Kenneth Humphreys is a British scholar and activist for atheism who lives in the south of England. He studied for five years at university, graduating with a master’s degree in history and social sciences. He subsequently taught for many years at a tertiary level in the UK and abroad, interlacing his academic pursuits with a career in the computer industry during its formative period. A writer with a consuming passion for religion and history, Humphreys has never had any religious affiliation and has been a lifelong atheist. “I remember as a lad being asked to leave the cub scouts after three weeks because I refused to attend the church parade, but by then I could tie my own knots. Now I enjoy tying Christians up in knots.“

Ken launched his internationally renown website jesusneverexisted.com in December 2001. Since then, the site has received more than eight million visitors. In December 2005, a companion book Jesus Never Existed was published and has been exported to more than thirty countries, republished is an abridged edition in India in 2007, and translated into Korean in 2013.

In December 2011 Ken began to make available material on the jesusneverexistd YouTube channel, which has attracted around 20,000 subscribers and more than five million viewings. In November 2014, Jesus Never Existed, An Introduction to the Ultimate Heresy was published in the USA.

Ken has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows, has debated many Christian apologists, and was a contributing scholar in the documentary Caesar’s Messiah and was the guest speaker at the International Mythicist Conference in Athens in May 2016.

Why?

Why is a hardcore atheist drawn with such passion and commitment to Jesus studies? Humphreys’ answer is unequivocal:

“Jesus is a myth, a syncretic creation from antiquity. But Christianity is very real, and has a history which is both fascinating and terrible. Christianity isn’t really about Jesus but about humanity, its follies and its fantasies, its capacity to deceive and be deceived. Above all, it is about an institutionalised ideology which has had, and continues to have, a criminal and corrosive effect on humanity. That is more than enough reason to study it closely.”

Family and Religious affiliation

Humphreys was born in a poor area of east London into a family that had no religious interest. Although nominally C of E (Anglican) on his mother’s side (his father was an atheist), church attendance was confined to christenings, weddings and funerals. Humphreys has never had any religious affiliation and has been a lifelong atheist:

“My childhood was never tainted by religion, although at one stage I did have a yen to be Superman. I guess I always wanted to fly and send lightening bolts across the room. But ‘God’ always struck me as a completely preposterous idea and I always wondered why the Pope lived in a palace. I grew up a natural, hardcore atheist. I remember causing a rumpus at school by refusing to read a lesson from the Bible at the morning assembly. “

Ken is divorced and has one daughter, loves to dance and hosts amazing fancy dress parties.

Education and career

After achieving a distinction in a Higher National Certificate course, Humphreys studied for five years at university, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree (BA Hons) and a Master’s degree (MA) from the University of Essex in history and social sciences, followed by pedagogic certification from the University of Leicester.

Interest in religion

Despite Humphreys’ lack of any confessional or spritual interest, religions as social and cultural phenomena, and in particular the historical claims made for Christianity, have been a life-long study. “My earliest diatribe against Christianity was at the age of sixteen in a school debate.“

A rationalist and libertarian, five years at university were followed by careers in education (including teaching in Turkey and Papua New Guinea) and the computer industry, culminating in the establishment of his own business.

His book Jesus Never Existed, was published in 2005 by Iconoclast Press. He is now fully occupied as a writer, radio broadcaster, and public speaker, and campaigns energetically against resurgent superstition and unreason

Conferences

Covert Messiah Conference (with Joseph Atwill) 19th October 2013 Accessed 16 April 2014

Jesus and Myth Conference, Athens, 22nd May, 2016

Debates

Edinburgh – Brighton – Christian Premier Radio

Numerous internet debates with Christian Apologists

In news and media

Argus (Brighton)

Worthing Herald (Worthing)

TV & Film

Channel 4 (UK) 4Thought TV Sunday December 19th, 2010

Channel 4 TV (UK)

19 December 2010

March 2009 Gardiner’s World (Sky TV) Part 1

March 2009 gardinersworld part 2

Writer and atheist (link on Channel 4)

Caesar’s Messiah: The Roman Conspiracy to Invent Jesus (January, 2012) is a documentary by Fritz Heede based on the studies of Joseph Atwill, Humphreys was one of a number of scholars from around the world – Atwill, Robert Eisenman, John Hudson, Ken Humphreys, Rod Blackhirst, Acharya S / D.M. Murdock, and Timothy Freke.(link accessed 16 April 2014)

Radio

Selected Radio interviews: