What if the original teachings of Jesus were different from the Bible's sanitized 'orthodox' version? What covert motivations might inspire those who decide what the text of the Bible 'says' or what it 'means'? For some who ask conspiratorial questions like these, the Bible is the vulnerable victim of secular forces seeking to divest the USA of its founding identity. For others, the biblical canon suppresses religious truths that could upend the status quo. Such suspicions surrounding the Bible find full expression in Gospel Thrillers: a 1960s fictional genre that endures and still commands a substantial following. These novels imagine a freshly discovered first-century gospel and a race against time to unlock its buried secrets. They also reflect the fears and desires that the Bible continues to generate. Andrew Jacobs reveals, in his authoritative examination, how this remarkable fictional archive opens a window onto disturbing biblical anxieties.

Short-listed, 2024 Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion

‘an amusing and often entertaining sketch about the phenomenon …’

Henry Wansbrough Source: Church Times

‘An invaluable and unusually accessible book for readers at all levels … Highly recommended.’

L. J. Greenspoon Source: CHOICE

‘In this evocatively titled volume, Jacobs (Harvard Divinity School) has succeeded in producing, as few others have, a productive synthesis of erudition and entertainment … An invaluable and unusually accessible book for readers at all levels … Highly recommended.’

L. J. Greenspoon Source: Choice