
PREFACE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND EDITIONS
PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION
THE CHRIST MYTH - THE PRE-CHRISTIAN JESUS
I. THE INFLUENCE OF PARSEEISM ON THE BELIEF IN A MESSIAH
II. THE HELLENISTIC IDEA OF A MEDIATOR (PHILO)
III. JESUS AS CULT-GOD IN THE CREED OF JEWISH SECTS
IV. THE SUFFERINGS OF THE MESSIAH
V. THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH. THE BAPTISM
VI. THE SELF-OFFERING OF THE MESSIAH. THE SUPPER
VII. SYMBOLS OF THE MESSIAH: THE LAMB AND THE CROSS
The book opens with a sweeping survey of the scholars who have questioned the historicity of Jesus, from Strauss and Bauer in the nineteenth century to more recent figures across Europe and America. By cataloguing their arguments—whether rooted in mythic parallels, Stoic philosophy, or social‑economic analysis—it sets the stage for a rigorous re‑examination of the Gospel narratives. Readers are introduced to a diverse cast of thinkers who have traced the story of Christ to earlier pagan motifs, astronomical allegories, and cultural borrowings.
In the first act, the author positions these critical voices against the entrenched positions of traditional theology, highlighting how many academic institutions have largely ignored or dismissed the mythic perspective. The tone is scholarly yet accessible, inviting listeners to follow the evidence and consider whether the foundations of Christianity might rest more on myth than on a historical founder. This introductory survey promises a thoughtful journey through the contested origins of one of history’s most influential religions.
Language
en
Duration
~7 hours (442K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
Apr 30, 2014
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1865–1935
A provocative German philosopher and writer, he became one of the best-known early advocates of the Christ myth theory. His work mixed religion, philosophy, and cultural criticism in ways that stirred intense debate in the early 20th century.
View all books
by Order of the Eastern Star. General Grand Chapter

by John Gibson Paton

by Stendhal

by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps

by John Henry Newman

by Henry Adams

by Robert Lewis Dabney

by Brillat-Savarin