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. In this book, pagels outlines her notion in five stages. As one of the worlds foremost religion scholars, she. Mar 21, 2012 her revelations is a slim book that packs in dense layers of scholarship and meaning. A personal story, elaine pagels, the harrington spear paine. Reading it with a group this time deepened my understanding. Elaine pagels is well known for her books on gnosticism. John and thomas, she seeks to show that john was aware of the teachings of the gospel of thomas a lesser claim than that john was aware of thomas and that john sought to directly refute those teachings. As pagels continues her argument in the second chapter of her book, gospels in conflict. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation, pagels analyzes other revelations of the time they were common and examines how johns particular version of apocalypse made it into the worlds most popular book. In this majestic new book, pagels the gnostic gospels ranges panoramically over the history of early christianity, demonstrating the religions initial trem. Author elaine pagels includes here discussion of not only john of patmoss book of revelations, so wellknown from the new testament, but also discussion of the numerous revelation texts found at nag hammadi in upper egypt in 1945.
In beyond belief, her spiritual journey becomes a springboard for an intellectual and professional reexamination of early christian faith. Elaine pagels has a persuasive answer, spectacularly illustrated. As opposed to the gospel of john, which asserted that jesus was an eternally existing aspect of god who came to earth to save. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Elaine pagels joined the princeton faculty in 1982, shortly after receiving a macarthur fellowship. Elaine pagels is an exceptionally engaging writer with a talent for locating and explaining hidden wisdom. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an inter. What other book might you compare revelations to and why. The introduction, discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and author biography that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of beyond belief. Book of revelation has fascinated readers for more than two thousand years. From asia minor the movement swept through churches all across the empire, to africa, rome, and greece, and even to remote provinces like gaul, arousing enthusiasmand. Perhaps best known as the author of the gnostic gospels, the origin of satan, and adam, eve and the serpent, she has published widely on gnosticism and early christianity, and continues to pursue research interests in late antiquity.
The gospel of judas and the shaping of christianity, co authored with karen king, viking penguin, new york, 2007. This book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945. In this groundbreaking book, elaine pagels, princetons distinguished historian of religion, traces the evolution of satan from its origins in the hebrew bible, where satan is at first merely obstructive, to the new testament, where satan becomes the prince of darkness, the bitter enemy of. Pagels traverses grief, healing and the nature of belief in why. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar, elaine pagels not an evangelical continues her ground breaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. Elaine pagels is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university and the author of reading judas, the gnostic gospelswinner of the national book critics circle award and the national book awardand the new york times bestseller beyond. Elaine pagels on revelation and revelations huffpost. 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. This tension between authority and revelation is at the heart of beyond belief. Elaine pagels born 1943 is professor of religion at princeton university.
Sex and politics in early christianity,the gnostic paul. The secret gospel of thomas was a new york times bestseller. The secret gospel of thomas vintage reprint by pagels, elaine isbn. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation audiobook written by elaine pagels. Elaine pagels burst the myth of the early christian church as a unified movement in her 1979 book the gnostic gospels, which won both the national book critics circle award and the national book award, and was chosen by the modern library as one of the 100 best books of the 20th century. Pagels argues, as she has in other works such as the gnostic gospels and beyond belief, that the gnostic literature opens the path to individual spiritual exploration and profound personal encounter with the spiritual realm. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation 2012. Beyond belief by elaine pagels discussion guide books. 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.
Pagels to john of patmos, is the last book in the new. I had a hard time deciding which section it should go into. Elaine pagels is een autoriteit op het gebied van het vroege christendom. For what is she searching, as both a scholar and a. Astartling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the bible, by the bestselling author of. May 04, 2004 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. Pagels begins each chapter with a personal reflection. However, i think revelations focuses more on johns writing of the revelation of jesus christ, accompanied by the writers interpretations a little like a bible study or a church sermon.
A profound exploration of the bibles most controversial bookfrom the author of beyond belief and. Controversial and thoughtprovoking, this international bestseller investigates the politics of christianity and how the church crafted a bible and a faith far more stringent than previously thought. 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. When her infant son was diagnosed with fatal pulmonary hypertension, awardwinning author elaine pagels was moved to explore her faith. Politics in the book of revelation as well as the gnostic gospels. Her other books include the origin of satan 1995, 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 secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels online at alibris. Beyond unbelief a critical response to elaine pagels. According to pagels, from circa 100 to 300, john of patmos revelation was not considered to be a divine text, but the opposite, a devilinspired heretical text.
