The Gnostic Gospels Of Jesus

Author : Elaine Pagels
Publisher : Random House
Page : 281 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2004-06-29
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781588364173

Get Book

The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels Pdf

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time The Gnostic Gospels is a landmark study of the long-buried roots of Christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, The Gnostic Gospels has continued to grow in reputation and influence over the past two decades. It is now widely recognized as one of the most brilliant and accessible histories of early Christian spirituality published in our time. In 1945 an Egyptian peasant unearthed what proved to be the Gnostic Gospels, thirteen papyrus volumes that expounded a radically different view of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ from that of the New Testament. In this spellbinding book, renowned religious scholar Elaine Pagels elucidates the mysteries and meanings of these sacred texts both in the world of the first Christians and in the context of Christianity today. With insight and passion, Pagels explores a remarkable range of recently discovered gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, to show how a variety of “Christianities” emerged at a time of extraordinary spiritual upheaval. Some Christians questioned the need for clergy and church doctrine, and taught that the divine could be discovered through spiritual search. Many others, like Buddhists and Hindus, sought enlightenment—and access to God—within. Such explorations raised questions: Was the resurrection to be understood symbolically and not literally? Was God to be envisioned only in masculine form, or feminine as well? Was martyrdom a necessary—or worthy—expression of faith? These early Christians dared to ask questions that orthodox Christians later suppressed—and their explorations led to profoundly different visions of Jesus and his message. Brilliant, provocative, and stunning in its implications, The Gnostic Gospels is a radical, eloquent reconsideration of the origins of the Christian faith.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2011-09-28
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780307756640

Get Book

The Secret Teachings of Jesus by Anonim Pdf

In December 1945, two Egyptian fellahin, digging for natural fertilizer in the Nile River valley unearthed a sealed storage jar. The jar proved to hold treasure of an unexpected sort: a collection of some fifty-two ancient manuscripts, most of which reflect the teachings of a mystical religious movement we call Gnosticism (from the Greek word gnosis, "knowledge"). The texts are also, with few exceptions, Christian documents, and thus they provide us with valuable new information about the character of the early church, and about the Gnostic Christians within the church. In this volume, Marvin W. Meyer has produced a new English translation for general readers of four of the most important and revealing of these early Christian texts -- the Secret Book of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Thomas, and the Secret Book of John.

Author : James McConkey Robinson
Publisher : Brill Archive
Page : 516 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 1984
Category : Gnostic literature
ISBN : 9004071857

Get Book

The Nag Hammadi Library in English by James McConkey Robinson Pdf

Author : David Marshall
Publisher : Harvest House Publishers
Page : 196 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Religion
ISBN : 0736920552

Get Book

The Truth about Jesus and the "Lost Gospels" by David Marshall Pdf

Recent headlines, bestselling books, and even a blockbuster movie have called a lot of attention to the "Lost Gospels"-ancient documents that portray a Jesus far different from the one found in the Bible. What are the "Lost Gospels," and where did they come from? Are these writings trustworthy? Are they on par with the Bible? Have we had wrong perceptions about Jesus all along? A careful comparison of the "Lost Gospels" to the Bible reveals a number of alarming discrepancies that are cause for concern. This eye-opening resource will enable you to take a well-informed and well-reasoned stand on a controversy now sweeping the world. Book jacket.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 1986-05-12
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780394744339

Get Book

The Secret Teachings of Jesus by Anonim Pdf

In December 1945, two Egyptian fellahin, digging for natural fertilizer in the Nile River valley unearthed a sealed storage jar. The jar proved to hold treasure of an unexpected sort: a collection of some fifty-two ancient manuscripts, most of which reflect the teachings of a mystical religious movement we call Gnosticism (from the Greek word gnosis, "knowledge"). The texts are also, with few exceptions, Christian documents, and thus they provide us with valuable new information about the character of the early church, and about the Gnostic Christians within the church. In this volume, Marvin W. Meyer has produced a new English translation for general readers of four of the most important and revealing of these early Christian texts -- the Secret Book of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Thomas, and the Secret Book of John.

Author : Larry A. Angus
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 286 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2012-03-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1600476996

Get Book

The Hidden Messages of Jesus by Larry A. Angus Pdf

Do you believe other gospels, contemporary with those in the Bible, ought to be heard? Do you question certain articles in the Apostles' Creed, such as the virgin birth and bodily resurrection? Do you believe other religions other than Christianity have validity? Do you accept that women have the right to be clergy? Is your personal relationship to God more important than believing what you are told to believe? Is your way of faith honestly seeking what is true for the world and God? Do you believe Christ's call was to a dynamic faith rather than to any system of beliefs? If you answered "yes" to a majority of these questions, you will find that the Gnostic Gospels support a different way to be Christian. These long lost, hidden, writings, as do the gospels in the Bible, lift up the power and love of Christ. This book explains how and why!

