I had a hard time deciding which section it should go into. Rubbish from the second century that is still rubbish 1 is an apt description of the gnostic views advanced in elaine pagelss beyond belief. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels cont. A startling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the bible, by the bestselling author of beyond belief through the bestselling books of elaine pagels, thousands of readers have come to know and treasure the suppressed biblical texts known as the gnostic gospels. Oct 11, 2003 theologian elaine pagels has written beyond belief, the secret gospel of thomas. The secret gospel of thomas, elaine pagelss fascinating exploration of how and. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret.
While i enjoyed beyond belief, both the content and dr. Elaine pagels, one of the worlds most important writers and thinkers on religion and history, and winner of the national book award for her groundbreaking work the gnostic gospels, now reflects on what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the twenty. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels online at alibris. She is the author of the gnostic gospels, which won the national book award and the national book critics circle award, the johannie gospel in gnostic exegesis, adam, eve, and the serpent, and the bestselling beyond belief. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of thomas, and breathes. The words, beyond belief, have significance in more than one way. Beyond belief the secret gospel of thomas by elaine. The introduction, discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and author biography that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of beyond belief. Click download or read online button to get christianity beyond belief book now. The gospel of thomas is a noncanonical sayings gospel. Download the gnostic gospels elaine pagels ebook beyond belief. As she arrives at an everdeeper conviction in her own faith, pagels reveals how faith allows for a diversity of interpretations, and that the rogue voices of christianity encourage and sustain the recognition of the light within us all.
Reading it with a group this time deepened my understanding. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels about the book in beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. The secret gospel of thomas by matthew gross but the former, my brethren, are included in the canon, the latter being merely read. The text of the gospel, discovered in 1945 in egypt, paints a different vision of jesus than do the gospels that. The secret gospel of thomas vintage by elaine pagels 1may2004 paperback 1 copy separate beyond belief. Elaine pagels, one of the worlds most important writers and thinkers on religion and history, and winner of the national book award for her groundbreaking work the gnostic gospels, now reflects on what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the twentyfirst. The secret gospel of thomas, elaine pagelss fascinating exploration of how and why the new testament acquired its present form. Scholars speculate that the works were buried in response to a letter from bishop athanasius declaring a strict canon of christian scripture. Beyond belief pdf national book award, books, good books. Christianity beyond belief download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. The book is mostly concerned with explaining why early christians like irenaeus suppressed gospels such as the gospel of thomas. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing.
The secret gospel of thomas shortly after elaine pagels twoandhalfyearold son was diagnosed with a rare lung disease, the princeton religion professor found herself drawn to the church again for the first time in many years. The question isnt often asked today in a neutral tone. Secondly, the gnostics also presented their teachings in the form of an ostensibly more advanced interpretation. Theologian elaine pagels has written beyond belief, the secret gospel of thomas. Apr 20, 2009 rubbish from the second century that is still rubbish 1 is an apt description of the gnostic views advanced in elaine pagelss beyond belief. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Like many of us, wishing to be spared hard work, gladly accept what tradition teaches. Beyond belief by elaine pagels overdrive rakuten overdrive. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china.
There is no detailed discussion of thomas nor do you get any understanding of what motivated the writer of the gospel of thomas, and since that is why i. Beyond unbelief a critical response to elaine pagels. Truth and fiction in the da vinci code by professor bart d. She focus on the gospel of thomas 90 ce comparing it to the gospel of john 100 ce and current christian beliefs about the teachings of jesus. The gospel of thomas was written in 340 in coptic, but the foundations are earlier oral traditions. Pagels presents decent analysis of the gnostic movement, and places the gospel of john within the gnostic context, yet fails to deliver much on the gospel of thomas. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of thomas. The very interesting thing is that the book contains direct citations of jesus christ in 114 verses. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels 241pp, macmillan. Elaine pagelss gnostic gospels, which won the national book critics circle award and the.
Beyond belief is a compact volume of five chapters, end notes, the entire text of the gospel of thomas, and a useful index. The socalled gospel of thomas is but one of many of these gnostic pseudepigrapha. Had i known the gospel of thomas, a buddhist monk once told author elaine pagels, i wouldnt have had to become a buddhist. Pagelss writing style, i was somewhat disappointed in the lack of analysis of the gospel of thomas. Secondly, the gnostics also presented their teachings in the form of an ostensibly more advanced interpretation of the apostolic writings, which supposedly contained a higher knowledge hidden from most readers but available to those with deeper spiritual insight. Christian scriptures and the battles over authentication by professor bart d.
