Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene

Many audio scholars will recognize Professor Bart Ehrman from the courses on early Christianity he has recorded for The Teaching Company. In this title, he explorers the lives of three of Jesus's most famous followers, explaining what has been distorted by legend and popular culture--which turns out to be a lot. Ehrman not only has a profound understanding of ancient writings, which he conveys with ease, but also a surprising sense of humor, which makes the material that much more engaging. Grover Gardner's expert narration is straightforward and unadorned, making for an enjoyable listen over the duration of this rather lengthy recording. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

July 1, 2007
Prolific biblical scholar Ehrman sheds some light on the wellsprings of the Christian Church in the persons of its earliest stars. As with the historical Jesus (or Socrates, or Buddha), history provides scant direct access to these three (Paul is a welcome if partial exception), but the various depictions and adaptations of these figures tell us a great deal about the early Christian leaders a century and more after Golgotha and the extent their churchlargely today's churchmay or may not reflect the wishes and concerns of the first apostles and their leader. Grover Gardner's energetic and articulate reading matches the author's conversational style and keeps even the driest exegesis fresh and alive. Ehrman rounds out the picture with fresh views from noncanonical scripture, in addition to frequent references to chapter and verse; listeners may want to keep a Bible handy. Although this package lacks some of the sizzle of his "Truth and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code" or "The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot", Ehrman's clear, reasoned scholarship on matters more often consigned to faith make this a useful addition to most libraries.David Wright, Seattle P.L.

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