The post-New Testament stories of the apostles made the news a while back, thanks to the appearance of Tom Bissell’s book on the subject. My own research has not pursued such questions much, with the slight exception of my work on the traditions of Thomas going to India. Even working on the Gospel of John has not led naturally to a focus on what John the son of Zebedee might or might not have done. In my current fiction project, I have explored the story of an apostle – and his replacement. But for that, I will be speculating and having fun well beyond anything that could be justified by extant historical evidence.
Bissell brings interesting things to light about connections between ancient traditions and modern practices. On occasion he unearths an obscure detail in a text that even someone who studies these things for a living may have missed. He even works in a mention of mythicism. But he does all that in the context of entertaining narration about his own experience of visiting sites connected with the people mentioned, in places like Jerusalem, Rome, and Chennai. I laughed out loud when he said of the author of the Gospel of Mark, ‘His idea of an elegant transition is “and”…’
Below I offer a range of links related to Bissell’s book as well as other treatments of the stories of not only the Twelve but also others.
Article about the apostles in National Geographic
How Tom Bissell’s lack of belief compelled him to write ‘Apostle’
Review of Bissell’s book by Tom Schaefer in the Wichita Eagle.
https://celsus.blog/2017/09/22/more-of-the-same-eric-bess-reviews-sean-mcdowells-the-fate-of-the-apostles/
https://celsus.blog/2017/11/30/guest-blog-by-michael-kok-the-tradition-about-the-apostle-and-evangelist-john/
https://jesusmemoirs.wordpress.com/2019/04/26/another-disciple-in-john-1815-16-as-a-galilean-fisherman/?fbclid=IwAR3IAytLh3BarPi6-wOU8pSi8K6hDxbNSElXqP1vWknj34hveQvhqoyP2jw
Episcopal Cafe on the Beloved Disciple
Review of Andrade’s book on the journey of Christianity to India in Bryn Mawr Classical Review.
Candida Moss on why Judas betrayed Jesus
Contradictions in the account of Judas’ death
Bob Cornwall reviewed A Week in the Life of Rome
Also among perspectives we’ve had the chance to hear from lately, beyond the realm of the apostles, are Mary and Caiaphas.
On what fiction allows us to explore that other genres do not. Also related to this is Blossom Stefaniw’s piece in AJW about ancient Christian reading. Calls for papers related to historical fiction:
https://relcfp.tumblr.com/post/184193685111/cfp-cfp-journal-of-historical-fictions
https://relcfp.tumblr.com/post/184311021635/cfp-5th-historical-fictions-research-conference
And another call about Catholic imagination and fiction.
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