Drawing on the late-eighteenth-century French philosophes and the more contemporary studies of Sir James Frazer and other cultural anthropologists, Drews argues that no basis exists for seeking a historical figure behind the Christ myth. Indeed, if anyone may be called the "great personality" of Christianity, that person is Paul, who gave it the strength to conquer rival religions.

Through a comparative study of ancient religions, Drews shows that Christianity is a syncretism of various pagan and Jewish beliefs, and that a strong pre-Christian cult of Jesus as son of God and messiah existed. The Christ Myth is a sourcebook for students of religion, historians, and all those interested in examining the origins of Christianity.