Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity - Hardcover

Pagels, Elaine; King, Karen L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670038458 ISBN 13: 9780670038459

Publisher: Penguin Group USA Inc., 2007

Synopsis

When the Gospel of Judas was published by the National Geographic Society in April 2006, it received extraordinary media attention and was immediately heralded as a major biblical discovery that rocked the world of scholars and laypeople alike. Elaine Pagels and Karen King are the first to reflect on this newfound text and its ramifications for telling the story of early Christianity. In Reading Judas, the two celebrated scholars illustrate how the newly discovered text provides a window onto understanding how Jesus followers understood his death, why Judas betrayed Jesus, and why God allowed it.

Most contemporary readers will find passages in the ancient Gospel of Judas difficult to comprehend outside of its context in the ancient world. Reading Judas illuminates the intellectual assumptions behind Jesus teaching to Judas and shows how conflict among the disciples was a tool frequently used by early Christian authors to explore matters of doubt and disagreement. Presented with the elegance, insight, and accessibility that has made Pagels and King the leading voices in this field, this is a book for academics and popular audience both. Pagels's five previous books, including The New York Times bestseller Beyond Belief, and Kings The Gospel of Mary of Magdala prove that there is a considerable audience eager for this kind of informed and engaging writing.

About this title

About the Author

Karen L. King is Winn Professor of ecclesiastical history at Harvard Divinity School.
Elaine Pagels is Harrington Spear Paine Professor of religion at Princeton University.

From AudioFile

The historical figure of Judas Iscariot is one of deep paradox--he was one of Jesus's handpicked followers, yet he is also the archetype of betrayal. Elaine Pagels and Karen King are both highly regarded yet unorthodox academics, from Princeton and Harvard, respectively. The professors attempt to recast the fallen disciple using the initial translation of the Judas document recently unveiled by the National Geographic Society. Justine Eyre reads the commentary, and Robertson Dean delivers the Judas material. Both try to create an air of reverence, but it ultimately falls flat under the weight of the dense Gnostic theology. Although audibly agreeable, the content overwhelms all but the most enthusiastic listeners. S.M.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Group USA Inc.
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0670038458
• ISBN 13: 9780670038459
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224