Bible Question (short): Resources concerning Gospel of Thomas? |
Question (full): Hello, For Christmas, I (ironically) received from a cousin a copy of Elaine Pagel's "Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas," a book that purports to shed light on the early days of Christianity by examining the other "sacred texts" used by various groups of "early Christians." I'm also reading F.F. Bruce's "The New Testament Documents", a very helpful work on the authority of our N.T. cannon. It does not, though, speak to the various heretical texts that some think to be on par with our gospels. I generally figure that Pagel's book, and other scholarship of its kind, manages to prove only those ideas that are assumed from the beginning, namely that early Christians distorted the faith by unfairly excluding equally valid accountings of Christ's life. I would like to know of a more satisfactory academic analysis of the so-called Nag Hammadi gospels and other early Christian heresies. Please let me know if you know of any orthodox writers who provide a thoughful accounting of Gnosticism, the Gospel of Thomas, and the other assorted manuscripts that these wolvish academics are using to challenge the Christian faith. Best, Colin |