jennao, Author at The Bart Ehrman Blog

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So far jennao has created 95 blog entries.

Pro-Roman Jews in First-Century Palestine? Guest Post by Christopher Stanley

I am please to publish this guest post by Christopher Stanley, a scholar of the New Testament and Early Christianity who enjoyed a long career at St. Bonaventure University (after receiving his PhD in NT at Duke!) The post deals with a topic most of us haven't thought about before. In the Jewish uprising against Rome that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 CE, were there *some* Jews who were actually opposed to the revolt and sympathized with the Romans? The answer may be surprising. This is a topic of Chris's recent research and a novel that he has published, as he'll explain in this intriguing post. --------- Anyone who has read Bart’s books is aware of the gulf that often separates scholarly interpretation from lay readings of the New Testament. Some of the differences are apparent, such as questions about the authorship or historical reliability of the Gospels. Others are less obvious. A topic that arguably belongs under the latter heading is the New Testament authors’ engagement with their political [...]

jennao2026-06-28T06:33:22-04:00July 1st, 2026|Public Forum|

July 2026 Gold Q&A Announcement

Gold and Platinum Members, your next monthly Q&A is on the calendar. Bart will be answering your questions live on Saturday July 11th at 12pm Eastern. For July, we are continuing with the split format. Bart will spend the first half of our Zoom session answering your pre-submitted questions. Please email your questions to [email protected] no later than Thursday July 9th. For the second half of the hour, we’ll be opening things up to live attendee participation, giving you the opportunity to ask Bart questions in real time on a specific topic. For July, Bart has chosen: The Acts of the Apostles If you’d like to participate in the live Q&A: Prepare your question in advance Make sure your question is specifically focused on the Gospels Keep your question to roughly 20 seconds or less Be ready to ask it live during the session Meeting Details: Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81209150304?pwd=9Y5Dett5sOHbvefD9Oc7xcSzjbfibo.1 Meeting ID: 812 0915 0304 Passcode: 372721 And if you're unable to make it live, I always send the recording of the event to all Gold and [...]

jennao2026-06-26T10:59:24-04:00June 26th, 2026|Public Forum|

June 2026 Gold Q&A Announcement

Gold and Platinum Members, a new month is quickly approaching, which means it's time to schedule our next Q&A. It will take place on Sunday June 21st at 2pm Eastern. For May’s Q&A, we tried a new format, and your feedback was overwhelmingly positive. So we’re bringing it back again this month. Bart will spend the first half of our Zoom session answering your pre-submitted questions. As always, you can email your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to get your questions in by end of day Thursday June 18th. For the second half of the hour, we’ll be opening things up to live attendee participation, giving you the opportunity to ask Bart questions in real time on a specific topic. For June, Bart has chosen: The Letters of Paul If you’d like to participate in the live Q&A: Prepare your question in advance Make sure your question is specifically focused on the Gospels Keep your question to roughly 20 seconds or less Be ready to ask it live during the session Meeting Details: Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81230541341?pwd=JT80bFn6uO6fOw2jBpHtjPNsC5itMz.1 [...]

jennao2026-05-28T22:25:44-04:00May 29th, 2026|Public Forum|

May 2026 Gold Q&A Announcement: We’re Trying Something New!

Happy May, Gold & Platinum Members! We’re trying something a little new with our monthly Gold Q&A, which is set to take place on Wednesday May 13th at 7pm Eastern. (Find full details on how to join below.) As always, you’ll still have the opportunity to submit questions for Bart in advance via email, and he’ll spend the first half of our Zoom session answering a selection of those pre-submitted questions. As always, you can email your questions to [email protected]. Be sure to get your questions in by end of day Monday May 11th. For the second half of the hour, we’ll be opening things up to live attendee participation, giving members the opportunity to ask Bart questions in real time on a specific topic. For May, Bart has chosen: The Gospels If you’d like to participate in the live Q&A: Prepare your question in advance Make sure your question is specifically focused on the Gospels Keep your question to roughly 20 seconds or less Be ready to ask it live during the session Our hope [...]

jennao2026-05-04T14:34:31-04:00May 1st, 2026|Public Forum|

The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus: Platinum Post by Douglas Wadeson, MD

