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Christian Bible History & Culture books:
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The best of Christian Bible History & Culture books by number of unique Reddit comments:
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Top Reddit reviews mentioning Christian Bible History & Culture books:
If I was going to give him a book, I wouldn't pick a book on atheism. I would pick a book that someone might read while they still call themselves Christian but are beginning to question their faith.
Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman would be a good choice. It's written by a biblical scholar who used to be a Christian fundamentalist who lost his faith as he studied the origins of the Bible.
It’s simple. There’s no evidence anywhere in the world that any human being has been brought back from the dead after being dead for three days. The Bible is a claim, not evidence. Why would anyone believe that Jesus was resurrected? You would have to prove it first to claim there’s no argument against it.
This book might give you some good perspective.
How Jesus Became God : the Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061778192/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rSL8CbN6DVTPZ
The New Testament In It’s World is considered an introduction to Wright’s work for students. My wife read this as a starter book. She found it interesting enough to continue on into Wright’s Christian Origins series.
Yes, Jesus existed. He was most likely an apocalyptic prophet/preacher.
If you can stomach a read, Bart Ehrman has written a number of books. I'm currently reading this one and it's just fascinating. I'm not much of a reader and it's slow progress for me, but I'm really enjoying learning who Jesus likely was. He was in some ways, more amazing than I had previously thought.
>Maybe some of it, but I suspect a lot of antisemitism in the West in general goes back to the centuries of antisemitism that the Catholic Church used to preach against the Jews (like the blood libel), and then continued even after the Protestant reformation (Martin Luther was a notorious antisemite).
Actually, western antisemitism is far older than Catholicism. In ancient Rome, one finds antisemitic statements from Seneca and Tacitus (who used many classic antisemitic tropes). Jews were expelled from Rome in 139 B.C. and 41 A.D. There was actually a great deal of tolerance between Christians and Jews in the early middle-ages until the 1000's. And the Catholic Church never preached blood libel or taught as doctrine any antisemitic notions. Blood libel was a part of popular antisemitism.
The Catholic Church actually went out of its way to protect Jews. That isn't to say that popular antisemitism, which existed prior to Christianity, did not influence the masses, or even clergy. It was never a position of the Catholic Church, however.
I highly recommend the book Bearing False Witness, where I obtained much of this information, and which covers several other topics, including those which are used to prop up P.C. anti-Christian narratives.
For a take on OT binatarianism, see Alan Segal’s The Two Powers in Heaven also Margaret Barker’s The Great Angel: A Study of Israel's Second God
I purchased a bible from Amazon called Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible NIV. It puts the NWT to shame!!! I love this bible. It gives a verse by verse break down and correlates the beliefs to the contemporary cultural beliefs of that time. It even gives you Hebrew and Aramaic literal translations like the word for Satan which was not an actual name, in fact the Hebrews had no concept of The Devil. It has maps and lots of references. I highly recommend it!
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310431581/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_HLDkAbHEHE5
If this is your goal, than these are the books you are looking for:
https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Interrupted-Revealing-Hidden-Contradictions/dp/0061173940/ https://www.amazon.com/Misquoting-Jesus-Story-Behind-Changed-ebook/dp/B000SEGJF8/
From one of the Amazon reviews:
>Ehrman shows how nearly all mainstream divinity schools and seminaries actually teach the origins of the bible with accuracy and using the historical-critical method, but the ministers and theologians coming out of these schools never teach what they learn to their students and/or congregations. Thus, ignorance about the bible in the layperson makes way for unquestioning faith in the bible.
Explore Cultural Backgrounds Of Bible Times
I haven't actually read this plan, so take it with a grain of salt. You've been warned
I know you want a youverion plan, but I think you'd really like this
https://www.amazon.com/NIV-Cultural-Backgrounds-Study-Bible/dp/0310431581
If you like youtube, I listen to Bart on my way to work. https://m.youtube.com/user/bartdehrman
He gives good solid facts about history and religion. He would be a good source to go to
His “Jesus Interrupted” book might also be good for you. Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061173940/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uzCNFb4QFVTWQ
The reason I suggest not bringing up Dawkins and Hitchens with very religious family is because of the view a lot of religious people have of them. (But I love listening to their debates)
I recommend Bart Ehrman's book "How Jesus Became God".
>The claim at the heart of the Christian faith is that Jesus of Nazareth was, and is, God. But this is not what the original disciples believed during Jesus’s lifetime—and it is not what Jesus claimed about himself. How Jesus Became God tells the story of an idea that shaped Christianity, and of the evolution of a belief that looked very different in the fourth century than it did in the first.
I listened to the Audible version.
How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee
From Amazon's description:
> The title I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning echoes Jesus' reply to his 70 disciples on their return from preparing towns to receive him, reporting that "even the demons obey us when we use your name" (Luke 10:17-18) In this mind-opening work Girard persuades the reader that even as our world grows increasingly violent the power of the Christ is so great that the evils of scapegoating and sacrifice are being defeated, and new community, God's nonviolent kingdom, is being realized even now.
I don't see anything controversial in this book.
Tomorrow is the feast of Christ the King. The feast was created after the end of the Great War to serve as a reminder that no matter how evil this world can be, in the end Christ will reign victorious. CTK leads to the first Sunday of Advent. The first half of Advent focuses on Christ's second coming, while the last two Sundays turn our attention to Christ's first coming in the Incarnation & Nativity.
Girard's book seems to fit into that narrative, but granted all I am reading is the Amazon summary.
The Jews of Jesus time DID have a notion of multiple hypostasis, or faces of God.
