Early Christian Writings Menu
Chris Knepp

Welcome

• Home
• The Third Well Class
• Thirdwell Table of Contents
• Advanced Searching on Thirdwell.org
• Thirdwell Calendar 2026
• Religious Holidays 2026
• Contact Us

• The Bible

  • The Bible Menu
  • Know Your Bible
  • Bible Overview Menu
  • A History of the Bible
  • The Story of the Bible
  • Bible Translations
  • Making Sense of the Bible
  • Biblical History: A Narrative Overview with Dates

• The Canon

  • Why These Books Made the Bible - A Menu
  • The Canon Why Accepted and Why Rejected
  • Why Revelation Almost Didn’t Make It
  • Why the Gospel of Thomas Was Excluded
  • How the Hebrew Bible Took Shape
  • Did Politics Decide the Canon?

• Modern Scholarship

  • Modern Scholarship Menu
  • Second Order Theology
  • What Modern Scholarship Has Changed
  • Archaeology and the Old Testament
  • What We Now Know About Early Christianity That the Reformers Did Not
  • How the Dead Sea Scrolls Changed Biblical Studies
  • What Second Temple Judaism Reveals About Jesus
  • How Modern Textual Criticism Works

• Religious Overviews

  • Significant Religious Websites
  • The Axial Age
  • Religions Change
  • Major Religion's Approaches
  • How Enlightenment Thought Changed Religion
  • Modernity and the Crisis of Meaning
  • The New Emergent Movements
  • Rise of Christianity in Africa, Latin America, & Asia
  • Future of World Religions
  • Hebrew Bible & ANE Motifs
  • Reception History of Biblical Texts
  • Post Colonial Mission Studies
  • A Timeline of Religion
  • A Religion Spirituality History
  • The Cradle of Civilization

  • Religions of the World

    • World Religions Menu
    • Philosophy of Religion
    • Sacred Texts of All Religions
    • Interfaith Case Studies
    • Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad
    • Comparative Religion Teaching
    • God and Mankind
    • Practice Traditions of Religions
    • American Religious History Overview

  • And Christianity?

    • This Religion Called Christianity
    • A History of Christian Theology
    • The Sermon on the Mount
    • The Beatitudes
    • A History of Christianity
    • The 30 Years War
    • The Kingdom of God
    • How Many Christian Denominations
    • U.S.Christian Denominations Survey
    • Presbyterian History
    • Being Presbyterian in a Dysvangelical America
    • Lectionaries
    • Resurrection to Reformation

    • How Beliefs Evolved in Christianity

      • How Beliefs Evolved in Christianity Menu
      • How Views of Heaven and Hell Changed Over Time
      • How the Idea of Satan Developed
      • How Early Christians Understood Salvation
      • How the Doctrine of the Trinity Emerged
      • How Modern Christians Are Rethinking Faith

  • Modern Christianty Controversies

    • Modern Controversies in Christianity Menu
    • Modern Controversies in Christianity
    • Artificial Intelligence and Theological Anthropology
    • Human Enhancement and Bioethics
    • Political Identity and Christian Witness
    • Religious Pluralism and the Fate of Exclusivism
    • Decline of Institutional Religion and the Rise of Spiritual
    • Hell, Judgment, and the Character of God
    • The Crisis of Biblical Authority
    • The Role of Women in Ministry
    • LGBTQ+ inclusion in Christianity
    • Sexual Ethics Beyond LGBTQ+ Questions
    • Race, Justice, and Historical Accountability
    • Digital Life, Community, and Sacramentality
    • Wealth, Capitalism, and Economic Justice
    • Science and Climate Responsibility
    • New Ecclesial Models

    • Christianity and Technology

      • Christianity and Technology Menu
      • AI and Moral Responsibility
      • Automation and Human Dignity
      • Gender Identity and Theological Anthropology
      • Digital Identity and Embodiment
      • Surveillance Culture and Christian Anthropology

• Science and Religion

  • Science and Religion Through History - the Menu
  • The Intersection Between Science & Religion
  • Science Religion Ancient World Babylonia Egypt Greek Rome
  • Science-Religion in Ancient World Philosophy, Astronomy, Medicine
  • Science-Religion - The Hebrew Scriptures
  • Science-Religion Greek Philosophers
  • Science-Religion The Natural World is God's Creation
  • Science and Religion in the Modern World
  • The Spiritual Interpretation of Quantum Physics
  • Technology and Spirituality

• Archaeology Time

  • Archeology Time Menu
  • Ancient Near East Archeology
  • Archeology Patriarchs Exodus Israel Judah
  • Bible History and Archaeology
  • Archeology and the Bible
  • Art of the Ancient Near East

Hebrew Bible Studies

• Great World Religions: Judaism
• Beginnings of Judaism
• The World of Biblical Israel
• Ancient Israel's Neighbors
• Torah Portion Studies
• Pirkei Avot
• Deuteronomistic History
• The Podcast Series
• Book of Hosea
• Book of Micah
• Patriarchs & Matriarchs
• Further Experience - Psalms
• Book of Job
• The Book of Jonah
• The Book of Ruth
• Wisdom from Talmud
• Joshua and Judges
• Book of Daniel
• Book of Ezekiel
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Songs
• All About Elijah
• Hasidic Tales
• The Prophets - Powerful Voices
• My Favorite Proverbs
• Teachings from Psalms
• Leadership in the Bible
• Lessons in the Talmud
• Counting of the Omer
• Examining the Books of Kings and Chronicles
• Examining Lamentations
• Divine Guidance
• Genesis as Literature
• Examining Ezekiel
• Examining Isaiah
• The Suffering Servant of Isaiah
• Examining Jeremiah Menu
• Saul the Tragic King
• Book of Numbers
• Twelve Minor Prophets
• Solomon & Contraditions
• David & Nation Building
• Israelite and Judean Society and Economy
• Sadducees Pharisees Essenes
• ANE and Genesis