Now here's a post on an intruiging topic involving an amusing tale that roughly no one has heard of. But Platinum Member Doug Wadeson has looked into it: here we can all learn something of interest.... ****************************** I have spent most of my life going to various churches and yet I never heard the story of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus. Have you? It is an old Christian tale which is set in the year 250 CE (AD). However, I first learned of it in the Qur’an! Muhammad makes reference to the story in chapter (sura) 18 entitled The Cave. Muhammad often borrows stories from the Jews and Christians, so it is not unusual for him to use this story as well. I’ll get to his version in a bit. Here is the story as cited in the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913: --- The story is this: Decius (249-251) once came to Ephesus to enforce his laws against Christians — a gruesome description of the horrors he made them suffer follows — here he found [...]

jennao2026-04-23T10:07:06-04:00April 27th, 2026|Public Forum|

May 2026 Platinum Webinar Announcement

One of the benefits of being a Platinum member of the blog is an invitation to attend Bart’s quarterly lectures. These lectures offer an opportunity to go deeper into topics that don’t always make their way into regular posts and to pick Bart's brain on the topic during the Q&A. The next lecture will be on the Gospel of Thomas. It's a text that has long intrigued scholars and readers alike. Bart is looking forward to diving into it with you. Details: Date: Sunday, May 24, 2026 Time: 3:00 pm Eastern Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82670328885?pwd=OLFAJwJltQl36WUOsTBgP0BX33XvA9.1 Meeting ID: 826 7032 8885 Passcode: 725078 As always, I will send the replay out after the event for those who cannot make it live. Hope to see you there! - Jen

jennao2026-04-23T22:54:10-04:00April 24th, 2026|Public Forum|

Does God Care What We Wear? A Platinum Post by Douglas Wadeson, MD

I'm pleased to provide this guest-post by Doug Wadeson to all you fellow Platinum members (only), on a topic of perennial interest to anyone who prefers to wear clothes. And remember, you TOO can provide a post on any topic you're interested in connected with the blog. You don't need to be an expert! Simply any thoughts, ideas, interests you have will work. Have any? Go for it! ****************************** In a recent Platinum Post I examined the food regulations in Judaism, Christianity and the Qur’an. Muhammad mostly agrees with the Jews about food, except for camel (Moses: Nay! Muhammad: Yay!). My contention is that God has far more important things to worry about than food. But what about clothing? Does God care what we wear? If you see a man wearing a yarmulke (or kippah) on Friday night it’s a pretty fair bet that he’s a Jew. If you see a woman wearing a hijab it’s a pretty fair bet that she is Muslim (unless it’s just a pretty scarf). Some Christian sects also require [...]

jennao2026-04-16T09:48:57-04:00April 20th, 2026|Public Forum|

Rethinking Faith Podcast Interview About Love Thy Stranger

I have been doing a lot of podcast interviews for the release of my book, Love Thy Stranger: How the Teachings of Jesus Transformed the Moral Conscience of the West. Most of these podcasts have been terrific fun, with good and engaging questions. Here for, your viewing pleasure, is one that I especially enjoyed, with an interviewer who "got it"!

jennao2026-03-30T13:29:52-04:00April 4th, 2026|Public Forum|

April 2026 Gold Q&A: Get Your Questions In!

Gold and Platinum members, we're nearing the end of March, which means it's time to schedule April's Gold Q&A. But wait! If you didn't see my email earlier this week, the March Q&A has been rescheduled from its original date on March 29th to April 6th at 7pm Eastern (click to see the updated announcement). You can submit your questions for this Q&A through Friday April 3rd. To make up for the reschedule, we will be hosting a second Gold Q&A at the end of the month on Sunday April 26th at 3pm Eastern. Please get your questions for this Q&A submitted by end of day Thursday April 23rd. April 26th Gold Q&A Details: Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83905244519?pwd=0Lu7vACqQo6eiLubWoY8FOZ8o0lYNJ.1 Meeting ID: 839 0524 4519 Passcode: 591716 As always, you can submit your questions for Bart to [email protected]. Please keep your questions short and to-the-point. Questions of these sort are more likely to be selected. We hope to see you at one or both of the Q&As in April.

