Early Christian Texts

A text can be “outside” your Bible and still shape how you read it. New scholarship from David Brakke, John Barton, and Tobias Nicklas explores the blurry boundaries of the biblical canon. Read more on the Bible and Beyond Substack publication. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/blurry-bou...

What did “Son of God” mean in the #NewTestament? How did the claim that Jesus was fully human and fully divine originate? Join Prof. Robert Miller for a Bible and Beyond Discussion—and a new look at what Jesus taught about God. Mon, Oct 26, 8pm EDT. earlychristiantexts.com/early-christ...

Can God be wholly good—with no exceptions? Reading M. David Litwa’s book on Marcion led me to questions about biblical violence, evil, and my own ways of reading scripture. My latest Bible and Beyond Substack essay: bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/marcion-li...

We know the names of apostles. What about the people who copied their words and read them aloud? In this Bible and Beyond Podcast, Candida Moss explores the overlooked enslaved workers who helped shape the Bible. earlychristiantexts.com/candida-moss...

Peter’s failures make him relatable. His remembered power raises harder questions. How much belongs to the man—and how much to his storytellers? My latest essay explores his ambiguous legacy. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/peter

A ring linked to Pilate, women in the Synoptic Gospels, and Nathanael’s mysterious fig tree: three recent studies find fresh questions in familiar New Testament details. Read my latest Substack: What’s New in Early Christian Studies: bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/whats-new-...

Tiny marks in the Nag Hammadi codices reveal what 4th-century Christian monks valued: prayer, salvation, spiritual struggle, and questions about God. They weren’t merely preserving old texts. They were using them, even if they were banned by then. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/the-nag-ha...

Could John be the first “apocryphal” gospel? A recent scholarly argument says yes. Dr. Craig Evans says the archaeological evidence shows it differently. Join our next #BibleAndBeyond Discussion: “Is John the First Apocryphal Gospel?” Mon, Sept 28, 8 pm EDT. earlychristiantexts.com/early-christ...

Our #BibleAndBeyond Substack now features James McGrath, @religionprof.bsky.social. His book, Beyond Deconstruction, offers new ways to articulate a new worldview in positive terms, and he shares the sources of his discussions on AI for scholars. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/james-f-mc...

For centuries, Christians kept telling—and changing—the story of Thecla: disciple, teacher, healer, saint. Why did one woman become so many different Theclas? My latest Bible and Beyond Substack post explores the stories Christians remembered. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/thecla

“Gnosticism” probably has less to do with Nag Hammadi texts than was once thought. Michael Williams, author of Rethinking Gnosticism, talks about setting aside worn-out categories and discovering surprising new meanings. #BibleAndBeyond #podcast earlychristiantexts.com/beyond-gnost...

What’s new in early Christian studies? Three developments caught my attention at EABS: studying memory, looking beyond texts to lived worlds, and learning from manuscript variations. Looking “beyond” can open new questions without abandoning what we trust. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/whats-new-...

Kimberley Fowler describes her recent work with a team of scholars exploring the very fragmentary Codex H (Paul’s 6th century letters) in our Bible and Beyond Substack “Scholar Research Update.” What a fascinating story hearing what they’ve accomplished! bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/kimberley-...

In part 2 of the Bible And Beyond Substack series on Linjamma’s book, we review his serious questions about the “find story” for the Nag Hammadi codices: from the perspective of Orientalism, presumed heresy, or twentieth-century beatnik attitudes? bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/nag-hammad...

During our August #BibleAndBeyond Discussion, we’ll look at why early Christians borrowed the story of Eros and Psyche to explore identity, desire, and healing. Join us as we talk with scholar Rikki Liu and consider some of humanity's oldest questions. earlychristiantexts.com/early-christ...

Josephus was a non-Jesus follower from the first century who ended up being so influential in our understanding of the world of Jesus. But such a controversial figure! How was he remembered in the first century? Why is he remembered so differently? bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/josephus

Was Jesus practicing "magic"? Not in the way we define the word today. In this fascinating podcast, David Frankfurter explains what "magic" meant in the ancient world—and why understanding that changes how we read the Gospels. #BibleAndBeyond earlychristiantexts.com/magic-religi...

I like covering recent conversations in early Christian studies. In the newest #BibleAndBeyond Substack post, I found a connection between Paul and the #GospelOfJohn, the strange partridge who represents the antichrist; and a quick overview of #EABS. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/whats-new-08...

Linjamma has convinced me it’s time to pay attention to the actual, physical codices—the books— that were found near Nag Hammadi. They tell us who loved these books and why. Also their struggles with heresy accusations as well as life-threatening demons. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/nag-hammad...

Who taught the first monks and nuns? Join Dr. Lillian Larsen as we explore learning, teaching, and the surprising role of women in early Christian monastic communities. #BibleAndBeyond Discussion on Monday, July 27, 8pm Eastern. You're invited! earlychristiantexts.com/early-christ...

Elizabeth Schrader Polczer summarizes her recent article, “’An Image of Eternal Incorruptible Light’: P.”Oxy 5577 as a Possible Fragment of the Gospel of Mary” and her forthcoming book, An Abundant Bouquet: Narrative Variants in the Gospel. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/schrader-p...

Sarah Parkhouse’s article challenges presumptions of Carthage as the location of Perpetua’s martyrdom. Without historical evidence, the space too easily promotes Christian colonialism. See the Bible and Beyond Substack review. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/perpetua-b...

Who was James the Just? He’s known as the brother of Jesus, but what was that relationship like? What is the legacy of James? See more on the #BiblAandBeyond Substack Who’s Who column? bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/james-the-...

