The year is now fading away (or blasting out, depending on your perspective), and I want to take a few minutes to reflect on how the Blog has been doing since last year at this time. We started this venture in April 2012, so by one way of calculating, 2015 was our fourth year of operation. By most standards and criteria it was our most successful year yet, possibly by a large margin.
When I started the blog one of my main concerns was that I would run out of things to talk about in a year or so. It hasn’t happened yet. I do find on occasion that I write up a post and it occurs to me, “Hey, haven’t I written on this already?” When that happens, I’ll check (it’s easy to search the blog for past posts, btw: just click on the magnifying glass in the upper right hand of your screen for the search function, and go from there) and sometimes I’m right! If the two posts are sufficiently different, I’ll normally go ahead and submit the new one as well. Rarely are they exactly the same. But as we worked out a couple of months ago (when I asked your opinion), most people on the blog (all who responded) think that if I go over the same ground that I covered two or more years before, that’s OK. Many people on the blog weren’t on it then, and those who were probably won’t remember the post. Obviously I, the author, didn’t!
I have been able to sustain the pace of the blog that I set for myself back in 2012. My goal all along – after asking members’ opinions on numerous occasions – has been to post 5-6 times a week, 1000 words (or slightly more) per post. Just now I added up the number of posts that I did this past year, and it turns out – mirabile dictu! – I have done 286. That is exactly 5.5/week. So I’m spot on, to my amazement. I also read every comment everyone makes – usually this is 30-40 a day – and reply (briefly, I know, but there’s only one of me!) to questions that people make in their comments.
My biggest challenge personally is squeezing in the time to do it. When you take into account not just writing the posts but also the comments and other issues involved with maintaining the blog and attending to problems that arise, etc., I think I probably spend about 7-8 hours a week on it. On one level that doesn’t seem like much – just over an hour a day. On the other hand, that is something 400 hours a year. Since I am (more) time conscious (than about anyone I know), I can’t help but think how much 400 hours is. If I worked a 40-hour week (and how I wish I did work just a 40-hour week! You’re probably in the same boat….), that would be 10 work weeks a year devoted to the blog. What I could do with 10 work weeks! I’m not thinking about going to more movies, reading more novels, getting more workouts, watching more sports, or going for more walks – although all that would be very, very nice indeed. I’m just thinking about my research, the one thing for which I never seem to have enough time. Is it worth the time?
At the end of the day I think the answer is absolutely yes (though I do think about it!). Not only does the blog allow me to disseminate knowledge about the New Testament and early Christianity to people who are extremely interested in knowing more (which is, after all, the ultimate purpose of my academic life) it also allows me to raise significant moneys for charity. Increasingly significant moneys, as I’ll point out at the end.
We have made several really key improvements to the blog over the past year. We have implemented a rating system, so you can indicate how well you like a post. That helps me see which kinds of posts are most useful and beneficial, which helps me then know what kinds of things to focus on in the future. Possibly the most important improvement is the weekly Readers’ Mailbag, on which, once a week, I respond in quick order to questions that have come in. I’m enjoying doing those, as it allows me to give condensed answers to important questions; and the response to the new feature has been overwhelmingly positive. Keep feeding me questions.
I am happy to implement yet other changes to make the blog better. If you have bright ideas, respond to this post with a comment, or send me a private email. My goal is to make the blog as good as it possibly can be. That will make all of you happy, and it will encourage others to join. And I want lots of others to join.
We steadily increase our membership on the blog. I’m happy to say that now, for the first time, we are at 5000 members. And we keep growing. Anything you can think of to help us attract new members, please do let me know.
I want new members both because I know there are lots of people out there who would enjoy and benefit from the discussions on the blog, but also because the more members we have, the more money we can raise. For me, as I’ve repeatedly said, that is the ultimate purpose for the blog (though I know it’s not the ultimate purpose for anyone actually *on* the blog!). If it weren’t for the funds raised for charity, I simply wouldn’t do it.
On that note, I’m happy to report that we have more than surpassed my fund-raising goals for the year, both because of increased membership and because many of you have been so generous in making personal donations on top of the membership fees. I have not adjusted the fees since we started this venture, and I don’t plan on doing so. But I do so much appreciate it when people make donations (which, by the way, are completely tax-deductible). It keeps me going.
