*Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth*
by Reza Aslan. It’s an interesting historical review of Jesus’ life and the creation of Christianity.
BirdAndWords on
A single book won’t be very helpful. Books on The Ecumenical Councils are essential but pretty dry (these councils voted on which books to include, which to alter, voted on if Jesus was divine etc). There are books on sexual mysticism that will cover some of the early Christian sex magic rituals. Books on Roman history will help explain the destruction of temples and attacks on other religions that led to some Christians being put in the gladiatorial games (no they were persecuted because of their faith). I haven’t found any single book that covers all of this.
You should also read the Apocrypha which includes many more gospels etc that were cited out of canon (many times because they contradicted the gospels accepted today)
I’d also suggest reading a good translation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible as it is the least changed and they were the first surviving group to leave the church. Most other early break off or groups that didn’t participate in the early ecumenical councils were wiped out
3 Comments
the bible?
*Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth*
by Reza Aslan. It’s an interesting historical review of Jesus’ life and the creation of Christianity.
A single book won’t be very helpful. Books on The Ecumenical Councils are essential but pretty dry (these councils voted on which books to include, which to alter, voted on if Jesus was divine etc). There are books on sexual mysticism that will cover some of the early Christian sex magic rituals. Books on Roman history will help explain the destruction of temples and attacks on other religions that led to some Christians being put in the gladiatorial games (no they were persecuted because of their faith). I haven’t found any single book that covers all of this.
You should also read the Apocrypha which includes many more gospels etc that were cited out of canon (many times because they contradicted the gospels accepted today)
I’d also suggest reading a good translation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible as it is the least changed and they were the first surviving group to leave the church. Most other early break off or groups that didn’t participate in the early ecumenical councils were wiped out