Welcome
This is the homepage of Hugo Méndez, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Ancient Mediterranean Religions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and author of two books with Oxford University Press.
Latest News
New Episodes on the History Channel
I’ve had fun as a regular expert on the History Channel, covering topics anywhere across ancient history and religion. Tonight will be a doubleheader: look for me on History’s Greatest Mysteries and the series premiere of Holy Marvels (9 and 10pm EDT). More new episodes will follow over the next two months!
Previous Updates
“Who Wrote John?” Bible for Normal People Podcast
Is the biblical author John the person we think he is? Check out my latest interview on the Bible for Normal People podcast! This one is a fun exploration of how scholars think, how we grapple with difficult questions, and how we might try to incorporate scholarship better in our local churches.
New Insights into the New Testament Conference (2023): The NT Gospels
This fall (2023), I was part of an exciting new venture: a biblical conference for non-scholars. My talk was entitled, “Unlocking the Symbolism of the Fourth Gospel.” Here’s the abstract: The Gospel of John contains many narratives and images not contained in other early accounts of the life of Jesus. These materials were deliberately crafted—invented—by […]
History Channel: History’s Greatest Mysteries, Season 4 (2023)
Look for me on multiple episodes of Season 4 of “History’s Greatest Mysteries” (History Channel). Two are now available on Hulu.
MythVision Podcast: “Wrong about the Gospel of John”
In preparation for the upcoming New Insights into the New Testament virtual conference, I recorded a little teaser interview on the MythVision Podcast. Derek Lambert is great, and it was a lot of fun. Here’s the description: Join Dr. Hugo Mendez from UNC Chapel Hill as he delves into the intricate tapestry of the Gospel […]
Summer Residency at the NHC
The UNC College of Arts and Sciences made this small feature profiling me and my Geography colleague, Nina Martin. We were honored to be selected as Summer Residents at the National Humanities Center (and it’s been such an incredible time). Enjoy learning about my work here!
Featured Publications
I have published two books as well as articles appearing in leading Religious Studies journals, including the Journal of Biblical Literature, the Journal of Early Christian Studies, and New Testament Studies.
(Co-authored) The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 8th Edition
Did the Johannine Community Exist?
Hugo Méndez