jennao2026-03-27T09:08:28-04:00March 27th, 2026|Public Forum|

Does God Care What We Eat? – Platinum Post by Doug Wadeson

I am happy to provide another Platinum post to you fellow Platinums, by Mr. Platinum Poster Doug Wadeson. Another thought-provoking one! I'd like to see more Platinum posts by more of you! Your post doesn't need to be highly learned and academic. It can be anything connected with the blog that you're interested in and thinking about, and possibly (but not necessarily) that you'd like other peoples' views on. Surely you have something like that inside of you! How 'bout you write it down and send it in as a post? I'll read it and if you'd like respond to it privately if you want to change it, and then post it and get some feedback -- or at least make other people reflect on what your thinkin' on. Posts of any length are welcome! (They don't have to be long!) For Christmas I received an assortment of exotic meat sticks, including wild boar, camel, ostrich and alligator. Did I sin by eating them? According to the Law of Moses I certainly sinned. These [...]

jennao2026-03-10T11:34:32-04:00March 9th, 2026|Public Forum|

Do the Synoptics Present an Early Character of the Jesus Movement? –Platinum Post by Ryan Fleming

I’m pleased to publish this Platinum post, for all you Platinum members, by Ryan Fleming. It’s a challenging argument that core elements of the Synoptic Gospels were written *before* the writings of Paul. Feel free to respond! What do you think? Remember, as a Platinum member you too can write a post for other Platinums to consider. It can be on anything of relevance to the blog – and you absolutely do not need to be an expert. If you have an idea you’d like to bounce off of others, just write it up and send it our way at [email protected]. ************************ Even though there is text in the Gospels that were certainly added after the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, there are ten important points that suggest core text(s) existed before Paul wrote his letters, and that the Synoptics present the general character of an early Jesus movement in Judea: There are 44 important commonalities between the Synoptics and Paul’s seven authentic letters – too many to list in this post. These [...]

jennao2026-03-04T17:14:17-05:00March 6th, 2026|Public Forum|

March 2026 Gold Q&A Announcement

Gold & Platinum Members, Your next opportunity to hear Bart tackle your questions is coming up! Our March Gold Q&A will take place on Monday April 6th, 2026 at 7pm EST. (Note: This Q&A was originally scheduled for March 29th, but has been rescheduled due to early April. We will have two Gold Q&As in April to make up for missing the March Q&A. The second April Q&A will take place on Sunday April 26th at 3pm EST. Every time we do one of these, I’m convinced Bart has heard every possible question… and then someone proves me wrong! So if you’ve been sitting on something you’ve always wondered (a deep historical puzzle? a strange detail that doesn’t quite add up? or maybe the one question you suspect might actually stump him?), now’s your moment! Who knows? Maybe you will be the next one to do it. (No pressure.) Send your questions over to me at [email protected]. Bart always receives far more questions than he can answer in the hour, so please keep your submission [...]

jennao2026-03-25T09:27:45-04:00February 20th, 2026|Public Forum|

My Last Lecture at UNC – The Most Significant Discovery in the History of Biblical Studies

This past December 7 was one of my so-far-favorite days of my mortal existence. As many of you know -- and some of you observed! -- that was the day I gave my final lecture at UNC, a "retirement lecture," with family, friends, former grad students, fabulous members of the Blog, fantastically helpful team members from the Biblical studies academy, and (I'm running out of "f's" here), and other fine-people from near and far in attendance. The lecture was recorded and I would like to share it with you here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBlxhhS_Tf8

jennao2026-01-07T10:45:51-05:00January 18th, 2026|Public Forum|

Christ and the Gods: Check It Out!

Last year, I was interviewed for a documentary called Christ and the Gods. Recently, the team behind the film released the full version, so I thought it appropriate to share with you here. (In addition, they released my entire interview, as opposed to just the snippets they included in the longger version, also included here.) Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjYSnYSHmCE Projects like this never contain the full content for each expert interview. Instead, they splice them apart and typically only a very small portion makes it into the final cut. As such, the team behind the film also released my full standalone interview which you can watch here in its entirety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkOLcnUynwo&t=206s I hope you enjoy!

jennao2026-01-07T10:44:45-05:00January 17th, 2026|Public Forum|

February 2026 Gold Q&A Announcement

Dear Golds & Plats, Get out your calendars because we have a date and time for our February Q&A. Bart will be answering your questions live on Zoom on Saturday February 7th at 2pm Eastern. Do you have a question that’s lingered in the back of your mind, unasked, unresolved? Or one you think might be just challenging enough to test Bart’s encyclopedic knowledge of early Christianity and New Testament studies? If so, send me your questions to [email protected]. I will make sure to get them on the list. (As always, short, to-the-point questions will be given preference!) You can join the session using this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87575188884?pwd=LlGbdLY7JivImXrmkM1KaF0wYaYNU3.1 Meeting ID: 875 7518 8884 Passcode: 462226 Can't make it live? I'll send the recording out within a day or two. Hope to see you there!