I am very happy indeed to say that we raised $116,000 this year on the blog. You can do the math: it is over $300 a day, every day of the year. This is fantastic. The total is, remarkably, $42k *more* than last year (2014; over 60% more!). I had desperately hoped to raise 100k total, and we have surpassed my goal by a wide margin. I can’t thank all of you enough. All of these moneys, as you know, every cent, go to charities that are dealing with hunger, homelessness, and the ravages of poverty. We are doing a world of good, and my goal is to do more and more and more, for as long as we can keep this venture going.
I want us to do more. Please help me to increase the subscriptions to the blog. I’d like you to give gift subscriptions. I’d like you to tell your family, friends, colleagues, co-workers, neighbors, dog-walkers, bank tellers, insurance agents, car dealers – everyone in your life – about the blog, and try to get them interested.
I also want to increase the donors and donations to the blog. Remember, donations are completely tax deductible, and every penny goes to these good causes. If you have bright ideas either for how to increase our membership or to increase our donations, please do let me know!
I’d like to close by thanking yet again my unbelievably helpful assistant Steven Ray, who takes care of all the technological, upkeep, computer, and membership issues efficiently and gracefully. He has been with me from the beginning and continues to make the blog not just happen but also thrive. The blog literally could not survive without him.
Let me end as well by thanking each and every one of you for joining and participating in the blog. It’s been a good year. I hope our good fortune will continue in the year to come. All best wishes for a Happy New Year!
Thanks to you and thanks to Steven Ray. The blog is terrific. I have no idea how you are able to be this productive. Do you have a doppelganger or two or three?
Ha!
A Happy New Year to you, too, Dr. Ehrman. Thank you for all your tremendous efforts at making the blog one of the most fascinating places to be in blogville! ( oops, I made up the word). I have read many other blogs ( including a few of your rivals) and none can compare! Yours is truly an outstanding learning experience in every way, and I do so encourage many to join ( only problem is they are usually believers who think doing so is going to the “dark side.”) I tell them they don’t know the “force” they are missing and it is anything but dark. The best part of 2016 is that we get another book from you. I am looking forward to that. Thank you for all your great work!
I look forward to every day’s new blog. Thanks for your perseverance, and forbearance for the occasional-less-
than informed questions and comments, like from me!
Congratulations on achieving your goals for the year!
Thank you Bart, and Happy New Year!
Bless you, Dr Ehrman!
As your readership increases, it will become more difficult for you to read and respond to readers’ comments and questions. How about advertising for some research students to act as moderators, and spend 1 hour each day reading the comments, approving them, write 1-liner responses in most cases, and passing the more detailed ones or those requiring a more in-depth scholarly response to yourself to respond. The group of research students would work out a rota – student A does weeks 1-3, student B does weeks 4-6 – so they won’t find it too tendious.
Also by default, a comment would be submitted as “comment only – no response required”. The reader needs to locate a deliberately obscure button in order to select “question requiring a response”. This allows you approve comments automatically, only reading the latter.
Create IT system whereby you keep tracking of the number of approved and disapproved comments by each registered user. All the people who have submitted many congenial comments over time can be automatically approved by yourself with the click of a button without you needing to read them, for the “comment only” category. Over time, a trusted set of moderators can be relied on to respond to more and more questions. This also provides variety for subscribers as they get perspectives and inputs from budding scholars – some questions are quite straight forward for a research student in biblical studies to answer.
Thanks. INteresting idea.
Please don’t even consider! For those of us with our beliefs in the inerrancy of the Bible shattered, we now have you and your blog to reformulate our “world view” or whatever it’s called. There’s no better set up than the one you have now in place. We know as the blog grows it will be impossible to do all you are doing but for now, if you can still handle it on your own, it’s golden just as is.
I checked the information you provided on your foundation and decided to make a direct contribution to the Urban Ministry of Durham. Thanks for the information about that organization!
One question for you – what do you think the likelihood is of a dramatically significant archeological discovery that could alter the public understanding of early Christianity, say in the next 50 years? Is this just a matter of luck, or is there serious, targeted work being done?
Thank you.
That’s the problem — we just never know what will be found, either by accident or by professionals looking for things….
Hi Professor Ehrman,
According to Candida Moss, the self-image ancient Christians tended to have of themselves as being a constantly persecuted people — always being burned alive or crucified, or thrown to the lions ,by the Romans or (name the villain here) — is based on fabricated tales and is very far from reality.
