Bart D. Ehrman | Love Thy Stranger

Quail Ridge Books is an award-winning, independent bookstore serving Raleigh, North Carolina for 34 years. We love connecting readers with some of their favorite authors.

Quail Ridge Books

From the bestselling author of Misquoting Jesus comes a surprising history of Jesus’ most radical commandment

ABOUT THE EVENTTickets include a copy of Love Thy Stranger, guaranteed entry to the event, and a seat in the reserved section. Bart will sign books after the program.All live author events are subject to change. More information about our events can be found at <a href="https://quailridgebooks.com/eventsfaq." title="https://quailridgebooks.com/eventsfaq." target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">quailridgebooks.com/eventsfaq.</a>

ABOUT THE BOOKFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Misquoting Jesus comes a surprising history of Jesus’ most radical commandment—a new kind of altruism—tracing how the extraordinary duty to love even those who are strangers to us has shaped our world and our lives. When we donate money to victims of natural disasters, or offer our forgiveness, or consider it a government’s responsibility to provide some basic assistance to those in need­­, we are (knowingly or not) demonstrating the enduring legacy of a particularly Christian kind of love. For centuries, Greek and Roman moral philosophers prioritized generosity towards friends and family. Even Old Testament exhortations to love your neighbor gave little reason to consider the suffering of those beyond your own community. Jesus changed all this, introducing a revolutionary new ethical obligation to love those you didn’t even know—unconditionally—and to demonstrate that love through acts of care. The implications of this radical commandment would be debated, misunderstood, and resisted by early Christians. But by the fifth century, a new “common sense” began to transform the moral conscience—and the politics—of the West. In Love Thy Stranger, New Testament historian Bart D. Ehrman charts the causes and consequences of this ethical revolution with his signature sly humor and verve. For in this moment of renewed debate over the limitations of Christian love, Jesus’ most demanding commandment remains a thrillingly provocative one, even two millennia on.

ABOUT THE AUTHORBART D. EHRMAN is a leading authority on the New Testament and the history of early Christianity. A distinguished professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he is the author of six New York Times bestsellers, including Misquoting Jesus, How Jesus Became God, and The Triumph of Christianity. He has also created nine popular audio and video courses for The Great Courses. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages, with over two million copies and courses sold.

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Bart D. Ehrman | Love Thy Stranger

More events from Quail Ridge Books

Discover more events from Quail Ridge Books, from Hobbies to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Raleigh and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Bart D. Ehrman | Love Thy Stranger

More events from Quail Ridge Books

Discover more events from Quail Ridge Books, from Hobbies to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Raleigh and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.