Author : Nicholas Thomas Wright
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 168 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Religion
ISBN : STANFORD:36105123545647

Get Book

Judas and the Gospel of Jesus by Nicholas Thomas Wright Pdf

N.T. Wright, an ancient historian, biblical scholar, and bishop, offers a Christian response to the discovery (and the sensation surrounding that discovery) of the Gospel of Judas.

Author : Alan Jacobs
Publisher : Paul Watkins
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Apocryphal Gospels
ISBN : 1842930990

Get Book

The Gnostic Gospels by Alan Jacobs Pdf

A superb series of compact, beautifully presented editions of sacred texts selected from the major writings of the world's spiritual traditions in reliable and accessible translations. and values, an urge to break free from the orthodoxies of our own cultural heritage and to explore beyond its frontiers in search of fulfilment and enlightenment. This search for truth leads us to the great sacred texts of the world's literature. The four titles this season include the Tao Te Ching, poetry brimming with Taoist wisdom about our need to bend to nature's currents; the inspirational Bhagavad Gita, which addresses the issues of conflict - both internal and external; the deeply mystical texts of the Kabbalah, which has recently become very popular in the West; and the fascinating forgotten scriptures of the Gnostic Gospels. These texts offer us a new compass to steer by in our quest for the truth and poetry of the spirit.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Turner Publishing Company
Page : 178 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2012-12-14
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781594733680

Get Book

The Secret Book of John by Anonim Pdf

This ancient Gnostic text can be a companion for your own spiritual quest The Secret Book of John is the most significant and influential text of the ancient Gnostic religion. Part of the library of books found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945, this central myth of Gnosticism tells the story of how God fell from perfect Oneness to imprisonment in the material world, and how by knowing our divine nature and our divine origins—that we are one with God—we reverse God’s descent and find our salvation. The Secret Book of John: The Gnostic Gospel—Annotated & Explained decodes the principal themes, historical foundation, and spiritual contexts of this challenging yet fundamental Gnostic teaching. Drawing connections to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, kabbalistic Judaism, and Sufism, Davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the Gnostic religious quest. He illuminates the Gnostics’ ardent call for self-awareness and introspection, and the empowering message that divine wholeness will be restored not by worshiping false gods in an illusory material world but by our recognition of the inherent divinity within ourselves. Now you can experience and understand this foundational teaching even if you have no previous knowledge of Gnosticism. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents the most important and valued book in Gnostic religion with insightful yet unobtrusive commentary. It provides deeper insight into the understanding that in Gnosticism the distinction between savior and saved ceases to exist—you must save yourself and in doing so save God.

Author : Willis Barnstone,Marvin W. Meyer
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
Page : 874 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781590301999

Get Book

The Gnostic Bible by Willis Barnstone,Marvin W. Meyer Pdf

The most comprehensive collection of gnostic literature ever published, this volume is the result of a unique collaboration between a renowned poet-translator and a leading scholar of early Christian texts.

Author : Alan Jacobs
Publisher : Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
Page : 350 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2006
Category : Religion
ISBN : 1842932039

Get Book

The Essential Gnostic Gospels by Alan Jacobs Pdf

The Gnostics were early Christians whose beliefs and practices put them at odds with the orthodox Church; indeed, the Church considered Gnostics to be heretics and made a concerted effort to destroy their writings. However, in 1945, a remarkable discovery was made in Nag Hamadi, in the Egyptian desert: a jar containing 13 papyrus documents, dating back to the fourth century ad, with genuine Gnostic texts in the original Greek. In addition, this manuscript included four gospels that offered accounts of Jesus and His times that are strikingly different from the New Testament. Alan Jacobs brings his unrivalled scholarship to bear on these illuminating and eye-opening works, offering inspiring and poetic translations that capture the verses’ uplifting spiritual message and beauty.