jennao2026-01-16T09:48:54-05:00January 16th, 2026|Public Forum|

Q1 Platinum Webinar Announcement

Platinum members, it's that time again! We've got our first Platinum webinar of 2026 scheduled for Wednesday January 28th at 7pm Eastern. Can't join us live? Fear not. As always, if you are unable to join us live, I will send out a link to review the recording a day or two after the lecture takes place. Bart will be delivering a lecture on The Birth of the Trinity. As always, he will lecture for 45-50 minutes, and then there will be 10 to 15 minutes for a Q&A where Bart will answer your questions on the lecture live. Zoom information: Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81368386139?pwd=dleVQHNRvEFXZKdG4VC7R7Xpw7NQ0q.1 Meeting ID: 813 6838 6139 Passcorde: 412375 We hope to see you there!

jennao2026-01-18T22:13:10-05:00January 9th, 2026|Public Forum|

January 2026 Gold Q&A Announcement

The New Year is just around the corner and that means we have another Gold Q&A on the horizon. Join Bart on Saturday January 10th at 3pm Eastern. He will be live on Zoom, answering your questions. Have a question you'd like him to answer? Send it to [email protected] by the end of the day Thursday January 8th. We only have an hour for questions, so please keep your question short and to-the-point! Zoom link to join on January 10th: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86251389515?pwd=KpRKd44VglTacyqzD6diffygPNxlx8.1 Meeting ID: 862 5138 9515 Passcode: 816907 We hope to see you there!

jennao2025-12-26T07:55:59-05:00December 26th, 2025|Public Forum|

December 2025 Gold Q&A Announcement

Can you believe it? Our final Gold Q&A of 2025 is upon us. Bart will be answering your questions live on Zoom on Saturday December 20th at 11am Eastern. (Note: A previous communication stated that this Q&A would take place on December 10th. It has been rescheduled to the 20th.) Let's try to really challenge him this month. Send any questions you have for him over to [email protected] by end of day Thursday December 18th. Jen will compile them and get them to Bart. As always, please keep your questions short and to the point. We always end up with more questions that Bart can feasibly answer in one hour, so he gives preference to those that are brief. You can join the Zoom on Dec. 20th here: Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82797581487?pwd=bQFYtyZqb6ijlZA2PFXOnbRPaz6Uq7.1 Meeting ID: 827 9758 1487 Passcode: 541355 See you there!

jennao2025-12-05T14:20:17-05:00December 5th, 2025|Public Forum|

Did Jesus Teach in Greek?
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Did Jesus Teach in Greek?

Public Forum

Did Jesus Teach in Greek?

I had a number of very interesting conversations with friends and colleagues at the annual Society of Biblical Literature meeting this last week. There were about 8000 or so biblical scholars, most of them professors in one kind of institution or another, from around the world. It’s an amazing range of people, some of them quite stunning in their knowledge and insight about Jewish and Christian antiquity in areas I know little or very little about, as well as areas I’ve worked on for many years. On the other hand, there were lots of other people I ran into who explained to me research they were doing that I thought was, well, really problematic. I won’t name names. One friend of mine — a European scholar I’ve known for years — told me he was writing a book meant to show that Jesus taught in Greek. Now that’s a topic I have thought about and researched for a very long time. And I think he is completely wrong: Scholars are virtually unified that [...]

jennao2025-12-05T19:26:55-05:00December 2nd, 2025|Public Forum|

Why I Don’t Like Public Debates

Over the years I’ve done a lot of public debates, and deep down I suppose I think they can do some good. Maybe not on a large scale, but at least for a few individuals in the audience who are open both to thinking about an important issue and to realizing that the view they’ve always held and simply assumed to be true may not be. If there are 300 people there and five of them are like that, OK, that’s great. Think Genesis 18:23-33. On the other hand, even though I get enthusiastic when I do debates, I really don’t enjoy them. I’m not sure I’ve ever enjoyed one. As some of you have heard me say, in virtually every debate I’m in, part way through I start writing notes to myself: “WHY are you doing this??” I had a debate last week with my friend and conservative evangelical apologist Mike Licona on whether the apostolic “authorities” Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John actually wrote the Gospels named after them. During the debate, [...]

jennao2025-12-02T15:45:13-05:00November 30th, 2025|Public Forum|

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