Pre-order my novel, The Long Road to Holy Island

Christians and non-Christians agree that Jesus of Nazareth has had a profound impact on the world. But what exactly does this entail, and how have the teachings of Jesus shaped our moral values? Those are the questions we explore in this interview where I'm joined by Dr. Bart Ehrman, one of the world's leading experts on the New Testament and Early Christianity. Pre-order my novel, The Long Road to Holy Island: https://amzn.to/4sISAC9 Get access to my book club, show notes, interview reflections, ad-free episodes and more: https://patreon.com/gospelsimplicity Make a one-time donation: https://paypal.me/gospelsimplicity Book a meeting: https://calendly.com/gospelsimplicity/meet-with-austin Read my writings: https://austinsuggs.substack.com About the Guest: For 37 years, Bart taught as the James A. Gray Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Bart's work has been featured in The New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Time, and Newsweek; he has appeared on National Geographic, CNN, the BBC, NBC's Dateline, the Discovery Channel, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and the Sam Harris Podcast. Grab a copy of Bart's newest book, Love Thy Stranger: https://amzn.to/4bnZ839 00:00 Intro 01:39 What Made Jesus' Teaching Unique? 04:14 The Good Samaritan 06:11 Reception of this Teaching 08:36 Christianity vs. Greco-Roman Thought 13:02 Jesus on the Poor 16:27 True Altruism? 18:55 Jesus vs. Paul on the Poor 21:01 Impracticality of Jesus' Teaching 25:15 The Sheep and the Goats 30:13 The Early Church and Poverty 33:07 "I thank God for Christianity" 36:56 Isn't the Church the Enemy of Moral Progress? 40:25 Historical Influence vs. Philosophical Necessity 44:45 What Surprised Bart 49:55 John the Baptist 52:17 Tensions in the New Testament