Author : Marvin W. Meyer
Publisher : Harper Collins
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2009-09-15
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780061965937

Get Book

The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus by Marvin W. Meyer Pdf

For all those readers curious to read the actual texts of the Gnostic Gospels, here is the definitive collection of all the Gnostic Gospels and Gospel–like texts. o Marvin Meyer, premier scholar of Gnostic and other Christian literature outside the New Testament, presents every Gnostic Gospel and Jesus text with a brilliant overall introduction, introductions to each text, and notes that explain everything the reader needs to know to understand the text. He includes his latest translations of not only the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Mary, but other texts such as the Secret Book of John, which some scholars regard as the second part of the New Testament Gospel of John. The material is largely from the discovery at Nag Hammadi, freshly translated and introduced, but also includes texts found elsewhere. The texts, especially taken together, present an image of Jesus as the ultimate wisdom teacher, a kind of mysterious Jewish Zen master, who scandalized listeners by his radical egalitarianism (regarding women, slaves, the poor, the marginalized as of equal status, or more, with establishment male believers) and his insistence on living the message, spiritual experience, vs. outer observance only. o For those wanting to learn more after reading The Da Vinci Code. This book provides the definitive next book for those looking for expert presentation of the alternative Gnostic stream of Christianity, in which there is no talk of crucifixion and Mary Magdalene is presented as the disciple that Jesus loved best. "Marv is one of the original secret gospels scholars who has done an enormous amount of work to bring these texts to light. All of his research on the Nag Hammadi texts is having an incredible impact on our knowledge of early Christian history––it is virtually redefining it." ––Dr. Elaine Pagels, Princeton University

Author : Anonim
Publisher : SkyLight Paths Publishing
Page : 194 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781594730825

Get Book

The Secret Book of John by Anonim Pdf

"The Secret Book of John: The Gnostic Gospel - Annotated & Explained decodes the principal themes, historical foundation, and spiritual contexts of this challenging yet fundamental Gnostic teaching. Drawing connections to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, kabbalistic Judaism, and Sufism, Davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the Gnostic religious quest. He illuminates the Gnostics' ardent call for self-awareness and introspection, and the empowering message that divine wholeness will be restored not by worshiping false gods in an illusory material world but by our recognition of the inherent divinity within ourselves."--BOOK JACKET.

Author : Paula Fredriksen
Publisher : Yale University Press
Page : 286 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2008-10-01
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780300164107

Get Book

From Jesus to Christ by Paula Fredriksen Pdf

"Magisterial. . . . A learned, brilliant and enjoyable study."—Géza Vermès, Times Literary Supplement In this exciting book, Paula Fredriksen explains the variety of New Testament images of Jesus by exploring the ways that the new Christian communities interpreted his mission and message in light of the delay of the Kingdom he had preached. This edition includes an introduction reviews the most recent scholarship on Jesus and its implications for both history and theology. "Brilliant and lucidly written, full of original and fascinating insights."—Reginald H. Fuller, Journal of the American Academy of Religion "This is a first-rate work of a first-rate historian."—James D. Tabor, Journal of Religion "Fredriksen confronts her documents—principally the writings of the New Testament—as an archaeologist would an especially rich complex site. With great care she distinguishes the literary images from historical fact. As she does so, she explains the images of Jesus in terms of the strategies and purposes of the writers Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John."—Thomas D’Evelyn, Christian Science Monitor

Author : Rodolphe Kasser,Marvin Meyer,Gregor Wurst,Francois Gaudard
Publisher : National Geographic Books
Page : 228 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2008-06-17
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781426204159

Get Book

The Gospel of Judas, Second Edition by Rodolphe Kasser,Marvin Meyer,Gregor Wurst,Francois Gaudard Pdf

For 1,600 years its message lay hidden. When the bound papyrus pages of this lost gospel finally reached scholars who could unlock its meaning, they were astounded. Here was a gospel that had not been seen since the early days of Christianity, and which few experts had even thought existed–a gospel told from the perspective of Judas Iscariot, history’s ultimate traitor. And far from being a villain, the Judas that emerges in its pages is a hero. In this radical reinterpretation, Jesus asks Judas to betray him. In contrast to the New Testament Gospels, Judas Iscariot is presented as a role model for all those who wish to be disciples of Jesus and is the one apostle who truly understands Jesus. Discovered by farmers in the 1970s in Middle Egypt, the codex containing the gospel was bought and sold by antiquities traders, secreted away, and carried across three continents, all the while suffering damage that reduced much of it to fragments. In 2001, it finally found its way into the hands of a team of experts who would painstakingly reassemble and restore it. The Gospel of Judas has been translated from its original Coptic to clear prose, and is accompanied by commentary that explains its fascinating history in the context of the early Church, offering a whole new way of understanding the message of Jesus Christ.