John the Baptist: History’s Nearly Man?
In this discussion with History for Atheists blogger Tim O'Neill and Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Literature James McGrath, Kiosk Editorial Review Committee member and Secular Web author Robert Shaw takes a deep dive into the life, legacy, and historical mysteries surrounding John the Baptist, a prophet whose influence in first-century Judea may have rivaled, or even eclipsed, that of Jesus himself. Shaw, O'Neill, and McGrath explore the theological puzzles raised by Jesus' baptism, John's apocalyptic message, and the lingering question of whether Christianity might have taken a very different path had John's movement not been violently interrupted. They also meet the Mandaeans—modern-day followers of John the Baptist—and uncover what their existence reveals about the roots of one of history's most transformative religious figures.