She is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university. Sex and politics in early christianity,the gnostic paul. 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. 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. The gnostic gospels 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. First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the national book award and the national book critics circle award, the. Part of the the nag hammadi library nag hammadi scriptures collection. As one of the worlds foremost religion scholars, she. Ultimately denounced as heretical by the early church, gnosticism proposed a revealed.
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 longburied roots of christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. 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. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of. In this majestic new book, pagels the gnostic gospels ranges panoramically over the history of early christianity, demonstrating the religions initial trem. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation.
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. Elaine pagels, american educator and scholar of the origins of christianity. Rubbish from the second century that is still rubbish 1 is an apt description of the gnostic views advanced in elaine pagelss 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. The secret gospel of thomas, is just out in paperback. Elaine pagels is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university and the author of reading judas, the gnostic gospels winner of the national book critics circle award and the national book awardand the new york times bestseller beyond belief. Pagels 1979 book the gnostic gospels was one of the. Spurred by personal tragedy, elaine pagels turns to a consideration of the gnostic gospels, in particular, the gospel of thomas. Gnostic exegesis of the pauline letters, fortress press, philadelphia, 1976. The secret gospel of thomas 2003, and why religion a personal. Characteristically brief and lucid, it is an attempt to describe the evolving shape of the devil in the sacred judeo. The gnostic gospels won the national book critics circle award and the national book award in 1980. 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.
In beyond belief, her spiritual journey becomes a springboard for an intellectual and professional reexamination of early christian faith. She is the author of several books, including reading judas. Pagels, best know for her national book award winner the gnostic gospels. Her notable books included the gnostic gospels 1979, the origin of satan 1995, beyond belief. Would adding the gnostic gospels transform the christian. 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. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation,adam, eve, and the serpent. Continuing the project she began nearly a quartercentury ago with the gnostic gospels, pagels examines the firstcentury gospel of thomas, discovered with the nag hammadi treasury of early christian writings, with an eye to showing how a given text comes to be. E laine pagels, professor of religion at princeton university, became famous well, at least well known with the publication of her book, the gnostic gospels, in 1979.
Elaine pagels 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. At barnard, she became the head of the religion department in 1974. Also by elaine pagels the origin of satan adam, eve, and the serpent the gnostic gospels the gnostic paul. This is unfortunate because otherwise there are many things to admire about the book, including the scholarship it represents and the questions it raises. 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. Beyond belief on apple books apple books apple apple. In the late 100s, as pagels tells it, the two main gospels were those of thomas and john. A vast collection of materials and audio lectures dealing with gnosis and. 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. In june, elaine pagels will publish a new book, the origin of satan. 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 21st century. In the spring of the year 367, the bishop of alexandria in egypt wrote a.
This bold new book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts. As opposed to the gospel of john, which asserted that jesus was an eternally existing aspect of god who came to earth to save humankind, the secret gospel of thomas agrees that jesus was in some sense divine, but says that a streak of divinity can be found in all. 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. When her infant son was diagnosed with fatal pulmonary hypertension, awardwinning author elaine pagels was moved to explore her faith. Pagels has conducted extensive research into early christianity and gnosticism her bestselling book the gnostic gospels 1979 examines the divisions in the early christian church, and the way that women have been viewed. This bold new book explores how christianity began by tracing its. Elaine pagels, the secret gospel of thomas her latest book, beyond belief.
In this book, pagels outlines her notion in five stages. Elaine pagels, nee hiesey born february, 1943, is an american religious historian. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. In 1979 her book based on her work with the nag hammadi scrolls, the gnostic gospels, sold 400,000 copies and won numerous awards and acclaim. Buy a cheap copy of the gnostic gospels book by elaine pagels. Elaine pagelss gnostic gospels, which won the national book critics circle award and the. Pagels teaches the history of religion at barnard, and she has spent practically all of her young academic life working with the nag hammadi manuscripts in one way or another. 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. Elaine pagels is an exceptionally engaging writer with a talent for locating and explaining hidden wisdom. Elaine pagels biblical scholar, expert in gnosticism. This book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945.
She is currently the harrington spear paine professor of religion at. Elaine pagels is the author of the bestselling the gnostic gospels, which won. She is currently the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university, and she. In 1981 she was awarded a macarthur prize fellowship. Gnosticisms christian form grew to prominence in the 2nd century a. She reveals in the first chapter of this 2003 book how.
A fine thematic introduction to gnosticism, concentrating on the texts discovered at nag hammadi upper egypt in 1945. Received the national book critics circle a ward 1979 and the american book award 1980. Short description of book the gnostic gospels is a landmark study of the longburied roots of christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. Elaine pagels, the gnostic gospels vintage books, 1979, 1989, and beyond belief, the secret gospel of thomas random house, 2003. The gnostic gospels is a landmark study of the longburied roots of christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. About elaine pagels elaine pagels is best known for research and publication involving a cache of over fifty ancient greek texts discovered translated into coptic in upper egypt in 1945. Elaine pagels the gnostic gospels, winner of the 1980 american book award for religious history, is a penetrating study of the theological significance of the nag hammadi texts. She brings her considerable competence to bear on the subject without. Beyond belief 2003 by elaine pagels tells of the rise and fall of the gospel of thomas, one of the dozens of gospels that did not make it into the bible. Beyond unbelief a critical response to elaine pagels. The gnostic gospels by elaine pagels pdf book download. Had i known the gospel of thomas, a buddhist monk once told author elaine pagels, i wouldnt have had to become a buddhist. The site includes the gnostic society library with the complete nag hammadi library and scriptures, and a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. As opposed to the gospel of john, which asserted that jesus was an eternally existing aspect of god who came to earth to save humankind, the secret gospel of thomas agrees that jesus was in some sense divine, but.
After completing her doctorate at harvard university she participated with an international team of scholars to edit, translate, and publish several of these. The revised and updated translation of sacred gnostic texts complete in. When pagels, author of groundbreaking studies of the gnostic gospels, was asked, why religion. 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.
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. A startling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the bible, by the bestselling author of 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. The secret gospel of thomas vintage elaine pagels isbn. Pagels bestknown earlier book is the gnostic gospels, an influential examination of early christian texts that were ultimately rejected as heretical by church leaders as they built their upstart movement into a major religion. Elaine pagels born 1943 is professor of religion at princeton university. Title the gnostic gospels elaine pagels pdf author elaine pagels.
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