The Bible
What Everyone Needs to Know
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
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Jim Denison
-
By:
-
Michael Coogan
About this listen
The Bible is the most influential book in Western history. As the foundational text of Judaism and Christianity, the Bible has been interpreted and reinterpreted over millennia, utilized to promote a seemingly endless run of theological and political positions. Adherents and detractors alike point to different passages throughout to justify wildly disparate behaviors and beliefs. Translated and retranslated, these texts lead both to unity and intense conflict.
Influential books on any topic are typically called "bibles." What is the Bible? As a text considered sacred by some, its stories and language appear throughout the fine arts and popular culture, from Shakespeare to Saturday Night Live. In Michael Coogan's eagerly awaited addition to Oxford's What Everyone Needs to Know series, conflicts and controversies surrounding the world's best-selling book are addressed in a straightforward Q&A format. This book provides an unbiased look at biblical authority and authorship, the Bible's influence in Western culture, the disputes over meaning and interpretation, and the state of biblical scholarship today. Brimming with information for the student and the expert alike, The Bible: What Everyone Needs to Know is a dependable introduction to a most contentious holy book.
©2020 Oxford University Press (P)2021 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Old Testament
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Michael Coogan
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 4 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eminent biblical scholar Michael D. Coogan offers here a wide-ranging and stimulating exploration of the Old Testament, illuminating its importance as history, literature, and sacred text.
-
-
A perfect way to quickly familiarise oneself with an influential anthology of ancient Jewish literature.
- By Gdrs on 10-20-24
By: Michael Coogan
-
The Unseen Realm
- By: Dr. Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Unseen Realm, Dr. Michael Heiser examines the ancient context of scripture, explaining how its supernatural worldview can help us grow in our understanding of God. He illuminates intriguing and amazing passages of the Bible that have been hiding in plain sight. You'll find yourself engaged in an enthusiastic pursuit of the truth, resulting in a new appreciation for God's word.
-
-
But the paper book.
- By garth jeffcoat on 05-26-18
-
Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God’s Heavenly Host
- By: Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his latest book, Angels, Dr. Heiser reveals what the Bible really says about God's supernatural servants. Heiser focuses on loyal, holy heavenly beings because the Bible has a lot more to say about them than most people suspect. Most people presume all there is to know about angels is what has been passed on in Christian tradition, but in reality, that tradition is quite incomplete and often inaccurate. Angels is not guided by traditions, stories, speculations, or myths about angels.
-
-
Excellent Content from Heiser, Painful Narration
- By Amy Nix on 12-05-19
-
Demons
- What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness
- By: Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Are demons real? Are they red creatures with goatees holding pitchforks and sitting on people's shoulders while whispering bad things? Did a third of the angels really rebel with Satan? Are demons and "principalities and powers" just terms for the same entities, or are they different members of the kingdom of darkness? Is the world a chaotic mess because of what happened in Eden, or is there more to the story of evil? In Demons, Michael Heiser debunks popular presuppositions about the very real powers of darkness.
-
-
another stellar work from Heiser
- By Amazon Customer on 02-21-21
-
The Bible Is a Catholic Book
- By: Jimmy Akin
- Narrated by: Jimmy Akin
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Bible Is a Catholic Book, Jimmy Akin shows how the Bible cannot exist apart from the church. In its origins and its formulation, in the truths it contains, in its careful preservation over the centuries, and in the prayerful study and elucidation of its mysteries, Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism. This is fitting, since both come from God for our salvation. If you're a Catholic who sometimes gets intimidated by the Bible, The Bible Is a Catholic Book will help you better understand and take pride in this gift that God gave the world through the church.
-
-
Excellent!!! Must read
- By Michael on 10-01-19
By: Jimmy Akin
-
Why I Trust the Bible
- Answers to Real Questions and Doubts People Have About the Bible
- By: William D. Mounce
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Why I Trust the Bible, one of the world's foremost Bible scholars and translators explains simply and clearly why, despite critiques from nearly every angle, he still trusts his Bible - and why you can, too.
-
-
Mounce Takes On Critics Head On!