My question then is this: why did this self-image appeal to Christians at all? Were ancient Christians just people who enjoyed wallowing in self-pity, and fabricated tales of martyrdom suited them just fine? ‘
By way of contrast, I know most Muslims do *not* want a “persecuted victim” self-image, even in cases where it is justified, since they like to think of themselves as the victorious, protected religion; so clearly not everyone enjoys the “persecuted victim” self-image.
Is there any reason to think that Christians just “got a kick” out of having the victim role? I suspect not.
Why then, did the Christians buy into these fabricated tales so readily?
Thanks!
I think it’s a great question — why don’t you ask her, and tell us what you find? I’m not sure how she would answer it.
I’m glad you think it’s a good question! I will send an email to Professor Moss, and let everyone know what she says.
Happy New Year, Professor!
What you are able to accomplish in 7 – 8 hours a week would take most anybody else five times (at least) that long; that is, if a person had the equivalent academic background and courage to put themselves on the line day after day for perhaps the most controversial of topics — religion — in the 21st Century.
Very few academics communicate as effectively and readably as you do.
I am absolutely amazed at your intellectual/creative energy level.
As for increasing your readership, my friends and neighbors are not especially interested in learning more about the NT or scrutinizing it as thoroughly as you do.
However, I have to think that high school teachers of religion (though probably mostly those in non-denominational independent schools) would welcome your posts as conversation starters at the very least.
It would take some time to find e-mails for religion teachers at those schools, but an introductory offer might be an effective inducement. Their students might become your future members as well.
Thanks for all you do.
You haven’t enjoyed having us here anywhere near as much as we enjoy your comments. Thank you so much!
Great blog. I joined this year so can’t comment on the history. The things that really stand out for me are the frequency of new posts, the interesting topics, the thread of a complex argument through several days’ posts, and the length of the posts — just right in my opinion — short enough to take a break and read it, not too long to lose interest or time to finish it. I’ve also been reading your book on The Bible and have found it very interesting, as well as several of your Teaching Company courses. All have been very impressive.
Some things I might recommend to enhance the site:
1. some maps and diagrams from time to time, to the extent they are relevant to your subject
2. a list of other blog sites that have a well balanced and informative view on these topics that you might recommend
3. a list of significant topics covered in the past so that I can search for them by topic, rather than try to wade through them chronologically or “shot in the dark” search queries
4. a few members of my family are solid evangelists,and it is difficult to understand where they are coming from. Any suggestions on how to raise or respond to sensitive topics when talking to persons who have strongly held beliefs would be of interest to me.
5. what do you think of Josephus overall? Is he a credible source or too biased to rely upon for basic history of these times?
Keep up the good work. I hope some of these ideas are useful.
Thanks for the suggestion. On #3 — we already do this: all the posts are arranged by topics. Family members: you’ll never convince them, trust me! Josephus: he is reliable in many, many respects, but is also highly biased in his reporting, and so has to be studied critically like all other ancient sources.
I disagree with having students respond to comments. I didn’t obtain membership for their insight.
Yeah, I agree with you. So far I’ve been able to manage it!
Thank you, Dr. Ehrman, for answering through your teachings, my personal questions on my confusion on religion. I originally encountered your great teachings on an educational cruise. I didn’t know of you prior (sorry!) but I became fascinated by your non-judgment — just-the-facts presentation. I was then privileged to be next to you by the pool where I (rudely!) interrupted your studies for the writing of your next book, to ask you a couple of questions. Surprisingly, you were most gracious and tolerant in answering! Which made me a really big fan and prompted me to order your video teachings when I got home, which led me to ALL your books, followed by joining your blog. Whether your followers are of scholarly background or just a non-educated follower like I am, you are so valuable to those of us who hold great interest in the subject. Again, thank you.
You’re welcome!
by my reckoning 5000 members at $25 for the year = $125,000. Should be a good year this year if the membership stays at those levels.
Yes indeed! The problem is that lots of members are only the three-month at $7.95 variety.
Dear Professor Ehrman (Bart),
Thank you for being here. This was the best find in years. I was surprised that you graciously had time to answer my posts (I’m not a student in your classes), and for that I thank you. An armchair seeker, I’ve been studying the Xn sects and Buddhism since age 10 (raised in Wheaton – what can I say), and because of your thought-provoking blog, my ducks now are pretty much in a row and my spin on Xn religion is set (for now). Oh, but the student respondent thing…. I dunno….but it’s your blog.
My you have longevity and good health to keep this up!
Sheila