Jesus" ... - The Jesus Mysteries : Was The "original

The authors contend that early Christianity was essentially a Jewish adaptation of the ancient .

: For a defense of the historical Jesus, retailers like Penguin Random House or Strand Book Store offer the book, while scholars like Bart Ehrman (in Did Jesus Exist? ) provide counter-arguments to the mythicist position.

Did Jesus Exist? | Notes & Review - vialogue - WordPress.com The Jesus mysteries : was the "original Jesus" ...

: Critics point out that the authors often cite no primary ancient sources for their claims about "standard" godman myths.

: They argue the Gospels were never intended as eyewitness history. Instead, they were "Outer Mysteries" (spiritual allegories) designed to guide beginners toward "Inner Mysteries" or secret mystical knowledge (Gnosis). The authors contend that early Christianity was essentially

: Many alleged parallels between Jesus and figures like Horus or Mithras are considered by scholars to be based on selective descriptions or later Christian influence rather than pre-Christian pagan origins. Related Reading

: The vast majority of scholars maintain that Jesus was a real historical figure, citing early independent sources like the letters of Paul and non-Christian references from Josephus and Tacitus. Did Jesus Exist

: The book suggests that "Literalist" Christians later took these allegories as historical facts and brutally suppressed the original Gnostic "True Christians". Critical Reception and Scholarship