Visions, prophecy and politics in the book of revelation, princeton university religious professor elaine pagels places the book of revelation in its historical. Known for her work in translating the nag hammadi library, she joined the princeton faculty in. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of. Beyond belief by elaine pagels, written in 2003, is a small book consisting of only five chapters that seeks to show that what is today considered christian orthodox belief is not validly derived from the teachings of early christianity. Pagels has two grown children a girl, adopted as an infant when her son was alive. She is currently the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university, and she.
These are the socalled gnostic or apocryphal texts expunged by order of egyptian bishop athanasius in the 4th century c. What do they reveal about pagelss own struggles with some aspects of traditional christian beliefs. Why has elaine pagels chosen beyond belief as her title. I resisted beyond belief for months, because i thought i was done with that topic, and was very familiar with the topic of its subtitle, the secret gospel of thomas. Christian scriptures and the battles over authentication by professor bart d. She is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university. Gnostic exegesis of the pauline letters, adam, eve and the serpent, the origin of satan, and beyond belief. But after reading palmers confessions of an insider regarding the earliest days. Two days before, a team of doctors at babies hospital, columbia.
A new account of the origins of christianity, that brilliantly summarized the ancient and rambling nag hammadi texts, which describe the teachings of jesus as captured by early christian writers. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation, viking penguin, new york, 2012 reading judas. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation. Her revelations is a slim book that packs in dense layers of scholarship and meaning.
Listen online or offline with android, ios, web, chromecast, and. A profound exploration of the bibles most controversial bookfrom the author of beyond belief and the gnostic gospels the strangest book of the new testament. Spurred by personal tragedy, elaine pagels turns to a consideration of the gnostic gospels, in particular, the gospel of thomas. Elaine pagels is currently considered a single author. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation,adam, eve, and the serpent. Her bestselling book the gnostic gospels 1979 examines the divisions in the early christian. Pagels, a writer and thinker on religion and history, winner of the. The secret gospel of thomas, elaine pagelss fascinating exploration of how and why the new testament acquired its present form. Her bestselling book the gnostic gospels 1979 examines the divisions in. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her. She is the author of the new york times bestselling beyond belief. She reveals in the first chapter of this 2003 book how. She illustrates the consequences with an account of her own visit to church when her twoyearold son was terminally ill.
If revelation sought help through future political deliverance and the promise of resurrection, the gnostic. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation, viking penguin, new york, 2012. Elaine pagels is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university and the author of reading judas, the gnostic gospelswinner of the national book critics circle award and the national book awardand the new york times. 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. 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.
In the spring of the year 367, the bishop of alexandria in egypt wrote a famous letter to his flock. Elaine pagels is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university and the author of reading judas, the gnostic gospelswinner of the national book critics circle award and the national book awardand the new york times bestseller beyond belief. Tracing reinterpretations of the apocalypse given pagelss famously ecumenical approach, its surprising to hear that her spiritual journey began at a. Elaine pagels is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university and the author of reading judas, the gnostic gospelswinner of the national book critics circle award and the national book award and the new york times bestseller beyond belief. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels 241pp, macmillan. 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. Elaine pagels, nee hiesey born february, 1943, is an american religious historian. As one of the worlds foremost religion scholars, she has been a pioneer in interpreting these books and. 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. Truth and fiction in the da vinci code by professor bart d. Controversial and thoughtprovoking, this international bestseller. A startling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the bible, by the bestselling author of beyond belief.
In this majestic new book, pagels the gnostic gospels ranges panoramically over the. 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. Elaine pagels department of religion religion princeton. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation, pagels analyzes other revelations of the time they were common and examines how johns particular version of apocalypse made it into the worlds. 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.
Elaine pagels a profound exploration of the bibles most controversial bookfrom the author of beyond belief and the gnostic gospels the strangest book of the new testament, filled with visions of the rapture, the whore of babylon, and apocalyptic writing of the end of times, the book of revelation has fascinated readers for more than two. Again, despite what is taught in christian churches, the book of revelation did not have a clear path to canonization. Beyond belief by elaine pagels discussion guide penguin. Pagels has conducted extensive research into early christianity and gnosticism. The words, beyond belief, have significance in more than one way.
21 23 377 497 858 750 679 695 894 651 1371 857 101 58 1324 1188 858 320 287 263 1523 903 803 1023 1506 1281 799 1551 168 1090 403 232 781 1541 1273 63 786 544 74 1388 962 22 1454 1046 172