- By Don D., Jesus Follower on 12-21-21
-
The Old Testament
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Michael Coogan
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 4 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eminent biblical scholar Michael D. Coogan offers here a wide-ranging and stimulating exploration of the Old Testament, illuminating its importance as history, literature, and sacred text.
-
-
A perfect way to quickly familiarise oneself with an influential anthology of ancient Jewish literature.
- By Gdrs on 10-20-24
By: Michael Coogan
-
The Unseen Realm
- By: Dr. Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Unseen Realm, Dr. Michael Heiser examines the ancient context of scripture, explaining how its supernatural worldview can help us grow in our understanding of God. He illuminates intriguing and amazing passages of the Bible that have been hiding in plain sight. You'll find yourself engaged in an enthusiastic pursuit of the truth, resulting in a new appreciation for God's word.
-
-
But the paper book.
- By garth jeffcoat on 05-26-18
-
Angels: What the Bible Really Says About God’s Heavenly Host
- By: Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his latest book, Angels, Dr. Heiser reveals what the Bible really says about God's supernatural servants. Heiser focuses on loyal, holy heavenly beings because the Bible has a lot more to say about them than most people suspect. Most people presume all there is to know about angels is what has been passed on in Christian tradition, but in reality, that tradition is quite incomplete and often inaccurate. Angels is not guided by traditions, stories, speculations, or myths about angels.
-
-
Excellent Content from Heiser, Painful Narration
- By Amy Nix on 12-05-19
-
Demons
- What the Bible Really Says About the Powers of Darkness
- By: Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Gordon Greenhill
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Are demons real? Are they red creatures with goatees holding pitchforks and sitting on people's shoulders while whispering bad things? Did a third of the angels really rebel with Satan? Are demons and "principalities and powers" just terms for the same entities, or are they different members of the kingdom of darkness? Is the world a chaotic mess because of what happened in Eden, or is there more to the story of evil? In Demons, Michael Heiser debunks popular presuppositions about the very real powers of darkness.
-
-
another stellar work from Heiser
- By Amazon Customer on 02-21-21
-
The Bible Is a Catholic Book
- By: Jimmy Akin
- Narrated by: Jimmy Akin
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Bible Is a Catholic Book, Jimmy Akin shows how the Bible cannot exist apart from the church. In its origins and its formulation, in the truths it contains, in its careful preservation over the centuries, and in the prayerful study and elucidation of its mysteries, Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism. This is fitting, since both come from God for our salvation. If you're a Catholic who sometimes gets intimidated by the Bible, The Bible Is a Catholic Book will help you better understand and take pride in this gift that God gave the world through the church.
-
-
Excellent!!! Must read
- By Michael on 10-01-19
By: Jimmy Akin
-
Why I Trust the Bible
- Answers to Real Questions and Doubts People Have About the Bible
- By: William D. Mounce
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Why I Trust the Bible, one of the world's foremost Bible scholars and translators explains simply and clearly why, despite critiques from nearly every angle, he still trusts his Bible - and why you can, too.
-
-
Mounce Takes On Critics Head On!
- By Don D., Jesus Follower on 12-21-21
-
Reversing Hermon
- Enoch, the Watchers, and the Forgotten Mission of Jesus Christ
- By: Michael S. Heiser
- Narrated by: Michael Duty
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is an academic work describing how the New Testament writers re-purpose Genesis 6:1-5 in their presentation of Jesus as messiah. Though every topic addressed in Reversing Hermon can be found in scholarly academic literature, Reversing Hermon is the first book to gather this information and make it accessible to Bible students everywhere. The book also includes lengthy appendices on the ancient debate on the inspiration of the book of 1 Enoch, New Testament allusions to the book, and academic resources.
-
-
Put Away Your Preconceptions
- By Genesis 6 Man on 01-01-21
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Wishing for a bit more meat on the bones
- By Darwin8u on 04-09-14
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Just Okay.
- By Thom on 10-28-21
-
The Epic of Eden
- A Christian Entry into the Old Testament
- By: Sandra L. Richter
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Does your knowledge of the Old Testament feel like a grab bag of people, books, events, and ideas? How many times have you resolved to really understand the OT? To finally make sense of it? Perhaps you are suffering from what Sandra Richter calls the "dysfunctional closet syndrome". If so, she has a solution. Like a home-organizing expert, she comes in and helps you straighten up your cluttered closet. Whether you are a frustrated do-it-yourselfer or a beginning student enrolled in a course, The Epic of Eden will organize your understanding of the Old Testament.
