An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List

288: Jesus Christ: The History (Part 2)

December 22, 2022

Description

Join Tom and Dominic for the second of two episodes on 'Historical Jesus'. They discuss scepticism around his existence, the theories about resurrection and crucifixion, and the role of his...
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Books Referenced

The Twelve Caesars

Author: Suetonius

Context:

Referenced when discussing parallels between the birth narrative of Jesus and similar prodigies told about Augustus's birth, including a story from a freedman named Julius Marathus about a prophecy of a future king

The Quest of the Historical Jesus

Author: Albert Schweitzer

Context:

Referenced when discussing the eschatological interpretation of Jesus's teachings - 'that's what Albert Schweitzer argued at the beginning of the 20th century'

The True Word

Author: Celsus

Context:

Referenced as an ancient critic of Christianity whose work is known through Origen's response, including claims that Jesus's followers were ignorant peasants prone to hallucinations

Gospel of Basilides

Author: Basilides

Context:

Referenced as containing an alternative theory that Simon of Cyrene was crucified instead of Jesus

The Man Who Died

Author: D.H. Lawrence

Context:

Referenced as a story in which Jesus survives crucifixion and 'wakes up and kind of totters off'

The Golden Bough

Author: James George Frazer

Context:

Referenced twice in discussion of Victorian-era theories comparing Jesus's resurrection to mythological figures like Osiris and Adonis

The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross

Author: John Marco Allegro

Context:

Referenced as a theory from 'a very distinguished scholar of the Dead Sea Scrolls' who claimed Christianity originated from a magic mushroom cult