And so when Christianity took over the Roman Empire, starting in the 4th century in a big way,

by the end of the 5th century, basically, they're getting there. Once the Roman Empire, the entire

Western world at the time, becomes Christian, people hear this message repeatedly, help those

in need, help those in need. And it changes where people give their money to, and it changes

how they understand what it means to be give their money to and it changes how they understand

what it means to be a good person. And that view sticks around century after century after century,

so that today, even those of us who are atheists have this built into our moral system. And it's

because of the fact that Christianity took over the world and that Christianity took out as the core moral teaching that you need to help people in need, which was not the teaching anywhere else in the West world before.

Welcome to the Deconstructionist's podcast. I'm your host John Williamson. And welcome back to part two of my conversation with Bart Erman. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, I definitely recommend starting there, where we laid the groundwork for his new book called Love Thy Stranger, How the Teachings of Jesus

Transform the Moral Conscience of the West. In this second half of the conversation, we go deeper,

looking at how these teachings of Jesus were interpreted, adapted, and in some cases distorted

over time. We also talk about the tension between what Jesus taught and how those teachings

have been applied or not applied throughout history, including in modern expressions of Christianity.

As always, Dr. Erman brings a level of clarity and historical insight that makes these complex topics both accessible and deeply thought-provoking.

Had a great time. It was an absolute privilege and an honor.

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