Reading Series
After the Cross
Christianity after Jesus.
Christianity after Jesus: how its texts, churches, institutions, conflicts, and critics developed. This is where the lost gospels, crusades, inquisitions, witch trials, and modern doubt belong.
8 booksThere’s no required order. Start wherever you want.
In this series
Browse all books- 01How the Bible Became the BibleThe wild historical journey of how ancient scrolls became the single most influential book in Western civilization.29 min read
- 02BranchesA journey through Christianity's major denominations—from the Great Split to Protestants, tracing how one faith fractured into a sprawling family tree.1 hr 6 min read
- 03The Lost GospelsAn exploration of the Nag Hammadi texts and Gnostic Christianity, from lost gospels buried in the Egyptian desert to their resurrection in modern spiritual movements.24 min read
- 04
Papal PandemoniumThe definitive history and biographical survey of the papacy, from Saint Peter to the modern Vatican.Short book - 05
Deus VultA witty, accessible history of the Crusades from the first call to arms through the legendary showdown between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin.33 min read - 06
Faith on TrialA gripping history of how the Catholic Church hunted heretics, burned books, and turned faith into a legal weapon through centuries of inquisition.42 min read - 07
The Witch TrialsHow everyday magic became a capital crime, why frightened communities needed scapegoats, and how torture turned accusation into proof.20 min read - 08
The Gospel of DoubtSeven thinkers from Spinoza to Twain who dared to question biblical authority and faced the consequences.38 min read