Christianity and Mythology

This book is from a volume titled "Christianity and Mythology," which comprises three treatises written in the 1870s. The author undertook a scientific and historical investigation into the beginnings of Christianity, challenging the prevailing assumption that all religious myths related to Christian doctrines and actions were merely additions to the biography of Jesus presented in the Gospels. The author's primary aim was to analyze the sociological aspects of Christianity's rise. To achieve this, the author entertained the notion of an early cult that emerged to commemorate a teacher with twelve disciples. However, during the author's independent research and meticulous attempts to identify the earliest followers of Jesus, they encountered alternative interpretations of myth. The figure known as "Jesus of Nazareth" was discovered to be a composite portrayal that combined elements of the Gospel Jesus, an intermediary figure called Jesus the Nazarite, and an additional Jesus believed to be born in Nazareth. None of these aspects aligned with the primary Jesus described by Paul, and each presented a distinct interpretation. Using Paul's words, these differing interpretations were referred to as "another Jesus whom we have not preached." Additionally, the author concluded that the Twelve Apostles, as conventionally understood, were evidently mythical. In summary, this excerpt emphasizes the author's endeavor to approach the study of Christian origins critically, challenging established beliefs and assumptions regarding the life and teachings of Jesus.