• The Bible in its Ancient World

  • The Bible in Its Ancient World (Menu)
  • The Bible and the Ancient Near East
  • Creation Stories Before Genesis
  • Law Codes Before Moses
  • Kingship and Empire in Biblical Thought
  • Afterlife Beliefs in Israel, Egypt, and Mesopotamia
  • Devoted to Destruction

Christian Studies

• Shorter Christian Classes
• Gift of Years Menu
• Growing Older Menu
• Appointment with Destiny Menu
• Christians in World of Conflict Menu
• When Push Comes to Shove - Slaikeu
• Turning Points in Christian History
• Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity
• The Fundamentals
• History and Menu of the O Antiphons
• The O Antiphons of Advent
• Am I Saved?
• Reason to Believe
• God 0f Hope Apologetics
• The N. T. Wright Project
• Hallelujah & Beyond
• Hope & Healing
• Healthy New Year 2025
• Advent 2024 ""Stable"
• Revelation Interpretations
• Revelation & Resistance
• Pagan Religions - Roman Empire
• Rise of Pentecostalism
• Early Christianity
• Early Christianity Controversies
• Rapid Population Growth and the Sustainability of Human Life
• Jesus & His Jewish Influences
• Early Christian Writings
• Paul: A Biography
• Apostle Paul: A Complex Figure
• Galatians and Paul
• 1st Thess & Paul
• Reading Apostle Paul
• Romans (N. T. Wright)
• Peter Fragile Rock
• Church Fathers
• Examining Gospel of John
• Friendship Tour - Israel
• Examining Gospel of Matthew
• Examining Gospel of Mark
• Luke's Inclusiveness
• New Testament Canon
• 1st 2nd & 3rd Johns
• Luke-Acts
• Thirty Years War
• Christianity - Civil War
• Religion in World War I
• Future Faith
• Corinthians in Conflict
• Story of Roman Church
• Story of Orthodox Church
• Orthodox Catholic
• Reformed Confessions
• A Social Justice Vocation
• Day the Revolution Began
• Christian Hope
• The End Times
• The Righteous Mind
• Book of James
• God and the Pandemic
• Examining the N. T.
• Acts in Three Acts
• Paula Cooper PCUSA
• Rigby - "Holding Faith"
• Apocrypha Studies
• Apocrypha For Beginners
• N. T. Apocrypha
• The Apocryphal Jesus
• Christians in Holy Land
• The Stones Cry Out
• Jesus and the Gospels
• Global Christianity
• Augustine's Confessions
• The City of God
• Church Councils Lessons
• Reform Era Christianity
• Eastern Orthodoxy
• A View of Gnosticism
• The Druze
• The Divine Comedy
• Apostle Paul and Torah
• God's Plan
• Horses Donkeys and Mules

• Religion & Spirituality

  • Religion and Spirituality Menu
  • Rediscovering Religion and Spirituality
  • Secular Forms of Spirituality
  • Perennial Philosophy
  • The World of Mystics
  • Mystical Traditions in Western Religions

  • Non-Duality Across Cultures

    • An Overview of Non Duality
    • History of Non Dual Thought Across Cultures
    • Non-Dual History of Advaita Vedanta
    • Non-Dual History of Mahayana Buddhism
    • Non-Dual History of Christian Mysticism
    • Non-Dual History of Sufi Metaphysics
    • Non-Dual History of the Jewish Kabbalah
    • Non Duality and Classical Christianity
    • Non-Dual Language in the Teachings of Jesus
    • Paul’s “In Christ” Mysticism
    • Meister Eckhart and Christian Non-Duality
    • Modern Non-Dual Teachers and Christian Faith
    • Can Non-Dual Awareness and Christianity Coexist?
    • Theology & Nonduality
    • Modern Non-Duality
    • Neuroscience and Spiritual Experience
    • Maharshi Teaching
    • Maharaj Teaching
    • Krishnamurti Teaching
    • George Gurdjieff Teaching
    • Richard Rohr Teachings
    • Rupert Spira Teaching
    • Tolle Teaching
    • Cynthia Bourgeault’s Non-Dual Teaching
    • Marshall Davis Teaching
    • Davis Time and the Eternal Now
    • Adyashanti Non-Dual Teaching
    • Thomas Keating Teaching
    • Modern Non-Dual Understanding
    • Centering Prayer
    • Centering Prayer Intro
    • Non-Dual Comparisons
    • Bennett Tolle Spira
    • Wisdom of Insecurity
    • Huxley vs. Watts
    • Parables of Jesus
    • The Jesus Sermons
    • 2nd Half of Life
    • Tao Te Ching
    • Being Aware
    • David Gerken
    • Gerken Question

  • Comparative Mysticism and Interior Life

    • Comparative Mysticism and Interior Life Menu
    • Stages of the Spiritual Life Across Traditions
    • Apophatic and Kataphatic Paths
    • Mysticism and Mental Health
    • The Dark Night and Experiences of Absence
    • Ethical Transformation as a Measure of Authentic Spirituality

• Spiritual Formation

  • The Spiritual Formation Menu
  • PRAXIS
  • On Your Mark
  • WHPC Devotionals
  • All That Glitters

Christian Life

• Doug Fletcher Blog
• Applied Christian Wisdom - Theology to Practice
• A Personal Rule of Life
• Flourishing in Later Life
• Visit with Claire Berry
• World Population

Bible Studies

• Online Bible Study
• Studying Scripture

Sacred Texts

• The Lessons

The Class

• Thirdwell Class Items

Under Development