Welcome to Behind the Gospels !
Behind the Gospels is a newsletter offering weekly insights into the Gospels. Some of the topics I cover on the site include Jesus as a historical figure, the literary and historical contexts of the gospels, and the state of gospels research.
My hope is that whatever your views on religion, there might be something of value here for you. My primary goal is to make academic study of the gospels accessible.
A Bit About Me…
My name is John Nelson, and I’m a teacher, scholar and student of the gospels. I am College Tutor in New Testament Studies at St. Stephen’s House, Oxford and an Associate Lecturer at the London School of Theology. I earned my Master’s in Theology (New Testament) at Magdalen College, Oxford, and PhD at the University of Edinburgh. My revised doctoral dissertation was published as Jesus’ Physical Appearance: Biography, Christology, Philosophy (Bloomsbury 2025).
Adjacent to my academic work, I am the Researcher and Producer of Biblical Time Machine, a podcast with Professors Helen Bond and Lloyd Lewellyn-Jones which hosts leading academics in a range of fields related to the bible. We are associated with SBL’s Bible Odyssey. I also host Unbelievable?, a show which brings people of different worldviews into discussion around the Bible, theology and philosophy.
I am available as a freelance writer, tutor and speaker on biblical studies. You can get in touch with me on substack or contact me at behindthegospels@gmail.com.
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