"Arguably the most distinctive feature of the early Christian
literature," writes Bart Ehrman, "is the degree to which it was forged."
The Homilies and Recognitions of Clement; Paul's letters to and from
Seneca; Gospels by Peter, Thomas, and Philip; Jesus' correspondence with
Abgar, letters by Peter and Paul in the New Testament--all forgeries. To
cite just a few examples.
Forgery and Counterforgery is the first comprehensive study of early
Christian pseudepigrapha ever produced in English. In it, Ehrman argues
that ancient critics--pagan, Jewish, and Christian--understood false
authorial claims to be a form of literary deceit, and thus forgeries.
Ehrman considers the extent of the phenomenon, the "intention" and
motivations of ancient Greek, Roman, and Jewish forgers, and reactions
to their work once detected. He also assesses the criteria ancient
critics applied to expose forgeries and the techniques forgers used to
avoid detection.
With the wider practices of the ancient world as backdrop, Ehrman then
focuses on early Christian polemics, as various Christian authors forged
documents in order to lend their ideas a veneer of authority in literary
battles waged with pagans, Jews, and, most importantly, with one another
in internecine disputes over doctrine and practice. In some instances a
forger directed his work against views found in another forgery,
creating thereby a "counter-forgery." Ehrman's evaluation of polemical
forgeries starts with those of the New Testament (nearly half of whose
books make a false authorial claim) up through the Pseudo-Ignatian
epistles and the Apostolic Constitutions at the end of the fourth
century.
Shining light on an important but overlooked feature of the early
Christian world, Forgery and Counterforgery explores the possible
motivations of the deceivers who produced these writings, situating
their practice within ancient Christian discourses on lying and deceit.
