I found Dr. Ehrman's explanations for "The Triumph of Christianity" very intriguing; they are ideas I have been pondering since the lectures. For me some of the most surprising things were:
- His theory that Christianity would have ultimately triumphed even if Constantine hadn't converted
- His argument that the key reasons for Christianity's success were the perceived power of its miracles, its exclusivity, and ability to inculcate the fear of hell.
I think what really impressed me about Dr. Ehrman though was his willingness to seriously engage with every question he was asked, whether it was atheism vs. agnosticism, Albert Einstein, Meister Echhardt, or why he wouldn't rejoin the Episcopal Church.
I'd be really interested to hear the thoughts of others who attended (or watched the lecture videos on our site).