Beyond belief by elaine pagels, 9780375703164, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Editors susan tive a former orthodox jew and cami ostman a deconverted fundamentalist bornagain christian have compiled a collection of powerful personal stories written by women of varying ages, races, and religious backgrounds who share one. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of. The gospel according to thomas also known as codex ii was found in egypt in 1945. The secret gospel of thomas kindle edition by pagels, elaine. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar, elaine pagels not an evangelical continues her ground breaking examination of the earliest christian te. Pagels then shows how the gospel of john was used by bishop irenaeus of lyon and others to define orthodoxy during the second and third centuries. Jan 01, 2003 while i enjoyed beyond belief, both the content and dr. Similarly, the gospel of thomas, as we noted, claims to offer secret sayings, which the living jesus spoke, and adds that didymus judas thomas wrote them down.
Beyond belief by elaine pagels, written in 2003, is a small book. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her. But the fact that we have no simple answer does not me that we can evade the question. In the spring of the year 367, the bishop of alexandria in egypt wrote a. This is unfortunate because otherwise there are many things to admire about the book, including the scholarship it represents and the questions it raises. In fact it asks questions exactly on the mark for part i. Random house patterson, stephen j robinson, james m bethge, hansgebhard 1998. Elaine pagels argues that this need to define belief is not the product of a. The first chapter traces the practice of the primitive agape. If you mutter a vague yes, there is always a supplementary.
It was discovered near nag hammadi, egypt, in december 1945 among a group of books known as the nag hammadi library. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The secret gospel of thomas ebook 9781400079087 by elaine pagels. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels about the book in beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading beyond belief. The secret gospel of thomas pagels, best know for her national book award winner the gnostic gospels, wrestles with her own faith as she struggles to understand whenand whychristianity became associated almost exclusively with the ideas codified in the fourthcentury nicene creed and in the canonical texts of the new. Special edition including the complete text of the gospel of thomas elaine pagels, one of the worlds most important writers and thinkers on religion and history, and winner of the national book award for her groundbreaking work the gnostic gospels, now reflects on. Oct 01, 2010 thomas, in contrast, shares with other supposed secret teachings a belief that jesus is not god but, rather, is a teacher who seeks to uncover the divine light in all human beings. New books on christianity and spirituality by pagels, ehrman, et al. Pagels implies a couple things in this paragraph, however, first i would like to note that pagels is unwilling to say that john knew the text of thomas.
Pagels, a writer and thinker on religion and history, winner of the. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of. In beyond belief, a title that addresses the audience she wishes to reach, pagels examines more closely these ancient texts and how they compare to the four gospels. Presumably he was at least half joking, but the fact that he could say the words suggests the degree to which the subject of beyond belief veers away from what would become the christian tradition. Beyond belief addresses what happens when women of extreme religions decide to walk away. In beyond belief, her spiritual journey becomes a springboard for an intellectual and professional reexamination of early christian faith. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of thomas, and. National bestseller a winning combination of sound scholarship, deep insight and a crystal clear prose style. Beyond unbelief a critical response to elaine pagels beyond belief.
The text of the gospel, discovered in 1945 in egypt, paints a. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Special edition including the complete text of the gospel of thomas elaine pagels, one of the worlds most important writers and thinkers on religion and history, and winner of the national book award for her groundbreaking workthe gnostic gospels, now reflects on what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the twentyfirst century. Find a library or download libby an app by overdrive. The gospel of thomas also known as the coptic gospel of thomas is a noncanonical sayings gospel. Download the gospel of thomas download the free pdf. Controversial and thoughtprovoking, this international bestseller investigates the politics of christianity and how the. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers all about beyond belief. Christianity beyond belief download ebook pdf, epub. A lot of space is taken up discussing the gospel of john, supposedly as a comparison, but when the gnostic gospels are discussed pagels discusses just about every gnostic gospel except thomas. Editors susan tive a former orthodox jew and cami ostman a deconverted fundamentalist bornagain christian have compiled a collection of powerful personal stories written by women of varying ages, races, and religious backgrounds who share one commonality. Beyond belief the secret lives of women in extreme. When her infant son was diagnosed with fatal pulmonary hypertension, awardwinning author elaine pagels was moved to explore her faith.