It has also been published in five other languages: in Montreal (Le Christ païen) by Éditions du Boréal, in the Netherlands (De heidense Christus) by Ankh-Hermes bv, in Germany (Der heidnische Heiland) by Ansata Verlag, in Brazil (O Cristo Dos Pagaos) by Editora Cultrix-Pensamento and in Japan (異教キリスト) by Basilico.

Throughout the book, Harpur details stories and sayings in the New Testament which he claims also appear in ancient myths, particularly pointing out the similarities between Jesus and the Egyptian sun god Horus.

He states that a number of pagan cultures in different regions and time periods drew on symbolic themes such as virgin birth, deity father, star in the east, raising of the dead, descent into hell, crucifixion, resurrection, and others.

"[4] Although early church leaders such as Justin Martyr and St. Augustine reportedly acknowledged certain commonalities between pagan religions and Christianity, Harpur explains that the extent of these similarities was hidden until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1799.

According to Harpur, most modern biblical scholars agree the gospels were written many decades after the presumed death of Jesus, and he concludes the scriptures are inconsistent, inaccurate and do not represent a verifiable historical record.

In what he calls "one of the most far-reaching tragedies in history", he presents the case that the Christian church in the third and fourth centuries "made a fatal and fateful error", namely inventing the myth of a literal and historical Jesus based on "sublime truth.

"[10] To that end, he states that biblical literalism "commits idolatry by making a flesh-and-blood man into God",[11] and that worshiping a perfect superman with magical powers who supposedly lived 2000 years ago is not a sustainable path for the future of Christianity.

"[2] According to Harpur, he has spent his entire life searching for answers, and now that he understands the scriptures represent symbolic allegories on a central theme rather than cryptic history, God seems more "relevant and real",[12] and "the Bible comes alive wholly in a new way.

As for "scholars and critics who believe that Jesus was not historical", Harpur presents a list from American historian Harry Elmer Barnes, that was first published 1929, featuring Bruno Bauer, Albert Kalthoff, Arthur Drews, J. C. Stendel, Emil Felden,[15][16] Peter Jensen,[17][18] Samuel Lublinski, Gerard Bolland, Gustaaf van den Bergh, Charles Virolleaud, Paul-Louis Couchoud,[19] Gerald Massey, Emilio Bossi,[20] Georg Brandes, J. M. Robertson, G.R.S.

'[32] James A. Beverley, author and professor at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto, wrote a brief article in 2004 called "The Pagan Tom Harpur" for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, using a more light-hearted tone than the title suggested.

[38] Bart D. Ehrman, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on his ehrmanblog in 2012 and in his book published the same year, Did Jesus Exist?