Hey, It’S Only a Story: A Layman’S Search for Understanding of Early Christianity

Hamilton B. Bowman

Sep 2011 · WestBow Press

About this ebook

Almost everything we read about the history of early Christianity comes from the Jewish Bible, composed during their captivity in Babylonia from about 500 to 450 BCE. Thus, right from the start, the information is old, and, after centuries of changes by rabbis, popes, and kingsnot to mention translation errorsthere is no way we can tell whether what we read is accurate, if anything written that many years ago can be said to be accurate. Thus the reason for the title of this book: Hey, Its Only a Story!

The book contains short summary biographies of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, and Paulthe major figures in the history of Christianityand includes some of the mystifying incidents in their lives. It is not a religious text but rather a who, what, when, and where story of their influences on history. If you had doubts about some of these stories, you should find some answers here.

Also included are two sections about what life was like in those early dayshow people communicated, how they kept time, and how they conducted their commerce. A short list of definitions of words and objects is part of this section.

F

inally, the last chapter is a timeline, placing in context events that took place from the time of the Garden of Eden to the landing on the moon.

The book is short on purpose...the author has heard enough long sermons!

About the author

Hamilton Bowman graduated from Yale University as an engineer, but his qualification to write a book on Christian history comes from his lifetime as an active Episcopalian. After his retirement, he dedicated a considerable amount of time trying to understand the inconsistencies and contradictions of Christian history that he had been exposed to during his life in the church. He and his wife, Ann, live in Duxbury, a small village on Massachusetts Bay, south of Boston.