Who really was John the Baptist? A prophet? An antiestablishment rebel and activist? Jesus' teacher? In this Becoming Human Conversation, philosopher and scholar of religion Samuel Loncar interviews the scholar James F. McGrath about his groundbreaking research on John the Baptist.

James F. McGrath, author of "Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist" and "John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for the Historical Baptizer," and the Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University, shows how John is a fascinating religious figure in his own right.

Aside from his influence on Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, John is also revered by the Mandaeans, the last extant gnostic sect, who revere John the Baptist and see themselves as part of his prophetic tradition.

ABOUT James F. McGrath Dr. James F. McGrath is the Clarence L. Goodwin Chair in New Testament Language and Literature at Butler University. His PhD is from the University of Durham in England. His interests include early Christianity, John the Baptist and the Mandaeans, science fiction, and the intersection of religion and science. He blogs at ReligionProf on the Patheos web site.

This public work is made possible by the support of Becoming Human Members. Become a Member of Becomging Human today: https://www.samuelloncar.com/join-becoming-human-project-1

ABOUT Samuel Loncar Born in Athens, Greece, Samuel's ancestors' give him global roots: in Okinawa, Japan, among the Chippewa (or Ojibwe) people, and in Eastern Europe. Samuel's diverse background motivated his search for a truth that would respect his upbringing but answer his hardest questions, leading him to discover, at age 14, an ancient philosophy text that converted him to philosophy as a way of life.

He received his Ph.D. from Yale University in 2019 and specializes in philosophy and its connection to religion, science, and the growth and preservation of knowledge in the digital age. Samuel is the founder and creator of the Becoming Human Project, a multi-media project to bring philosophy as a way of life to everyone and build a community of creators seeking a more meaningful life. Samuel Loncar, Ph.D. (Yale) is a philosopher, scholar of religion and science, poet, and Editor of the Marginalia Review of Books.