-
-
Loved it so much I read it twice
- By Nova D. Holme on 08-04-19
-
Can We Trust the Gospels?
- By: Peter J. Williams
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John - are four accounts of Jesus' life and teachings while on earth. But should we accept them as historically accurate? What evidence is there that the recorded events actually happened? Presenting a case for the historical reliability of the Gospels, New Testament scholar Peter Williams examines evidence from non-Christian sources, assesses how accurately the four biblical accounts reflect the cultural context of their day, compares different accounts of the same events, and more.
-
-
A great (and concise) deep dive
- By EastCountyBooks on 08-28-23
-
Joy to the World
- How Christ's Coming Changed Everything (and Still Does)
- By: Scott Hahn
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What could be more familiar than the Christmas story - and yet what could be more extraordinary? The cast of characters is strange and exotic: shepherds and magicians, an emperor and a despot, angels, and a baby who is Almighty God. The strangeness calls for an explanation, and this book provides it by examining the characters and the story in light of the biblical and historical context.
-
-
Joyful
- By mgh on 12-29-14
By: Scott Hahn
-
God and Empire
- Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now
- By: John Dominic Crossan
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Smart Book
- By Wesley Bishop on 07-01-22
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Very detailed analysis with a clear conclusion
- By E. Moore on 07-09-15
By: Richard Carrier
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Marcus Borg's level of scholarship
- By Diana Johnson on 11-08-24
By: Marcus J. Borg
-
How We Got Our Bible
- By: Chuck Missler
- Narrated by: Chuck Missler
- Length: 2 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Chuck Missler, an internationally recognized biblical authority, reviews the origin of both the Old and New Testaments in light of recent discoveries and controversies.
-
-
Highly recommend!
- By MDG on 03-20-21
By: Chuck Missler
-
Jesus
- The Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary
- By: Marcus J. Borg
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Come to know Jesus as you have never known him before: as a revolutionary prophet with an exciting new moral vision. Top biblical scholar Marcus J. Borg, after a lifetime of work and study, presents a historically accurate Jesus unlike any we have previously seen. This Christ is a charismatic sage and healer who courageously and surprisingly confronts the societal crises of his day, a man living in the power of the spirit and dedicated to radical social change.
-
-
great for esoteric students
- By C-FREE on 07-20-16
By: Marcus J. Borg
-
The Bible for Dummies
- By: Jeffrey Geoghegan, Michael Homan
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 18 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ninety percent of Americans own a copy of the Bible, and while it's the most widely read book, it's also the least understood. Regardless of your religion, understanding the Bible brings much of Western art, literature, and public discourse into greater focus. The Bible for Dummies appeals to people of all faiths, as well as those who don't practice any particular religion, by providing interfaith coverage of the entire Bible and the often fascinating background information that makes the Bible come alive.
-
-
Welcome, Dummies, to Audiobooks!
- By PaganDeva2000 on 09-25-19
By: Jeffrey Geoghegan, and others
Related to this topic
-
Whose Bible Is It?
- A History of the Scriptures Through the Ages
- By: Jaroslav Pelikan
- Narrated by: Paul Hecht
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Winner of the John W. Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Human Sciences, Jaroslav Pelikan is Professor Emeritus of history at Yale University and past president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This examination of the history of the Bible reflects half a century of study and research by the author. In Whose Bible Is It?, Pelikan traces the transformation of the Bible from its earliest oral traditions to its modern forms.
-
-
Too Verbose Not Enough "Big Picture" Bible History
- By Stephen on 07-05-11
By: Jaroslav Pelikan
-
Don't Know Much about the Bible
- Everything You Need to Know About the Good Book but Never Learned
- By: Kenneth C. Davis
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey, Lorna Raver
- Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bringing to life the world of the Old and New Testaments, the acclaimed creator of the bestselling Don’t Know Much About® series transforms dry, difficult reading into colorful and realistic accounts. Relying on new research and improved translations, Kenneth C. Davis uncovers some amazing questions and contradictions about what the Bible really says: Jericho’s walls may have tumbled down because the city lies on a fault line; Moses never parted the Red Sea; There was a Jesus, but he wasn’t born on Christmas and he probably wasn't an only child....
