Cult of the Dead

"A brilliant, entertaining, and accessible account of the history of martyrdom. Invaluable for anyone interested in understanding the Christian faith."--Bart D. Ehrman, author of Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why "An elegant and enlightening book."--Elizabeth A. Castelli, author of Martyrdom and Memory: Early Christian Culture Making "A sweeping tour through the history of Christianity that makes the familiar seem fresh and dramatically brings to life the remarkable connections across time and space that constitute the Christian story."--Kyle Harper, author of The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire " Cult of the Dead is vivid, readable, and often witty. Taking the reader on a journey from the time of Christ to the seventeenth century, it shows the intimate engagement with death at the heart of Christianity."--Mary Wellesley, author of The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts "Masterfully presented. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the significance of pain, torture, and death in the construction of Christian communities from the time of the apostles to the Protestant Reformation."--Kristina Sessa, author of Daily Life in Late Antiquity