Gnostic Gospels: Difference between revisions
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== History & Overview == |
== History & Overview == |
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The Gnostic [[Gospels]] ('''nos'''-tik) were named after the Greek word Gnosis which means "knowledge" and is often used in Greek philosophy in a manner more consistent with the English "enlightment". <ref> See the article on [[Gnosis]] for a full discussion of the use of the term </ref> Gnostic philosophy and religious movements began in pre-Christian times. The name "Christian Gnostics" came to represent a segment of the early Christian community which believed that salvation <ref>Christian gnostics frequently used Christian terms to mean something quite different than what orthodox Christianity would assert these terms mean. Salvation in this case refers to rejoining the spiritual aspects of oneself with the "fullness" i.e. salvation from matter not salvation from damnation. See [[Valentinianism]] for more on Christian Gnosticism and their use of terms in non standard ways </ref> lay not in merely worshipping Christ, but in psychic or [[pneumatic]] souls learning to free themselves from the material world via the revelation.[''citation''] According to this tradition, the answers to spiritual questions are to be found within not without. Furthermore, the Gnostic path does not require the intermediation of a church for salvation. It has been said that Gnosticism blends the teachings of Jesus Christ with elements from Eastern traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/story/pagels.html] |
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The documents which make up collections of Gnostic Gospels were not discovered at a single time, but rather as a series of finds. The [[Nag Hammadi Library]] was discovered accidentally by two farmers in December of 1945 and was named for the area in Egypt where it had been hidden for centuries. Other documents included in what are now known as the "Gnostic Gospels" were found at different times and in different locations, such as the [[Gospel of Mary]], which was recovered in 1896 as part of the [[Akhmim Codex]] and published in 1955. Some documents were duplicated in different finds, and for others, such as the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, only one copy is currently known to exist. |
The documents which make up collections of Gnostic Gospels were not discovered at a single time, but rather as a series of finds. The [[Nag Hammadi Library]] was discovered accidentally by two farmers in December of 1945 and was named for the area in Egypt where it had been hidden for centuries. Other documents included in what are now known as the "Gnostic Gospels" were found at different times and in different locations, such as the [[Gospel of Mary]], which was recovered in 1896 as part of the [[Akhmim Codex]] and published in 1955. Some documents were duplicated in different finds, and for others, such as the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, only one copy is currently known to exist. |
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Revision as of 16:11, 22 April 2007
The term Gnostic Gospels refers to various collections of writings about the teachings of Jesus which are associated with early Christian Gnosticism. These gospels are not accepted by the Church as part of the standard Biblical Canon. Rather, they are part of the so-called New Testament apocrypha. However, public interest has been spurred by recent novels and films which refer to them.[1]
History & Overview
The Gnostic Gospels (nos-tik) were named after the Greek word Gnosis which means "knowledge" and is often used in Greek philosophy in a manner more consistent with the English "enlightment". [1] Gnostic philosophy and religious movements began in pre-Christian times. The name "Christian Gnostics" came to represent a segment of the early Christian community which believed that salvation [2] lay not in merely worshipping Christ, but in psychic or pneumatic souls learning to free themselves from the material world via the revelation.[citation] According to this tradition, the answers to spiritual questions are to be found within not without. Furthermore, the Gnostic path does not require the intermediation of a church for salvation. It has been said that Gnosticism blends the teachings of Jesus Christ with elements from Eastern traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. [2]
The documents which make up collections of Gnostic Gospels were not discovered at a single time, but rather as a series of finds. The Nag Hammadi Library was discovered accidentally by two farmers in December of 1945 and was named for the area in Egypt where it had been hidden for centuries. Other documents included in what are now known as the "Gnostic Gospels" were found at different times and in different locations, such as the Gospel of Mary, which was recovered in 1896 as part of the Akhmim Codex and published in 1955. Some documents were duplicated in different finds, and for others, such as the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, only one copy is currently known to exist.
The Gnostic Gospels are not accepted as part of what ultimately became the Canon of mainstream Christianity.
Princeton religion scholar Elaine Pagels, is a leading authority on the subjects of early Christianity and Gnosticism. Her Op-ed piece The Truth at the Heart of 'The Da Vinci Code'[3] provides an overview of her research into the Gospel of Thomas and why it may have been rejected by church authorities.
Though there are many documents that could be included in the Gnostic Gospels, the term most commonly refers to the following:
- Gospel of Mary (recovered in 1896)
- Gospel of Thomas (versions found in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt in 1898, and again in the Nag Hammadi Library)
- Gospel of Truth (Nag Hammadi Library)
- Gospel of Philip (Nag Hammadi Library)
- Gospel of Judas (recovered via the antiquities black market in 1983, and then reconstructed in 2006)
References in popular culture
The Gnostic Gospels received widespread attention after they were referred to in the 2003 bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code[4], which mentioned them as part of its back story. The novel's use of artistic license in describing the gospels stirred up considerable debate over the accuracy of its depiction. As a result of public interest triggered by the novel and film, numerous books and video documentaries, both pro and con, were produced which resulted in the Gnostic Gospels becoming well-known in popular culture.
Notes
- ^ See the article on Gnosis for a full discussion of the use of the term
- ^ Christian gnostics frequently used Christian terms to mean something quite different than what orthodox Christianity would assert these terms mean. Salvation in this case refers to rejoining the spiritual aspects of oneself with the "fullness" i.e. salvation from matter not salvation from damnation. See Valentinianism for more on Christian Gnosticism and their use of terms in non standard ways
See Also
External links
- The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity
- The Secret Gospel of Thomas
- The Nag Hammadi Library
- The Gnostic Society
- Mary Magdalene excerpts
- Thomas Jefferson's Bible and the Gospel of Thomas
- The Gnostic Gospels - PBS
- Lost Gospel Revealed; Says Jesus Asked Judas to Betray Him
- Gospel of Thomas Debate