Lost Christianities

The lecture at UNCA is introduced by Kate Peters, who welcomes attendees on behalf of multiple programs and introduces the speaker, Dr. Bart Ehrman. She outlines the format of the evening, which includes an hour-long lecture followed by a Q&A session. The introduction also includes a brief mention of the lecture's topic, 'Lost Christianities,' and an acknowledgment of the audience's participation guidelines.

Dr. Bart Ehrman begins his lecture by thanking the organizers and setting the stage for his talk. He discusses the difference between delivering a lecture in person and recording for The Teaching Company, highlighting the absence of direct audience interaction in the latter. Ehrman then introduces the topic of his lecture, 'Lost Christianities,' and mentions his extensive work on the subject, including a 24-lecture series. He also humorously notes the challenge of condensing a comprehensive course into a single hour-long presentation.

Dr. Ehrman discusses the significance of the Nag Hammadi Library discovered in 1945 near Nag Hammadi, Egypt. The discovery was made by local field hands, including a man named Muhammad Ali, who initially thought the jar they found contained gold or a genie. Instead, it held 13 leather-bound books of papyrus texts. The story of the discovery is intertwined with local intrigue, including a blood feud and murder, which led to the books being taken to Cairo for safekeeping. Scholars later identified the texts as ancient, some dating back to the first century, and at odds with the New Testament, representing the beliefs of Gnostic Christians.

The lecture delves into the diversity of early Christian beliefs, highlighting that Christianity was not a monolithic faith but rather a collection of diverse and sometimes conflicting sects. Ehrman explains that the term 'Christianities' is used to reflect this diversity. He discusses the theological spectrum, ranging from monotheistic beliefs to groups that believed in multiple gods, and the various interpretations of Jesus' nature and the purpose of his death. The discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library underscores this diversity, as it contains texts that challenge the orthodox views that came to dominate Christianity.

Ehrman introduces the Ebionites, a Jewish-Christian sect that believed in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah but maintained Jewish laws and customs. The Ebionites followed a strict monotheism, rejecting the idea that Jesus was divine, as they believed this would imply the existence of two gods. They held that Jesus was a very righteous man, chosen by God at his baptism to fulfill a mission that ultimately led to his death and resurrection. The Ebionites claimed their beliefs were the original teachings of Jesus' disciples, particularly James, the brother of Jesus, and used a form of the Gospel of Matthew without the first two chapters, which describe the virgin birth.

The Marcionites, followers of the second-century theologian Marcion, are discussed as a sect with a dualistic view of gods. Marcion believed that the god of the Old Testament was different from the god of the New Testament, with the former being associated with wrath and the latter with love and mercy. Marcionites rejected the Hebrew scriptures and believed that Jesus, as the savior from the wrathful god, could not have been human in the traditional sense. Instead, they believed Jesus only appeared to be human, as he was divine and free from the material world. Marcion's canon included the Gospel of Luke and the writings of Paul, excluding the pastoral epistles.

Gnostic Christians are introduced as individuals who claimed to possess special knowledge, or 'gnosis,' that could liberate them from the material world, which they viewed as inherently evil. Gnostics believed that the material world was created by a false god and that human bodies were prisons for divine sparks. They believed that Jesus Christ came to reveal the secret knowledge necessary for salvation. Gnostic texts, such as the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of Mary, supported their beliefs and were discovered in the Nag Hammadi Library.

The lecture concludes with a discussion of the Orthodox group, which eventually became the dominant form of Christianity. This group held a paradoxical christology, believing that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine. They believed in one God, the same God of both the Old and New Testaments, and that salvation comes through Jesus' death on the cross. The Orthodox party decided the canon of scripture, applying criteria such as antiquity, apostolicity, widespread use, and alignment with Orthodox beliefs. The first listing of the 27 books of the New Testament was by Athanasius in 367 AD, though debates continued for centuries after.

The Q&A session begins with a question about the Gospel of Mary and its relation to the popularity of the Da Vinci Code. Dr. Ehrman explains the Gnostic document's significance and its portrayal of Mary Magdalene as a recipient of secret knowledge from Jesus. He also mentions his upcoming lectures on the historical context of the Da Vinci Code, including the relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus.

An audience member asks why early Christianity felt the need to define what was 'right' in terms of belief and practice. Dr. Ehrman explains that the proto-Orthodox Christians insisted on exclusivity, believing there was only one way to have salvation with God, which was through the death of Jesus. This exclusivity was unique in the Roman Empire and contributed to the success of Christianity as it expanded, as it was the only religion claiming to be the sole path to salvation.

Dr. Ehrman addresses the controversies among scholars about the Nag Hammadi texts, particularly the debate over whether Gnosticism can be considered a set of religions or if it's too diverse to be grouped under one term. He also discusses the debate around the Gospel of Thomas, with some scholars arguing that it should not be classified as a Gnostic gospel.

The lecture touches on the potential influences of Manichean and Zoroastrian beliefs on Gnosticism. While Manicheanism came after Gnosticism and likely was influenced by it, Zoroastrianism's dualistic nature may have influenced Gnostic beliefs. However, recent scholarship suggests that Middle Platonists' views on the world's creation may have been more influential in shaping Gnostic dualism than Zoroastrianism.

An audience member inquires about the texts mentioning Honi the Circle-Drawer and other 'sons of God.' Dr. Ehrman explains that these figures, known as miracle workers and sometimes called 'sons of God,' are found in rabbinic texts like the Talmud and are used as comparisons to Jesus due to their similar abilities and status.

The discussion turns to the question of whether the Gospels' references to the temple's destruction are prophecies or allusions. Dr. Ehrman suggests that Jesus did predict the temple's destruction, viewing it as a sign of God's intervention in the world. He also addresses the question of whether the Gospels' accounts are more prophecy or allusion, concluding that Jesus was likely making a prophetic statement by enacting a form of destruction within the temple.

An audience member asks for clarification on the Marcionites' canon and whether it included only the letters attributed to Paul. Dr. Ehrman confirms that the Marcionite canon included the seven undisputed Pauline epistles and the three Deutero-Pauline epistles.