Stephen was stoned to death. Peter was crucified (upside down). For early Christians, the highest form of devotion was to suffer and die like Jesus. Those martyrs became the first saints, and their bones and other "relics" were venerated throughout Christendom as part of a "cult of the dead," explains our guest, Kyle Smith.  

• Read Kyle's fascinating book, Cult of the Dead: A Brief History of Christianity
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Theme music written and performed by Dave Roos