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Heresy

Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God

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Heresy

By: Catherine Nixey
Narrated by: Lalla Ward
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About this listen

'Heresy is a brilliant book' - The Times
'Enthralling' - The Sunday Telegraph

‘In the beginning was the Word,’ says the Gospel of John. This sentence – and the words of all four gospels – is central to the teachings of the Christian church and has shaped Western art, literature and language, and the Western mind.

Yet in the years after the death of Christ there was not merely one word, nor any consensus as to who Jesus was or why he had mattered. There were many different Jesuses, among them the aggressive Jesus who scorned his parents and crippled those who opposed him, the Jesus who sold his twin into slavery and the Jesus who had someone crucified in his stead.

Moreover, in the early years of the first millennium there were many other saviours, many sons of gods who healed the sick and cured the lame. But as Christianity spread, they were pronounced unacceptable – even heretical – and they faded from view.

Now, in Heresy, Catherine Nixey tells their extraordinary story, one of contingency, chance and plurality. It is a story about what might have been.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Catherine Nixey (P)2022 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd Christianity Religious Studies

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Critic reviews

How on earth could an ancient Greek word meaning 'choice' come to be used exclusively negatively to mean heresy? Catherine Nixey, expert in the darkening age of Late Antique religiosity, has all the answers, brilliantly resurrecting a teeming plurality of non-canonical, non-orthodox, and above all allegedly non-Christian ideas and practices with cool intellectual clarity and vivid literary skill. (Paul Cartledge, author of The Spartans and Thermopylae)
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This was an eye opening account of the world of early Christianity. It told stories of other christionities and explored the suppression of heresy.

A Fascinating Expanded view of Early Christian History

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Very informative and interesting learning the historical background to Christendom evolving as we understand/taught today especially all the stories left out of traditional church on Sunday school! Found the narration clear and just as good as previous book.

Fascinating Historical Look at Biblical Evolution

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an enthralling tale of Christianity's suppression of early rivals, brilliant! l can't wait to read more from this author.

the quality of the scholarship.

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A complex historical narrative, well structured and with excellent narration, comprehensively reframing the early history of the orthodox Christian church.

Fascinating and eye opening

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the author makes it clear she is writing a historical work... not theological. she makes no judgement although she can't resit some verbal "raised eyebrows" which add to the fun. Brilliant .

fascinating details and stories

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It was very interesting to find out how the early Christians picked and chose which pieces of the gospels they wanted as the bible. Also distressing to hear of the treatment that the heretics received. Some of the content was I already was aware of but a good deal was new to me.
I enjoyed the content more than the delivery. The narrator's voice was a little too " Women's Hour" for me. Overall a good listen.

very informative

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Having had a Christian upbringing and since rejected those ideas, I found this book enlightening, vindicating and, particularly some of the ideas about the Virgin Mary, mildly shocking. It vindicated my sense that the very rigid ideas that have shaped English history and society were not inevitable as it is tempting to think “what if”.

Thought provoking

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Really enjoyed the full content. Such an engaging way to tell the story. If only more history books were written with such passion! I very much loved the subtle dark humour infused throughout.. Each chapter had me gasping for more info. Also the narrator is Outstanding, it makes the narrative even more colourful and immersive. There's something quite special in her tone of voice, her texture, inflections and intonation. Exemplary in every way. There's a beauty in the English language when read and delivered properly. And those dramatic overtones she adds are a complete delight. By the way, she is also narrator for this book's companion The Darkening Age. I devoured both books in just one week!

Excellent book!

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The historical perspective devoid of cynicism. It might seem heretical to even read this book it it offers a wider perspective and one that many Christians would benefit from.

Clarity of writing

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I was fascinated by this book but simply couldn’t get past the depressing pathos of the narrator. It is a shame such good a good book has been so spoilt.

Fascinating history totally ruined by the narrator.

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