The New Testament

Whether you consider it a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings that the world has ever known. Yet the New Testament is also among the most widely controversial and least clearly understood books in history. In these lectures, Professor Ehrman develops a carefully reasoned understanding of the New Testament - and the individuals and communities who created its texts. His approach is that of a historian, and the course suspends belief or disbelief to understand how, when, why, and by whom the New Testament was written in light of historical research. He also reviews key texts omitted from the New Testament. Many people remain unaware of how the New Testament was written and transmitted. This course draws on modern biblical scholarship, recent archaeological discoveries, and careful literary analysis to trace the history of the New Testament and of the early Christian faith community. Professor Ehrman brings impressive scholarly evidence to bear on the task of reconstructing the life and ministry of Jesus and the origins of Christianity in the decades before and during the composition of the books that make up the New Testament.