Here is one book about this. There is some written evidence that some during that time frame believed God had as many as 10 hypostasis. It was a major discussion during that time frame, who was the other face of God that shows up from time to time in the Old Testament, and the Christian revelation is that is Jesus, while the rabbinic Jews rejected that revelation so much they rewrote and whitewashed notable figures such as Rabbi Akiva whom was known for believing the Two Powers in heaven idea.
<strong>https://www.amazon.com/Two-Powers-Heaven-Christianity-Christology/dp/1602585490</strong>
I don’t know the names of the sects but these 2 books here talk about them. These books are also written by modern Jewish scholars so there’s no Christian bias
I recommend looking into Bart Ehrman's books. Dude used to be a Christian, now he is a secular (agnostic?) professor of religious studies. He's written a lot about the historical Jesus and early Christianity. He's interested in it purely from an academic perspective and has no interest in converting or deconverting anyone. You might want to start with How Jesus Became God, since it will answer the question you asked here, but any of his books are a good read.
That looks really interesting, thank you! For anyone else reading this, if you are looking for a digital copy, it has an alternative title: Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why
Possibly, there was a sect of Judaism that believed the messiah would be God or some sort of divine being. The most popular verses that indicate this are Daniel 7:14 (“Son Of Man”, “Ancient Of Days”) and some verses talking about “The Angel Of The Lord”
Here are some books by modern day Jewish scholars who affirm the belief that the messiah would be God (second hypostasise of YHWH)
Border Lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity (Divinations: Rereading Late Ancient Religion)
You may want to consider the book, written by a non-Catholic, “Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History” https://www.amazon.com/dp/1599475367/. This, from an author who had more concern for defending the accuracy of history than defending the Catholic Church.
It’s available to borrow for free on Hoopla, if interested.
No John 9 just says “ I am that man” just a regular man, unlike John where Jesus says I AM the bread of life
As for Daniel 7:14 you have to read it in it’s full context “9I beheld until the thrones were set, and the Ancient of days sat; and his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head, as pure wool: his throne was a flame of fire, and his wheels burning fire. 10A stream of fire rushed forth before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousands of myriads, attended upon him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened. 11I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which that horn spoke, until the wild beast was slain and destroyed, and his body given to be burnt with fire. 12And the dominion of the rest of the wild beasts was taken away; but a prolonging of life was given them for certain times. 13I beheld in the night vision, and, lo, one coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man, and he came on to the Ancient of days, and was brought near to him. 14And to him was given the dominion, and the honour, and the kingdom; and all nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.
The “Ancient of day” was understood to be YHWH and “coming with clouds of heaven” was understood to be some sort of divine deity.
Here are some books by modern day Jewish school who affirm the second hypostasise of YHWH
Border lines: The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity (Divinations: Rereading Late Ancient Religion)
Son Of Man was understood to be the messiah and some ancient Jews also understood it YHWH was a trinity. See This video and this book
two powers in heaven (That book is written by a Jew who confirms that there was a belief that YHWH was a Trinitarian God)
Son of Man comes from daniels prophecy
13I beheld in the night vision, and, lo, one coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man, and he came on to the Ancient of days, and was brought near to him.
14And to him was given the dominion, and the honour, and the kingdom; and all nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.
Also when Jesus says “ I AM” he’s claiming to be God.
The "Oxford Study Bible" is a standard for mainstream Christianity but I don't think it's in the NIV.
The challenge is that the NIV is super popular among conservative Evangelicals.
I am currently reading through the "Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible" and it's conservative but I would not say fundamentalist. It's pretty great, so far. And it comes in NIV
Rather than focusing on exegesis -- it gives the historical context. For example, it might explain how a "covenant" was done back then. It's pretty different than our current "contract" or "treaty" so it's helpful to know.
How sure are you that the Gospels are faithful accounts of who Jesus really was? They were written decades after Jesus died, in a language neither he or his disciples spoke (Greek).
Jesus was likely an apocalyptic preacher who gained a following, and then his following grew and evolved via oral tradition in the decades after he died before the Gospels were actually written down.
Bart Ehrman is considered a preeminent scholar on the historical Jesus. He explores this topic in “How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee.”
https://www.amazon.com/How-Jesus-Became-God-Exaltation/dp/0061778184#
The problem is that bibles, especially the better ones with notes etc., are expensive. I'm not as familiar as many others with English translations, but I think any translation that is not KJV is a good start.
I started to look, and Amazon has the NIV cultural background bible for a pretty good price. Afaik the translation is decent enough (and, very important, readable). And I now want the ESV archaeological bible. You sent me down a rabbit hole, thanks xD
I really like the notes in this one, and it’s available in multiple translations:
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture https://www.amazon.com/dp/0310431581/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_9DTWQP9RDVKHQ0EKPEZG
Also consider the book, written by a non-Catholic, “Bearing False Witness: Debunking Centuries of Anti-Catholic History” https://www.amazon.com/dp/1599475367/. This, from an author who had more concern for defending the accuracy of history than defending the Catholic Church.
It’s available to borrow for free on Hoopla, if interested.
See Daniel Boyarin's Gospel of the Memra and Alan Segal's Two Powers in Heaven: Early Rabbinic Reports about Christianity and Gnosticism.
You’re making an assumption about my faith there but fair enough. Have a book recommendation anyway, by a man who knows a whole lot more about Abrahamic scripture than you or I.
How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher From Galilee https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0061778192/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HFYWD96RDKTR6TEEJADH
Now. I got you. Because Ehrman wrote a full book on this subject. https://www.amazon.com/How-Jesus-Became-God-Exaltation/dp/0061778184#:~:text=From%20the%20Back%20Cover&text=of%20all%20things.-,Ehrman%20sketches%20Jesus's%20transformation%20from%20a%20human%20prophet%20to%20the,from%20Galilee%2C%20had%20beco....