-
-
decent survey of the topic
- By bookouri on 02-02-14
By: Kenneth C. Davis
-
The Lost Gospel
- Decoding the Ancient Text That Reveals Jesus' Marriage to Mary the Magdalene
- By: Simcha Jacobovici, Barrie Wilson
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Waiting to be rediscovered in the British Library is an ancient manuscript of the early Church, copied by an anonymous monk. The manuscript is at least 1,450 years old, possibly dating to the first century, Jesus' lifetime. And now, The Lost Gospel provides the first-ever translation from Syriac into English of this unique document that tells the inside story of Jesus' social, family, and political life. The Lost Gospel takes listeners on an unparalleled historical adventure through a paradigm-shifting manuscript.
-
-
Very well-crafted but uses lot of sketchy material
- By Leifen on 01-09-18
By: Simcha Jacobovici, and others
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Just Okay.
- By Thom on 10-28-21
-
Jesus
- Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
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
-
Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dan Brown's immensely popular New York Times best-selling The Da Vinci Code is one of the most successful books of recent history. It has captivated millions the world over with its enthralling suspense and its provocative questions about the true nature of Jesus' life.
-
-
A historian's approach to the Da Vinci code
- By John Mertus on 01-23-05
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
Whose Bible Is It?
- A History of the Scriptures Through the Ages
- By: Jaroslav Pelikan
- Narrated by: Paul Hecht
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Winner of the John W. Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Human Sciences, Jaroslav Pelikan is Professor Emeritus of history at Yale University and past president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This examination of the history of the Bible reflects half a century of study and research by the author. In Whose Bible Is It?, Pelikan traces the transformation of the Bible from its earliest oral traditions to its modern forms.
-
-
Too Verbose Not Enough "Big Picture" Bible History
- By Stephen on 07-05-11
By: Jaroslav Pelikan
-
Don't Know Much about the Bible
- Everything You Need to Know About the Good Book but Never Learned
- By: Kenneth C. Davis
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey, Lorna Raver
- Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bringing to life the world of the Old and New Testaments, the acclaimed creator of the bestselling Don’t Know Much About® series transforms dry, difficult reading into colorful and realistic accounts. Relying on new research and improved translations, Kenneth C. Davis uncovers some amazing questions and contradictions about what the Bible really says: Jericho’s walls may have tumbled down because the city lies on a fault line; Moses never parted the Red Sea; There was a Jesus, but he wasn’t born on Christmas and he probably wasn't an only child....
-
-
decent survey of the topic
- By bookouri on 02-02-14
By: Kenneth C. Davis
-
The Lost Gospel
- Decoding the Ancient Text That Reveals Jesus' Marriage to Mary the Magdalene
- By: Simcha Jacobovici, Barrie Wilson
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Waiting to be rediscovered in the British Library is an ancient manuscript of the early Church, copied by an anonymous monk. The manuscript is at least 1,450 years old, possibly dating to the first century, Jesus' lifetime. And now, The Lost Gospel provides the first-ever translation from Syriac into English of this unique document that tells the inside story of Jesus' social, family, and political life. The Lost Gospel takes listeners on an unparalleled historical adventure through a paradigm-shifting manuscript.
-
-
Very well-crafted but uses lot of sketchy material
- By Leifen on 01-09-18
By: Simcha Jacobovici, and others
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Just Okay.
- By Thom on 10-28-21
-
Jesus
- Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
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
-
Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code
- By: Bart D. Ehrman
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dan Brown's immensely popular New York Times best-selling The Da Vinci Code is one of the most successful books of recent history. It has captivated millions the world over with its enthralling suspense and its provocative questions about the true nature of Jesus' life.
-
-
A historian's approach to the Da Vinci code
- By John Mertus on 01-23-05
By: Bart D. Ehrman
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Marcus Borg's level of scholarship
- By Diana Johnson on 11-08-24
By: Marcus J. Borg
-
Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy
- A Journey into a New Christianity Through the Doorway of Matthew's Gospel
- By: John Shelby Spong
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A man who has consciously and deliberately walked the path of Christ, John Shelby Spong has lived his entire life inside the Christian Church. In this profound and considered work, he offers a radical new way to look at the gospels today as he shows just how deeply Jewish the Christian Gospels are and how much they reflect the Jewish scriptures, history, and patterns of worship.
