|
|
 |
Recommended Books
Most of the books below have a skeptical view of Christianity. I would guess that more books have been written about Christianity than any other topic. I've tried to list books that are current and excel in the area it covers.
If you purchase these books by clicking on the link here, a portion of the purchase is given to this site. Please support this site by purchasing the books using these links below. Thanks.
The God Who Wasn't There (DVD) by Brian Flemming.
This is a DVD. It's a 62 minute movie with 259 minutes of special features. This has Robert Price, Richard Carrier and Earl Doherty all in the same movie. It's a must have DVD.
Descriptioin
Holding modern Christianity up to a bright spotlight, this bold and often hilarious new film asks the questions few dare to ask.
Your guide through the world of Christendom is former fundamentalist Brian Flemming, joined by such luminaries as Jesus Seminar fellow Robert M. Price, professor Richard Dawkins, author Sam Harris and historian Richard Carrier. |
|
| Incredible Shrinking Son of Man by Robert Price. Book Description
What do the Gospels really reveal about the historical Jesus? Scholars have dissected the Gospels and other stories about Jesus for more than a century, attempting to determine their historical accuracy. Many experts today believe that the writings of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John cannot be taken as revelatory. A group of more than 100 scholars called the Jesus Seminar concluded that only about 18 percent of the Gospels is historically correct. Believing his Jesus Seminar colleagues "too critical," Robert M. Price presents THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING SON OF MAN, a balanced yet radically pessimistic new assessment of gospel historicity. While indebted to two centuries of scholarship, Price's latest book charts new territory, illustrating the virtual lack of historical information in the New Testament's Jesus stories. After an excellent introduction to the historical-critical method in language tailored to nonspecialists, Price analyzes sections of the Gospels, separating fact from fiction in all episodes of Jesus' life. Price examines both familiar parables and Jesus' teachings for authenticity, carefully studying miracle stories and drawing surprising conclusions. In addition, Price critically explores whether Jesus preached his Messiahship or predicted his own death as a means to save souls. Written for a general audience in a refreshing and accessible style, Price's highly informative discussion will interest anyone who has wondered about the origins of Christianity. |
|
| The Empty Tomb edited by Robert M. Price and Jeffery Jay Lowder. This book is written by a group of scholars who are currently tops in their fields. Highly recommended. Book Description
Did Jesus rise from the dead? Although 19th- and early 20th-century biblical scholarship dismissed the resurrection narratives as late, legendary accounts, Christian apologists in the late 20th century revived historical apologetics for the resurrection of Jesus with increasingly sophisticated arguments. A few critics have directly addressed some of the new arguments, but their response has been largely muted. The Empty Tomb scrutinizes the claims of leading Christian apologists and critiques their view of the resurrection as the best historical explanation. The contributors include New Testament scholars, philosophers, historians, and leading nontheists. They focus on the key questions relevant to assessing the historicity of the resurrection: What did the authors of the New Testament mean when they said Jesus rose from the dead? What historical evidence is needed to establish the resurrection? If there is a God, why would He resurrect Jesus? Was there an empty tomb? What should we make of the appearance stories? Apart from historical evidence, is belief in the resurrection justified? The Empty Tomb provides a sober, objective response to arguments offered in defense of Christianity’s central claim. |
|
| The History and Theology of the New Testament Writings (Paperback)
by Udo Schnelle I wish I would have had this book in Bible college. It very consisely provides the top issues to understand about the New Testament. Book Description
An introduction to the New Testament in classic format, Schnelle's book presents full and up-to-date information about the individual writings with respect to date, author, place of writing, structure of the document, current scholarships, themes and theological aims.
The book, intended to supersede W. G. Kmmel's introduction, informs the reader of all the important historical issues and describes the range of scholarly opinion and literature, preparing the reader to pass judgment. After providing an overview of the development of the New Testament canon, Schnelle then takes up, in turn: the letters of Paul, the Synoptic Gospels (including Q), Acts, the Deutero-Paulines, the Catholic letters, the Gospel of John, and Revelation. With extensive anglicized bibliographies. |
|
Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist (Paperback)
by Dan Barker
From the Back Cover
Losing Faith In Faith records Dan Barker's dramatic journey form devout soul-winner to one of America's most prominent freethinkers. After 19 years of preaching following his "calling" at age 15--including work as a missionary, ordained minister, associate pastor, touring evangelist, Christian songwriter and performer--Dan Barker "lost faith in faith." Today Barker, Public Relations Director of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., frequently represents freethought on the talkshow circuit and at personal appearances around the country. In Losing Faith In Faith, Barker explains why he left the ministry. He also offers a definitive, compelling analysis of why he rejects belief in a god and the claims of religion. He explores the fallacies, inconsistencies, and harm of Christian doctrine and theistic dogma. In its place, he issues an appealing and compassionate invocation of freethought, reason, and humanism. Losing Faith in Faith is both a challenge to believers and an arsenal for skeptics.
