‎The Greatest Controversies of Early Christian History - Apple TV

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Whether we view it in religious, social, political, or economic terms, Christianity has deeply and integrally influenced the Western world-view. Take a penetrating look into the provocative issues of Christianity, with pivotal controversies from the most important formative era of the faith. Investigate them with the tools of the historian and resolve them with academic rigor.

Documentary · 2024 · 32 min

Starring Bart D. Ehrman

EPISODE 1

Was Jesus Born in Bethlehem?

Begin by considering why the controversies of early Christianity matter, and explore the critical difference between the perspective of the historian and the perspective of faith. Then grapple with the controversy over where Jesus was born, the historical indications, and the faith-based motives for affirming Bethlehem as his birthplace.

31 min · Oct 11, 2024
EPISODE 2

Was Jesus’s Mother a Virgin?

Belief in the virgin birth has been enormously important throughout the history of Christianity. Here, assess the theological underpinnings of this belief and the role of Mary as a divine figure. Investigate accounts of the Annunciation in Matthew and Luke, and grasp their reasons for claiming Mary conceived as a virgin.

26 min · Oct 11, 2024
EPISODE 3

Did Jesus Have a Twin Brother?

The question of whether Jesus had siblings divided early Christians, a controversy that survives to this day. Learn about the non-canonical Acts of Thomas and its account of the missionary Didymus Judas Thomas, portrayed as Jesus’s identical twin brother, and consider how early Christians might have thought about this.

24 min · Oct 11, 2024
EPISODE 4

Is Jesus in the Dead Sea Scrolls?

Discover the Dead Sea Scrolls as they shed important light on the historical Jesus and on Jewish life in his time. Learn how the scrolls express the worldview of Jewish apocalypticism, shared by Jesus, which anticipated the end of the age and the establishment of a new kingdom on Earth.

28 min · Oct 11, 2024
EPISODE 5

Did Jesus Expect to See the World’s End?

Grasp how scholars and historians have approached the historical accuracy of the Gospels, and track the developing critical view of Jesus as an apocalyptic prophet. Contemplate the core tenets of Jesus’s teachings regarding the coming kingdom of God, and how his views threatened the social order of his time.

32 min · Oct 11, 2024
EPISODE 6

How Close Were Jesus and Mary Magdalene?

First assess the inaccurate portrayal of Mary Magdalene in novels and film, and trace the church tradition regarding her as a prostitute. Then review the known facts concerning Jesus’s female followers, Mary’s place in his ministry, and her likely role in his legacy both within his lifetime and afterward.

25 min · Oct 11, 2024

Bart D. Ehrman

Self