The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors; Or, Christianity Before Christ

"The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors; Or, Christianity Before Christ" by Kersey Graves is a historical inquiry written in the late 19th century. The work explores the parallels between the life of Jesus Christ and the stories of various other saviors and gods from different cultures who were believed to have been crucified or who exhibited similar divine attributes. Graves aims to reveal the shared elements in religious narratives, arguing that many components of Christian doctrine have ancient, non-Christian origins. The opening of the book introduces the author’s thesis that the Christian religion is not unique but rather an evolution of pre-existing belief systems. Graves discusses the claim of the divine incarnation and virgin birth associated with Jesus, suggesting that such beliefs were present in earlier religions. Many claims attributed to Jesus, such as his miraculous birth and significant events in his life, are compared in detail to those of other deities, such as Chrishna from Hinduism and Zoroaster from Persian traditions. This comprehensive examination sets the stage for a further exploration of these themes throughout the text, as Graves aims to challenge the traditional understanding of Christianity in light of historical evidence and comparative mythology.