The Sources and Development of Christianity

The Sources And Development Of Christianity by Thomas Lumisden Strange. The book surveys the origin and evolution of Christian faith, arguing that the movement did not arise from a single founder or a straightforward, early canonical history. Strange contends that the earliest Christian records are incomplete, biased, or forgeries, and that the known events of Jesus’ life and the apostles’ deeds were shaped by later conjecture, interpolation, and rival traditions. He traces Christianity’s development from a Judaic base through diverse later influences, including Essene and Therapeutic currents in the East, Hellenistic philosophy, Egyptian and Buddhist ideas, and Hindu mythologies, especially as manifested in Alexandria’s intellectual milieu. The work critiques sources such as Eusebius and pagan and Jewish writers, and analyzes the growth of the gospel message, Paul’s role, the evolution of doctrine, and the claim of miracles. It concludes that Christianity emerged as a natural synthesis rather than a divine revelation, advocating critical examination of the Bible and religious authority.