Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist. Eerdmans, June 2024.For many PaleoJudaica posts noting Professor McGrath's work on John the Baptist and on the Mandeans (Mandaeans), see here and here. And for still more on John the Baptist, start here and follow the links.and
John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for the Historical Baptizer. Eerdmans, October 2024.
At the outset of my first (and hopefully not last) full-year sabbatical, I set out to do something I had never done before. I planned to write two books about John the Baptist: a biography accessible to a general audience and a monograph detailing the distinctive methodology and contributions of my study. As the publication date of the former approaches, it seems appropriate to provide not only a preview of both but also a reflection on how (and why) I’ve undertaken this larger project.
[...]
Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.