"Arguably the most distinctive feature of the early Christian literature," writes Bart Ehrman, "is the degree to which it was forged." The Homilies and Recognitions of Clement; Paul's letters to and from Seneca; Gospels by Peter, Thomas, and Philip; Jesus' correspondence with Abgar, letters by Peter and Paul in the New Testament--all forgeries. To cite just a few examples.

Forgery and Counterforgery is the first comprehensive study of early Christian pseudepigrapha ever produced in English. In it, Ehrman argues that ancient critics--pagan, Jewish, and...

Reveals the many challenging and even disturbing, early variations of our cherished biblical stories. This book shows us where and why changes were made in our earliest surviving manuscripts, changes that have a dramatic impact on widely-held beliefs concerning the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the divine origins of the Bible itself.

Revealing the rich diversity of the early Christian movement, After the New Testament: 100-300 CE: A Reader in Early Christianity, Second Edition, brings together an extensive selection of texts from the second and third centuries, both "orthodox" and "heterodox." Selections include the writings of the Apostolic Fathers, the writings of Nag Hammadi, early pseudepigrapha, martyrologies, anti-Jewish tractates, heresiologies, canon lists, church orders, liturgical texts, and theological treatises. Featuring large textual excerpts--entire documents wherever possible--concise...