Donini (a Jesus Agnostic) thinks that the Essenism was born as pacific reaction against the centralization of powers under the kingdom of John Hyrcanus I and Alexander Janneus.
The similarities between the two sects (Essenism and Christianity) should imply, according to Donini, that, in the same way of the Essenism, a political event provoked the birth of the Christianity.
Donini identified that political event at the real Origin of Christianity in the Jewish national defeat of 70 CE and 135 CE.
Donini on both Essenes and Christians as reactions to political defeats
Re: Donini on both Essenes and Christians as reactions to political defeats
Donini is openly agnostic about the historicity of the Teacher of Righteousness.