Far from springing full and complete into widespread publication the day after Pentecost, the New Testament evolved over several hundred years following Jesus's death. So what texts and teachings governed early Christianity? Dr. Bart Ehrman explores these questions, covering early writings, cults, and cultures. Dr. Ehrman's many awards are clearly justified if this course is any indication of his lecturing style and thorough research. While covering details of history and the evolution of theological doctrine, he presents the material in a conversational, yet respectful tone. Dr. Ehrman discusses the material, rather than feeding it to us. Even without the accompanying written course guides, the presentation and its lessons linger long.
(N.B.: To be published simultaneously with the author’s Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make it Into the New Testament; Oxford Univ.; 0-19-514182-2; 352 pp. $30.00.)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2002
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: The Teaching Company
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Claudette Monica Powell wanted to be a nun since she watched the movie A NUN'S STORY at age 7. Now she is Sister Monica Clare, Sister Superior of the Community of Saint John Baptist, an Episcopal order of women in rural New Jersey. A former acting student at New York University, Sister Monica Clare delivers an approachable, folksy account of her long and often painful path to the convent. Her chaotic and abusive childhood led to a loveless marriage, intensifying her already towering insecurity. Now she has a TikTok, @nunsenseforthepeople, with 200,000 followers. An energetic and engaging storyteller, Sister Monica Clare relays tidbits from her Hollywood days, as well as details of monastic life in this warm and engrossing memoir.
Pub Date: April 29, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217064878
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Colm Tóibín's consummate narration of his new collection of essays charms and educates in equal measure. The 11 pieces, written between 1995 and 2022, explore topics ranging from Catholic popes and the author Marilyn Robinson to Tóibín's homosexuality, treatment for testicular cancer, and childhood in Ireland. An award-winning journalist, novelist, and poet, Tóibín is analytical, elegiac, and often very funny, with a great eye for the telling detail. His soft, slightly nasal tenor and gentle Irish intonation are interestingly mellifluous; "power" becomes "paar" and "carefully" is "kerfully." He narrates deliberately, giving listeners time to absorb the writing. Occasionally, he lingers over words and phrases for maximum effect. It's a poet's approach, which works. The result is entrancing.
Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2023
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797153230
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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