This book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read beyond belief. She is the author of several books, including reading judas. The socalled gospel of thomas is but one of many of these gnostic pseudepigrapha. Elaine pagelss gnostic gospels, which won the national book. The author explores historical and archeological sources to investigate what jesus and his teachings meant to his. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. At the center of her book is the conflict between the gospels of john and thomas. When her infant son was diagnosed with fatal pulmonary hypertension, awardwinning author elaine pagels was moved to explore her 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. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading beyond belief. The secret gospel of thomas, is just out in paperback. Overall, this book is a compelling overview of how orthodox christian beliefs. Certainly not simple assent to the set of beliefs that worshipers in that church recited every week we believe in one god, the father, the almighty, maker of heaven and earth. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Rubbish from the second century that is still rubbish 1 is an apt description of the gnostic views advanced in elaine pagelss beyond belief. Special edition including the complete text of the gospel of thomas elaine pagels, one of the world’s 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 century. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone.
In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels cont. 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. The secret gospel of thomas ebook written by elaine pagels. The secret gospel of thomas, noted religious historian elaine pagels reflects on the significance of the rich collection of noncanonical gospels and manuscripts discovered by a.
The secret gospel of thomas, pagels brings readers both her personal and intellectual perspectives as she explores the development of the christian religion. This book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the secret gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945. The canon of truth and the triumph of john constantine and the catholic church this book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the secret gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945. This is unfortunate because otherwise there are many things to admire about the book, including the scholarship it represents and the questions it raises. The secret gospel of thomas kindle edition by pagels, elaine. Beyond belief by elaine pagels, 9780375703164, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of thomas, and breathes new life into writings once thought heretical. From the feast of agape to the nicene creed gospels in conflict. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her. Exhilarating reading, pagels book offers a model of careful and thoughtful. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels 241pp, macmillan.
Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. It begins by comparing the gospels of john and thomas using a unique, to this listener anyway, hypothesis but moves quickly to a broader view of the first three centuries of christianity. The question isnt often asked today in a neutral tone. The secret gospel of thomas abridged by elaine pagels, jennifer van dyck isbn. In the spring of the year 367, the bishop of alexandria in egypt wrote a famous letter to his flock. Pagels, a writer and thinker on religion and history, winner of the national book award for the gnostic gospels, reflects on what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the 21st century. 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. 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 new life into writings once thought heretical. Why had the church decided that these texts were heretical and that only the canonical gospels. 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. 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 secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels online at alibris. Some scholars argue for a later secondcentury date placing it after the gospel of john was written and thereby negating much of pagels early arguments in the book that john was written to refute thomas.
Beyond belief pdf national book award, books, good books. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation. Elaine h pagels this book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the secret gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945. 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 what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the twentyfirst century. In beyond belief, her spiritual journey becomes a springboard for an intellectual and professional reexamination of early christian faith. The book is less an exploration of the gospel of thomas than an exploration of the competing movements and ideas that were present in the early christian church. Author of the book gnostic gospels, pagels revists the secret gospel of thomas as a method to describe the historical background into the formation of the bible as we see today. Controversial and thoughtprovoking, this international bestseller investigates the politics of christianity and how the. Pagels, a writer and thinker on religion and history, winner of the. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. If you mutter a vague yes, there is always a supplementary.
The secret gospel of thomas audiobook by elaine pagels. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of beyond belief. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Pagels attempts to trace the history of the formation of the bible in her well researched and meticulously notated book beyond beliefs, and does a fantastic job.
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