About the Author

Bart D. Ehrman is one of the most renowned and controversial Bible scholars in the world today. A master explainer of Christian history, texts, and traditions, his work continues to drive debate among supporters and detractors alike. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is the author of more than twenty books, including the New York Times bestselling Misquoting Jesus; God's Problem; Jesus, Interrupted; and Forged. Ehrman has appeared on Dateline NBC, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, CNN, the History Channel, and top NPR programs, and he has been featured in Time, the New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and more.

Reviews

"One of the unlikeliest bestsellers of the year." - Washington Post
"[Ehrman's] absorbing story, fresh and lively prose, and seasoned insights into the challenges of recreating the texts of the New Testament ensure that readers might never read the Gospels or Paul's letters the same way again." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Offers a fascinating look into the field of textual criticism and evidence that Scriptures have been altered." - Charleston Post & Courier
"Whichever side you sit on regarding Biblical inerrancy, this is a rewarding read." - Dallas Morning News
"An accomplished scholar of early Christianity, Ehrman . . . ventures out of the ivory tower in this accessible lay introduction to New Testament textual criticism." - Library Journal
"Misquoting Jesus is a godsend." - Philadelphia Inquirer

"Offers a fascinating look into the field of textual criticism and evidence that Scriptures have been altered." -- Charleston Post & Courier"Whichever side you sit on regarding Biblical inerrancy, this is a rewarding read." -- Dallas Morning News"One of the unlikeliest bestsellers of the year." -- Washington Post"Misquoting Jesus is a godsend." -- Philadelphia Inquirer

In the absence of any original manuscripts of the books of the New Testament, how can we be sure that we're getting the intended words and meaning? Ehrman, professor of religion at UNC-Chapel Hill, has devoted his life to the study of such questions and here offers an engaging and fascinating look at the way scholars try to answer them. Part memoir, part history and part critical study, he traces the development of the academic discipline called textual criticism, which uses external and internal evidence to evaluate and compare ancient manuscripts in order to find the best readings. Ehrman points out that scribes altered almost all of the manuscripts we now have. In the early days of the Christian movement, scribal error often arose simply from unintentional omissions of words or lines. As Christianity evolved into an official religion under Constantine, however, scribes often added material to existing manuscripts or altered them to provide scriptural support for Christian doctrine or to enforce specific views about women, Jews or pagans. Ehrman's absorbing story, fresh and lively prose and seasoned insights into the challenges of recreating the texts of the New Testament ensure that readers might never read the Gospels or Paul's letters the same way again. (Nov.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.