Meet the Author: Gabriele Boccaccini presents James McGrath (1pm-3pm ET, 18 December)

For many, John the Baptist is a footnote in the gospels—Jesus’s unkempt forerunner. But if we look closer, John emerges as a fascinating and influential religious leader in his own right.

James F. McGrath turns his critical eye to overlooked details in Scripture and long-neglected sources to discover who John the Baptist really was. McGrath covers the well-known events of John’s life, from his miraculous conception to his execution at the hands of Herod Antipas. Along the way, he introduces key context about John’s social and religious world that fleshes out John’s character. John becomes a rebel son of a priest. An innovator of ritual. A mentor of Jesus.

Join the Enoch Seminar virtually from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, 18 December, for a dialogue about John the Baptist. Gabriele Boccaccini will interview James McGrath, who will be joined by Frederico Adinolfi, Lynne Bahr, and David Burnett.

The book is available for purchase here: https://a.co/d/2bjfbyT