Includes bibliographical references (p. 256-288) and index
Drowning in a sea of Gospels -- The proof is in the papyri? : Gospel bestsellers from Egyptian garbage dumps -- Silencing the Bishop, part I : the lonely Irenaeus -- Silencing the Bishop, part II : the ugly Irenaeus -- Irenaeus' 'co-conspirators' : a teacher, a preacher, and a canon-list maker -- 'Packaging" the Gospels : of harmonies, synopses, and codices -- Preaching and teaching the Gospels : Justin Martyr and the Apostles' memoirs -- Justin's 'co-conspirators' : the Gospels as public documents -- Some 'proto-conspirators' : two forgers and an apologist -- Some 'co-proto-conspirators' : the Apostolic Fathers -- The search for an 'arch-conspirator' : a bishop, an elder, and an elderly Apostle -- Who chose the Gospels? -- Appendix. Dates of the earliest manuscripts of the canonical Gospels