Lost Christianities: Christian Scriptures and the Battles over Authentication

Course Overview

Discover the myriad works of early Christianity that failed to make the official canon and became part of the Bible in this course by best-selling author and Professor Bart D. Ehrman.

What alternative Scriptures were followed by early Christians? Do they still exist today? How could these outlandish ideas ever be considered Christian? Through 24 engaging lectures, you will delve into these provocative questions and the extraordinary narratives of Christianity’s past.

Professor Ehrman guides you through the struggles of early Christians, revealing that many battles were fought not against pagans but among different Christian sects. Learn about the diverse beliefs of groups like the Ebionites, Marcionites, and Gnostics, and explore the text they valued, such as the Gnostic Gospel of Truth and the Infancy Gospels. This course provides a fascinating look at religious ideologies that shaped Christianity while offering insights into what might have been included in the biblical canon.

Video Lecture List

1. The Diversity of Early Christianity

• 32 min
• Explore the fundamental issues surrounding early Christian beliefs and their diversity.

1. Christians Who Would Be Jews

• 31 min
• Introduce the Ebionites, a Jewish sect that saw Jesus as the Messiah while adhering to Jewish practices.

1. Christians Who Refuse To Be Jews

• 31 min
• Examine the Marcionites’ beliefs, which rejected Jewish texts and traditions.

1. Early Gnostic Christianity-Our Sources

• 30 min
• Discuss the Gnostics and their emphasis on secret knowledge for salvation.

1. Early Christian Gnosticism-An Overview

• 31 min
• Gain insights into the origins and teachings of early Gnostic religions.

1. The Gnostic Gospel of Truth

• 31 min
• Analyze the Gnostic Gospel of Truth and its contrasting views on creation and salvation.

1. Gnostics Explain Themselves

• 31 min
• Explore writings explaining Gnostic beliefs to outsiders and their interpretations of biblical texts.

1. The Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• 31 min
• Discover the Gospel of Thomas and its significant contributions to Gnostic thought.

1. Thomas’ Gnostic Teachings

• 31 min
• Delve into the teachings of the Gospel of Thomas regarding salvation and enlightenment.

1. Infancy Gospels

• 31 min
• Explore early Gospels that document Jesus’s infancy and childhood.

(…Continued through all 24 lectures)