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The Evolution of Jewish Monotheism–Platinum Post By Daniel Kohanski

Every time we receive four guest contributions from our Platinum members (available to Platinum members only), we open up the floor for Platinum members to vote on one to share with the entire blog community. It’s our way of spotlighting the thoughtful, high-quality work being done by members and inviting wider discussion. We recently caught up on a backlog of Platinum submissions (thank you to all who voted!), and we’re excited to present the winning post from the first round of voting. In this post, Dan Kohanski tackles a foundational question in the study of ancient Judaism: Were the Israelites always monotheists—and if not, how did monotheism evolve over time? It’s a fascinating, historically grounded look at how the idea of “one God” developed across centuries of Israelite and Jewish history. Read on and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. ****************************** The Evolution of Jewish Monotheism[1] Monotheism—the idea that there is one and only one divine Being in the universe—is the underlying foundation of Judaism. Jews reaffirm this twice a day by […]

• Early Judaism
• Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

July 1, 2025

Reader Survey Webinar Registration

As part of our ongoing effort to improve the Ehrman Blog (including a major redesign to enhance the site and user experience) we recently invited members to participate in a comprehensive reader survey.

• Public Forum

July 4, 2025

You’re Invited to Bart’s Final Lecture December 7th!

From Jen: You’ve hopefully heard the big news by now. After more than three decades of teaching, Bart will soon step away from the classroom. (But don’t worry, he’s not stepping away from the blog!) This December marks his retirement from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where generations of students have sat in those lecture halls, scribbling notes while Bart brought the ancient world vividly to life. To honor that extraordinary career, Bart will return to the UNC campus one last time to deliver a final public lecture: “The Greatest Discovery in the History of Biblical Studies” When: Sunday, December 7, 2025, 5:00 pm Where: UNC Chapel Hill (Building  TBA) Free and open to the public (registration required) It’s hard to overstate what this moment represents. Bart has spent his life teaching others how to read the New Testament with both rigor and curiosity, stripping away assumptions to see what the texts actually say. This will be his final time doing so in a UNC classroom; the space that shaped so much of his work and […]

• Public Forum

Are You Interested in a More Interactive Approach on the Blog? Reflections on the First Blog Stewards Seminar

I would like to describe for all of you the kind of webinar I did this past week for those blog members who have chosen to become Blog Stewards — so you can see what you too could be involved with if you choose. For a long time I’ve wanted to try having a bona-fide seminar with a group of layfolk. Not a lecture, not a Q&A, but a discussion – something closer to what happens in a university classroom when everyone comes prepared and ready to wrestle with a text together. Our focus was the Prologue to the Gospel of John (John 1:1–18). Few passages in the New Testament have provoked more thought or more confusion than this one. What exactly does it mean to say “the Word was with God, and the Word was God”? How an entity be something and be with the same something? What does it mean for that Word to “become flesh”? Why is this high view of Jesus found here and nowhere else in the New Testament?  Is […]

• Public Forum

November 18, 2025

Help Feed Families in Need (With a Particularly Enticing Incentive!): Ehrman Blog Annual Appeal

At the end of each year, the blog highlights one of the charities we support through our ongoing charitable work. This year, we’re rallying behind the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina—a phenomenal organization that distributes food to those in need throughout my part of the state. What they do is both astonishing and essential. They gather millions of pounds of food from farms, manufacturers, grocery stores, and individuals, then manage the enormous logistical task of getting it to where it’s needed most. The operation is mind-bogglingly complex—but the result is beautifully simple: they keep people from going hungry. You can read more about their work here. This year, I’ve set a goal to raise $20,000 by the end of the year.And to double the impact, I’ll personally match every dollar raised, up to $20,000—meaning together, we can send $40,000 to help feed families in need. A Special Thank-You Gift: The New Testament in a Nutshell To thank you for your generosity, anyone who donates $50 or more will receive an advance digital […]

• Public Forum

November 22, 2025

A Gold Nugget Often Overlooked: The Book of Zechariah

Last week, for some reason I can’t remember (!) I decided to see what I had written about the book of Zechariah in my textbook, The Bible: A Historical and Literary Introduction (Oxford University Press).  As I read it, I thought — I bet most people on the blog haven’t actually read Zechariah (one of the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament — called “minor” not because they are unimportant but because they are shorter than the “major” ones — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel…).  And I bet most people who have read it couldn’t summarize it to save the planet.  And hey, why should they?  (Summarize it; not save the planet…) So why not give a bit of info on it?  It’s a great little book.  Here’s what I say about it in my undergraduate textbook.

• Public Forum

November 29, 2025