles here as well.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!