|
|
The Lost Gospel : The Book of Q and Christian Origins (Paperback)
by Burton L. Mack
From the Inside Flap
"Simply stunning in its erudition and winning in its style. Probably better than anyone before him, Burton Mack has allowed the novel voice of this lost gospel to be heard with clarity at the same time as he fixes its position in Mediterranean antiquity. His case is that the Sayings Gospel Q represents a key piece in the puzzle of Christian origins is compelling; equally powerful is his account of what difference Q makes to the understanding of Christian origins." (John S. Kloppenborg, author of Q Parallels)
This is the first full account of the lost gospel of Jesus' original followers, revealing him to be a Jewish Socrates who was mythologized into the New Testament Christ. Compiled by his followers during his lifetime, the Book of Q (from Quelle, German for source) became the prime foundation for the New Testament gospels. Once lost, it has been reconstructed through a century of scholarship. In presenting his own translation, Burton Mack explains how the text of Q was determined and explores the implications of the discovery that Jesus was transformed into the dying and rising messianic savior of Christianity by the New Testament gospels.
Instead of telling a dramatic story about Jesus' life as the Christian gospels do, the Book of Q contained only his sayings. The first followers of Jesus focused not upon his life and destiny, but on the social experiment called for by his teachings. Their book collected his proverbs, aphorisms, and parables to offer instruction in living authentically in the midst of a most confusing time.
|
|
Who Wrote the New Testament? : The Making of the Christian Myth (Paperback)
by Burton L. Mack
Book Description
In this groundbreaking and controversial book, Burton Mack brilliantly exposes how the Gospels are fictional mythologies created by different communities for various purposes and are only distantly related to the actual historical Jesus. Mack's innovative scholarship'which boldly challenges traditional Christian understanding'will change the way you approach the New Testament and think about how Christianity arose. |
|
Can We Trust the New Testament?: Thoughts on the Reliability of Early Christian Testimony (Paperback)
by G. A. Wells
Book Description
Can We Trust the New Testament? questions the historical accuracy of widely held views of early Christianity. In this book radical Bible scholar G. A. Wells examines Biblical accounts of the lives of the apostles Peter and Paul and presents evidence that the events described in the New Testament were written over time to support the agendas of the Christian church. He embarks on a close analysis of the Book of Acts, questioning its authorship and casting doubt on the events it and the gospels describe. |
|
The Bible with Sources Revealed (Hardcover)
by Richard E. Friedman
This book is essential to your library.
Book Description
For centuries, biblical scholars have worked on discovering how the Bible came to be. The consensus that emerged from experts of various traditions was the Documentary Hypothesis: the idea that ancient writers produced documents of poetry, prose, and law over many hundreds of years, which editors then used as sources to fashion the books of the Bible that people have read for the last two thousand years. In The Bible with Sources Revealed, Richard Elliott Friedman, one of the world's foremost experts on the Bible and author of the bestselling Who Wrote the Bible?, offers a new visual presentation of the Five Books of Moses -- Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy -- unlocking their complex and fascinating tapestry of sources. Different colors and type styles allow readers to easily identify each of the distinct sources, showcasing Friedman's highly acclaimed and dynamic translation.
This unique Bible provides a new means to explore the riches of scripture by:
* Making it possible to read the source texts individually, to see their artistry, their views of God, Israel, and humankind, and their connection to their moment in history;
* Presenting the largest collection of evidence ever assembled for establishing and explaining the Documentary Hypothesis;
* Showing visually how the Bible was formed out of these sources; and
* Helping readers appreciate that the Bible is a rich, complex, beautiful work as a result of the extraordinary way in which it was created.
Now everyone can explore these rich resources. This new version will forever change the way you understand the Five Books of Moses.
|
|
The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts (Paperback)*
by Neil Asher Silberman (Author), Israel Finkelstein
*See link below for hardcover edition
Book Description
In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible -- the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua's conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon's vast empire -- reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts. Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today. |
|
The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts (Hardcover edition)
by Neil Asher Silberman (Author), Israel Finkelstein
Same as above in hardcover. |
|
Freethinkers : A History of American Secularism (Paperback)*
by Susan Jacoby
See link below for hardcover.
Book Description
"Jacoby accomplishes her task with clarity, thoroughness, and an engaging passion."
-Los Angeles Times Book Review
At a time when the separation of church and state is under attack as never before, Freethinkers offers a powerful defense of the secularist heritage that gave Americans the first government in the world founded not on the authority of religion but on the bedrock of human reason. In impassioned, elegant prose, celebrated author Susan Jacoby traces more than two hundred years of secularist activism, beginning with the fierce debate over the omission of God from the Constitution. Moving from nineteenth-century abolitionism and suffragism through the twentieth century's civil liberties, civil rights, and feminist movements, Freethinkers illuminates the neglected achievements of secularists who, allied with tolerant believers, have led the battle for reform in the past and today.
Rich with such iconic figures as Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Paine, and the once-famous Robert Green Ingersoll, Freethinkers restores to history the passionate humanists who struggled against those who would undermine the combination of secular government and religious liberty that is the glory of the American system.
|
|
Freethinkers : A History of American Secularism (Hardcover)
by Susan Jacoby
Same as above in hardcover. |
|
|
More book recommendations coming soon... |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
| Description |
|
|
|
|
