In this national bestseller, John Dominic Crossan reveals how Christianity emerged in the period following Jesus's death. Very little is commonly known about the 30s and 40s BCE, compared to the years following. Crossan, the world's leading expert on the historical Jesus, reconstructs that era, relying on a multidisciplinary approach. Analyzing oral tradition, comparing Gospel manuscripts, and researching cross-cultural anthropological studies, Crossan shines new light on the theological and cultural contexts from which the Christian church arose. The Birth of Christianity thoroughly illuminates the mysterious period of time that set Western religious history on the path it has followed for the last two thousand years.

John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Historical Jesus, How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian, God and Empire, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, The Greatest Prayer, The Last Week, and The Power of Parable. He lives in Minneola, Florida.

In this national bestseller, John Dominic Crossan, the world's leading expert on the historical Jesus, reveals how Christianity emerged in the period following Jesus' death. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, Crossan shines new light on the theological and cultural contexts from which the Christian church arose. He argues powerfully that Christianity would have happened with or without Paul and contends that Jesus' "resurrection" meant something vastly different for his early followers than it does for many traditional Christians today--what mattered was Christina origins finally illuminates the mysterious period that set Western religious history in its decisive course.