What is the #KingdomOfGod? When Jesus was asked when it would come, he answered with where it is. In this #BibleAndBeyond podcast conversation, Dr. Karen Wenell explores sacred space, community, ethics, as they relate to the presence of the Kingdom. earlychristiantexts.com/kingdom-of-g...

Here is our monthly #BibleAndBeyond Substack notice about upcoming conferences and academic events that support our learning about the world of the ancient biblical, extracanonical, and apocryphal Christian writings. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/events-jul...

No dogma. Just history. Discover the secrets left out of the biblical canon. Compare the Book of #Revelation with the ancient Secret Revelation of John in a 3-week interactive Zoom seminar starting July 7, 8pm Eastern. Join an open-minded, scholarly space. earlychristiantexts.net/live-online-...

Today’s #BibleAndBeyond Substack book review features Bernard R. Batto’s The Many Faces of Adam and Eve. He demonstrates how Adam and Eve have been continually reinterpreted for about 3 thousand years, according to each generation’s current concerns. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/the-many-f...

We’re celebrating 8 years of Early Christian Texts! In our June 22 (8pm ET) public Zoom Discussion, we’ll explore how studies of extracanonical writings are moving from the “fringe” toward the mainstream and what might be next. Please join us. #BibleAndBeyond earlychristiantexts.com/early-christ...

Our Bible and Beyond Substack offers an occasional update on current scholarship related to extracanonical writings or biblical issues. Today, we feature David Brakke, who specializes in Gnosticism and Egyptian Christianity. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/scholar-up...

Readers new to the #NagHammadi writings often expect to encounter a unified body of ideas in sharp contrast to biblical tradition. But Chance Bonar’s article on the Exegesis of the Soul demonstrates the value of examining individual texts. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/victim-bla...

What did the #Hermetica and early Christianity have in common? On the #BibleAndBeyond podcast, Dr. David Litwa discusses Hermetism, gnosis, spiritual rebirth, divine consciousness, and the search for the true self inspired by his new book, Hermetica I. earlychristiantexts.com/hermetica/

People usually think of the Hebrew Bible, the teachings of Jesus, or letters of Paul when they think about the intellectual roots of Christianity. But Philo, a Jewish thinker, is among the great contributors to Christian thinking also. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/philo

Keep up with scholarship on Nag Hammadi and Apocryphal writings! Two Bible and Beyond recommendations for conferences this summer: 13th International Congress of Coptic Studies (July 27 – August 1, 2026) and SBL International Meeting (July 5 – 9, 2026) bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/events-jul...

Today’s Bible and Beyond Substack book review features Candida Moss’s God’s Ghostwriters. She challenges readers to reconsider the origins of the New Testament by highlighting the hidden role of enslaved people in its production and interpretation. bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/gods-ghost...

In the 7th century, Christianity was a political, social, and economic system that supplied power, survival, and success in a world of instability. Read the 12th (and last!) post in the Christianity-by-the-Century #BibleAndBeyond series. earlychristiantexts.com/christianity...

Our first post on early Christianity scholars is an update on Dr. Lance Jenott. Read more here: bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/scholar-up...

Lilith is one of Judaism’s most feared figures—but she appears only once in the Hebrew Bible (Isa 34:14). Even stranger: the Septuagint translates her as “donkey-centaurs.” Why? Bible and Beyond Discussion with Prof. Matthew Goff. Mon, May 18, 8pm ET. Free earlychristiantexts.com/early-christ...

Appearing briefly in Acts, #SimonMagus in later traditions is turned into a major rival to Peter. This podcast episode explores truth, rhetoric, and power in early Christianity, revealing a far more complex figure than we usually imagine. #BibleAndBeyond earlychristiantexts.com/simon-magus/

In “Gnostic and Catholic Appropriations of Platonism” by Albert Roland Haig, he concludes that the ancient Gnostic attempt to reconcile Platonism and the Bible deserves renewed attention. See the review on BibleAndBeyond.Substack.com bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/article-no...

Two very interesting scholarly events coming up in May and July (2026). bibleandbeyond.substack.com/p/events-in-...

New this month! We hope you'll take a minute to check out our new #BibleAndBeyond Substack publication. You'll find summaries of new scholarly articles, books, updates on scholars, conferences, and more. open.substack.com/pub/bibleand...

What does it mean to be Christian when the world feels like it’s falling apart? The 6th century faced plague, climate disruption, political upheaval, and deep division. Out of that instability came new forms of spiritual life. New #BibleAndBeyond blog post: earlychristiantexts.com/christianity...

#Gnosis isn’t really outside Christianity; it’s at its heart. So says Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan, a Roman Catholic womanpriest speaking on the #BibleAndBeyond podcast about #mysticism, women’s leadership, and the #GospelOfMary. #EarlyChristianity earlychristiantexts.com/gnosis-woman...

When did the Jesus movement become “Christianity”? Join us with Prof. Adèle Reinhartz as we explore how 19th–21st century scholarship — from Great Man theory to #postmodernism — shaped answers to that question. Free Zoom at the #BibleAndBeyond Discussion earlychristiantexts.com/early-christ...

Historian Shawna Dolansky doesn’t think Eve is the villain that tradition makes her out to be. “Eve is the protagonist…she reasons…she acts, and she moves history forward.” Learn more from the latest #BibleAndBeyond podcast. earlychristiantexts.com/rethinking-e...

The fifth century didn’t bring Christian unity—it exposed deep fractures. Councils at Ephesus and Chalcedon, Arian kingdoms in the West, and Augustine vs. Pelagius. How did Christianity survive the empire’s collapse in 476? Read the #BibleAndBeyond blog post earlychristiantexts.com/christianity...