The Emperor's New Clothes

Christianity has long promoted itself as a religion based on historical events-the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. In this sweeping and highly readable book, Bill Johnston examines recent discoveries about the life and times of Jesus Christ and the great pagan religions which Christianity replaced. It turns out that almost nothing is actually known of Jesus, and that the Passion and Resurrection did not happen. What we call Christianity was invented well after Jesus' death by his followers, who were embroiled in unpleasant disputes between the brother of Jesus, known as James the Just, and the Apostle Paul. As the new religion expanded within the Roman Empire, it became more and more an amalgamation of pagan creeds, mimicking the worship of Dionysos, Osiris and others. A surprising and groundbreaking look at the origins of our religions and traditions.