{"title":"M. David Litwa","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eM. David Litwa\u003c\/strong\u003e explores the intersections of history, religion, and myth, offering readers insightful perspectives on foundational Christian texts. His work often examines how narratives like the Gospels have been shaped and understood within their historical contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEngaging with themes of faith and interpretation, Litwa’s books invite thoughtful reflection on spirituality and the formation of religious identity. These titles are well-suited for readers interested in deepening their understanding of religious history and scriptural development.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"how-the-gospels-became-history-by-m-david-litwa-9780300242638","title":"How the Gospels Became History","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA compelling comparison of the gospels and Greco-Roman mythology which shows that the gospels were not perceived as myths, but as historical records\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDid the early Christians believe their myths? Like most ancient—and modern—people, early Christians made efforts to present their myths in the most believable ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this eye-opening work, M. David Litwa explores how and why what later became the four canonical gospels take on a historical cast that remains vitally important for many Christians today. Offering an in-depth comparison with other Greco-Roman stories that have been shaped to seem like history, Litwa shows how the evangelists responded to the pressures of Greco-Roman literary culture by using well-known historiographical tropes such as the mention of famous rulers and kings, geographical notices, the introduction of eyewitnesses, vivid presentation, alternative reports, and so on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this way, the evangelists deliberately shaped myths about Jesus into historical discourse to maximize their believability for ancient audiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47463189119212,"sku":"9780300242638","price":131.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780300242638-how-the-gospels-became-history.jpg?v=1775029509"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/m-david-litwa.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}