Examining a wide array of ancient writings, Brent Nongbri dispels the commonly held idea that there is such a thing as ancient religion. Nongbri shows how misleading it is to speak as though religion was a concept native to pre-modern cultures.

Any Latter-day Saint who has ever defended his or her beliefs has likely addressed issues first raised by Eber D. Howe in 1834. Howe's famous exposé was the first of its kind, with information woven together from previous news articles and some thirty affidavits he and others collected. He lived and worked in Painesville, Ohio, where, in 1829, he had published about Joseph Smith's discovery of a "golden bible." Smith's decision to relocate in nearby Kirtland sparked Howe's attention. Of even more concern was that Howe's wife and other family members had joined the Mormon faith. Howe immediately began investigating the new Church and formed a coalition of like-minded reporters and detractors. By 1834, Howe had collected a large body of investigative material, including affidavits from Smith's former neighbors in New York and from Smith's father-inlaw in Pennsylvania. Howe learned about Smith's early interest in pirate gold and use of a seer stone in treasure seeking and heard theories from Smith's friends, followers, and family members about the Book of Mormon's origin. Indulging in literary criticism, Howe joked that Smith, "evidently a man of learning," was a student of "barrenness of style and expression." Despite its critical tone, Howe's exposé is valued by historians for its primary source material and account of the growth of Mormonism in northeastern Ohio.

Boudinot's passionate defense of Christianity is as fresh, forceful and convincing now as the day it first appeared. Authored by Elias Boudinot as a response to Thomas Payne's The Age of Reason, The Age of Revelation is a spirited defense of Christian beliefs and principles from the perspective of a believer who had spent decades in the service of the church. Elias Boudinot was a distinguished statesman whose adherence to traditional beliefs was unstinting throughout his life. Boudinot's response is lengthy and measured, tackling Payne's thesis point-by-point. The tone he strikes is one of calm conviction, wherein he sets out a case for Christianity and against the various skeptical arguments of Payne. He demonstrates that Payne's views are not new or novel, and opines that had Payne not published the popular book Common Sense a few years prior that The Age of Reason would never have experienced a strong reception.