In this first major interview on my new book, The Lost Mary, I speak with Dr. Robert L. Kuhn, host of the international program “Closer to Truth,” available on PBS TV, Youtube, all major podcast outlets, and the amazing web site: Closertotruth.com. A quick overview of what the book is…
One hears from most academics that the historical figure of Jesus was most likely an impoverished, illiterate, itinerate, peasant with no wider cultural or geopolitical perspective beyond the region of the lower Galilee. He grew up in a tiny hamlet of perhaps 100 people, and certainly had no acquaintance with…
Millions of believing Christians, as well as theologians and historians, are convinced that the earliest faith in Jesus’ resurrection had to do with the assertion that his dead body was revived in a tomb–and that he walked out of that tomb on the third day after his death, as a…
I learned this single CORE idea from Jonathan Z. Smith, the greatest historian of religion of our time, during the first week of the first class I had from him at the University of Chicago called simply “Hellenistic Religion.” It remains the case that very few in my academic field…
NEW! The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus (New York: Knopf, 2025). Kindle and Audio. Also published by HarperCollins UK available on Amazon.co.uk serving United Kingdom, EU, and worldwide A world-renowned historian of early Christianity and ancient Judaism lifts the veil on the life of Mary—revealing her revolutionary role as…
Too long the origins of early Christianity and its development in late Roman antiquity has focused on ancient texts–to the neglect of important material evidence, particularly the considerable numismatic evidence of the period–and its relationship to astrological beliefs. The view arose that one’s fortune or destiny was determined by the…
Over the decades I have heard dozens of interviews with John Crossan, listened to his lectures, read his books, and spent time together in Jerusalem in 2007 with him and his wife Sarah, in endless conversation, visiting some of the “off the beaten tourist paths” places with Shimon Gibson. He…
Back in 1996 I began to develop a web site called “The Jewish Roman World of Jesus” to which I uploaded all sorts of original sources and handouts related to my my undergraduate and graduate classes. It was initially hosted and developed by my friend Mike McKinney, at CenturyOne.com.…
I am continuing to post the materials that I have used in my courses for 45 years now–free for anyone to see and use. You are welcome to print out, read, and share the link via social media, but please do not repost or reproduce without permission. Temples & Holy Places…
I am continuing to post the materials that I have used in my courses for 45 years now–free for anyone to see and use. You are welcome to print out, read, and share the link via social media, but please do not repost or reproduce without permission. One can compile a…