The Historical Jesus: Lecture Series by Professor Bart D. Ehrman

Discover what historians really know about Jesus of Nazareth in this in-depth lecture series by Bart D. Ehrman.

In The Historical Jesus, New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman examines one of history’s most debated figures, Jesus of Nazareth, not through theology or faith but through the lens of historical inquiry. He draws on ancient texts, linguistic evidence, and cultural context to reconstruct the world Jesus lived in and to explore what can genuinely be known about his life and message.

Throughout the lectures, Ehrman explains the difference between the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith. He analyzes the earliest sources, including the Gospels, noncanonical writings, and early historians, to show how oral traditions evolved into written narratives and how different audiences shaped each portrayal of Jesus. He also explores how myth and memory became intertwined over time.

Key topics include the Roman and Jewish world of the first century, the historical methods used to separate fact from later theological development, the sayings and parables most likely to trace back to Jesus himself, and the events leading to his crucifixion along with the origins of resurrection belief.

Ehrman’s approach is both scholarly and accessible. He provides a clear picture of what historians can and cannot claim about Jesus. Rather than challenging faith, The Historical Jesus encourages deeper understanding of how one man’s teachings grew into a movement that reshaped world history.

About the Author:
Bart D. Ehrman is a leading scholar of early Christianity and the New Testament. He is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he has taught since 1988. Ehrman earned his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary and is known for his rigorous historical approach to the study of Christian origins.

He has written extensively on the historical Jesus, the development of early Christian doctrine, and the transmission of biblical texts. His works include Misquoting Jesus, Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millennium, and Lost Christianities. Ehrman’s research often focuses on how religious beliefs were shaped, preserved, and transformed in the centuries following Jesus’s death.

A frequent lecturer and commentator, Ehrman is recognized for making complex scholarship accessible to general audiences. His courses with The Great Courses and his public writings emphasize critical thinking, historical evidence, and an appreciation for the diversity of early Christian thought.

While his findings sometimes challenge traditional interpretations, Ehrman’s goal is not to promote disbelief but to help readers understand how historical methods can illuminate one of the most influential figures in human history. His balanced, factual style makes him one of the most widely read historians of religion in the modern era.

Source: https://archive.org/details/B-001-001-274