Did Jesus's followers really die for their faith?| Candida Moss

Were early Christians really persecuted and martyred on a massive scale? How reliable are the stories surrounding the deaths of the apostles? And what role did enslaved scribes play in shaping the New Testament?In this episode, historian and New Testament scholar Candida Moss explores two of the most fascinating and controversial topics in early Christian history: persecution and authorship.Drawing on her influential books The Myth of Persecution and God's Ghostwriters, Moss challenges popular assumptions about widespread Christian martyrdom and examines the often-overlooked role of enslaved individuals in the production of early Christian texts.Topics discussed include:• The reality of persecution in the early church• The difference between persecution and prosecution• Why martyrdom became central to Christian identity• The historical evidence for the deaths of the apostles• Whether martyrdom proves religious claims are true• The role of enslaved scribes in early Christianity• Tertius and the writing of Romans• How much influence ancient scribes had over texts• Inspiration, authorship, and the New Testament• Papias, Mark, and Gospel traditions• Richard Carrier, mythicism, and the historical Jesus• The most significant developments in modern biblical scholarshipCandida Moss is Professor of Theology at the University of Birmingham and one of the world's leading scholars of early Christianity. Her work focuses on Christian origins, martyrdom, biblical interpretation, and the social history of the ancient world.For early access to interviews, bonus content, and to support the show, visit LogosLeaper on Substack.