"The Historical Jesus" Prof. Bart D. Ehrman, (24 Lectures / 30 Minutes Per Lecture / 4x DVD - The Great Courses)
This course strips away centuries of theological tradition to uncover the man behind the icons, using the rigorous tools of historical science to reconstruct the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Professor Bart D. Ehrman leads an uncompromising search for the "real" Jesus, treating the New Testament gospels not as infallible records, but as complex historical documents that must be cross-examined. You will dive into the volatile world of first-century Roman Judea to understand Jesus as a Jewish apocalyptic prophet who expected the imminent end of the world as he knew it. It is a provocative, intellectually sharp journey that separates fact from faith, providing a sophisticated framework to understand how a peasant from Galilee sparked a movement that ultimately conquered the Roman Empire.
 
The real impact here lies in Ehrman’s ability to place Jesus back into his original context as a man of his own time and place. You’ll explore the early sources - from the letters of Paul to the "Q" source and the Gospel of Thomas - to see how the message of Jesus evolved from a radical call for social and divine justice into the foundational doctrines of a global religion. With clarity and a commitment to historical honesty, Ehrman examines the miracles, the teachings, and the trial of Jesus, challenging you to confront the raw, human reality of the historical figure. It is an immersive masterclass that forces a total re-evaluation of the origins of the Western world’s most influential figure.