The Gnostic Gospels

De: Elaine Pagels

Narrado por: Lorna Raver

The Gnostic Gospels provides engaging listening for those seeking a broader perspective on the early development of Christianity. Author and noted scholar Elaine Pagels suggests that Christianity could have developed quite differently if Gnostic texts had become part of the Christian canon.

Without a doubt: Gnosticism celebrates God as both Mother and Father, shows a very human Jesus's relationship to Mary Magdalene, suggests the Resurrection is better understood symbolically, and speaks to self-knowledge as the route to union with God. Pagels argues that Christian orthodoxy grew out of the political considerations of the day, serving to legitimize and consolidate early church leadership. Her contrast of that developing orthodoxy with Gnostic teachings presents an intriguing trajectory on a world faith as it "might have become."

©1979 Elaine Pagels (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The first major and eminently readable book on gnosticism benefiting from the discovery in 1945 of a collection of Gnostic Christian texts at Nag Hammadi in Egypt." --The New York Times Book Review

Just the beginning

Beautifully narrated, and a good introduction to the subject matter. Now I have more questions, of course, so I know this was just the beginning for me. Grateful to both author and narrator for giving me back some things I couldn't learn effectively at the hands of lofty theology professors once upon a time.

Informative

I am new to early Christianity and I like to hear the many accounts of the early churches or belief. Gnostic gospels are something important to know about and how they’ve changed the course of history.

Great Information, Incredible Reading!

As someone with only cursory knowledge of Gnosticism this book was an excellent starting point.
It’s examination of early Christianity was humanizing.

I could listen to Lorna Raver read a Car Owner’s Manual and I would be in heaven. She’s incredible, warm, and authoritative all at the same time.

Review

Provide great information in both religions and gnostic history. Recommend it for any student if faith.

A bit disappointed...

The books contents were rather shallow compared to the source material.
I wish that there were more quotes and passages to the actual gospel and less speculation on the authors part.

A New Perspective on the Birth of Christianity

Like most wells of knowledge, the implications are vast, and the questions unending; this book reveals much of Christianity's founding history in rarely discussed detail, opening the readers' eyes to a new perspective.

Great History Lesson :)

The narrator had a great easy to understand clear voice. I really appreciate now the struggle that some people had to go thru to even get access to these things.

Memorable Conclusion

Christianity has persisted because Catholicism provides stronger argument for faith than does Gnosticism according to Pagels.

Can’t recommend enough! Phenomenal.

An absolute must read for anyone having any interest in Early Christianity. Couldn’t ask for a better guide through and provision of the essence of what the so-called Gnostic Gospels provide, in particular certain of the books contained in the Nag Hammadi library—along with what contemporary critics, such as Ireneus and Tertullian, had to say in regards to such texts when they were in circulation before becoming banned and nearly destroyed in their entirety in the following centuries. Pagels is the de facto expert on Early Christian Gnosticism, this book is a truly standout work.

Interesting listening to the development of thought about the Divine and basic social control systems.

When we tend to spend time not trying to think, this book show how ideas , that still influence our lives today, were not taken lightly and fought over. But still cannot answer the definitive question about who and what is mankind. The only thing that is true is you have to decide that for yourself.