-
-
understanding the jewish thoughts in the Gospels
- By John on 08-30-18
-
A History of Judaism
- By: Martin Goodman
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 23 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and it has preserved its distinctive identity despite the extraordinarily diverse forms and beliefs it has embodied over the course of more than three millennia. A History of Judaism provides the first truly comprehensive look in one volume at how this great religion came to be, how it has evolved from one age to the next, and how its various strains, sects, and traditions have related to each other.
-
-
Not easy to follow.
- By Max on 03-12-19
By: Martin Goodman
-
God and Empire
- Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now
- By: John Dominic Crossan
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Smart Book
- By Wesley Bishop on 07-01-22
-
When God Spoke Greek
- The Septuagint and the Making of the Christian Bible
- By: Timothy Michael Law
- Narrated by: Stephen McLaughlin
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Septuagint, the name given to the translation of the Hebrew scriptures between the third century BC and the second century AD, played a central role in the Bible's history. Many of the Hebrew scriptures were still evolving when they were translated into Greek, and these Greek translations, along with several new Greek writings, became Holy Scripture in the early Church. Yet gradually the Septuagint lost its place at the heart of Western Christianity.
-
-
A popular & much-needed intro to the Septuagint
- By Jacobus on 06-14-14
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
life is one big lie
- By Anonymous User on 12-25-19
By: James S. Valliant, and others
-
Paul and Jesus
- How the Apostle Transformed Christianity
- By: James D. Tabor
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Historians know virtually nothing about the two decades following the crucifixion of Jesus, when his followers regrouped and began to spread his message. During this time the man we know as the apostle Paul joined the movement and began to preach to the gentiles. Using the oldest Christian documents that we have - the letters of Paul - as well as other early Christian sources, historian and scholar James Tabor reconstructs the origins of Christianity.
-
-
Paul or Jesus?
- By James on 01-29-13
By: James D. Tabor
-
The Exodus
- By: Richard Elliott Friedman
- Narrated by: Richard Elliott Friedman
- Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
It started well......
- By kboy2008 on 04-21-20
-
Hidden But Now Revealed
- A Biblical Theology of Mystery
- By: G. K. Beale, Benjamin L. Gladd
- Narrated by: Michael Quinlan
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This audiobook explores the biblical conception of mystery as an initial, partially hidden revelation that is subsequently more fully revealed, shedding light not only on the richness of the concept itself, but also on the broader relationship between the Old and New Testaments. Exploring all the occurrences of the term mystery in the New Testament and the topics found in conjunction with them, this work unpacks how the New Testament writers understood the issue of continuity and discontinuity.
-
-
Disappointing!
- By Paul F. Evans on 11-14-15
By: G. K. Beale, and others
-
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
Good content, rather poor presentation by narrator
- By J_T on 12-28-16
By: Joel M. Hoffman
-
The Misunderstood Jew
- The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus
- By: Amy Jill Levine
- Narrated by: Donna Postel
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Misunderstood Jew, scholar Amy-Jill Levine helps Christians and Jews understand the "Jewishness" of Jesus so that their appreciation of him deepens and a greater interfaith dialogue can take place. Levine's humor and informed truth - telling provokes honest conversation and debate about how Christians and Jews should understand Jesus, the New Testament, and each other.
-
-
Courageous
- By Tad Davis on 07-27-17
By: Amy Jill Levine
-
James, the Brother of Jesus
- The Key to Unlocking the Secrets of Early Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls
- By: Robert Eisenman
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 43 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
James was a vegetarian, wore only linen clothing, bathed daily at dawn in cold water, and was a life-long Nazirite. In this profound and provocative work of scholarly detection, eminent biblical scholar Robert Eisenman introduces a startling theory about the identity of James - the brother of Jesus - who was almost entirely marginalized in the New Testament.
-
-
Regretable. Hard to follow. Repetitive.
- By Jimi on 08-18-17
By: Robert Eisenman