The Lost Gospel of Judas

by Porter, Stanley E.

• ISBN13: 9780802824561
• ISBN10: 0802824560
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-02-26
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co

Summary

With the discovery of the "Gospel of Judas" came an outpouring of hyperbolic language, both negative and positive. Alongside the overwhelming opinions of historians and scholars was the quiet bewilderment of people who simply weren't sure what to think -- confusion that wasn't helped by vast media attention. In "The Lost Gospel of Judas," Stanley Porter and Gordon Heath attempt to set the record straight. They begin with a look at the initial responses to the announcement of the gospel's existence, then provide a brief history of Judas himself as seen in the New Testament and in church history, and of Gnostic philosophy. Further sections consider other recent textual finds and examine the discovery, content, and authenticity of the gospel. They also delve into the relationship this new gospel has with the New Testament canon and contemplate the "Lucky Winner" theory of canonical history. "The Lost Gospel of Judas" sifts through all the evidence, presenting the results with more than enough scholarship to be respected and enough clarity to be easily understood.

Author Biography

Gordon L. Heath is assistant professor of Christian history and director of the Canadian Baptist Archives at McMaster, Divinity College.

Table of Contents

Introduction : initial responses to the Gospel of Judas	p. 1
Judas in scripture and church history : a brief introduction	p. 14
Gnosticism : what was it, how widespread was it, and why was it a problem for the church?	p. 26
The early church and the Gospel of Judas	p. 39
The discovery of the Gospel of Judas and other recent finds	p. 55
The content of the Gospel of Judas	p. 65
The authenticity of the Gospel of Judas	p. 73
Rehabilitation literature of the gnostics	p. 80
The Gospel of Judas and its relationship to the New Testament canon	p. 90
Orthodoxy versus heresy : lost Christianities and the "lucky winner" thesis	p. 96
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