Synopsis
The Lost Bible provides a fascinating introduction to sacred writings of great profundity and aesthetic merit that did not become part of the canon of the Old and New Testaments. In the centuries around the beginning of the Common Era, the Jewish people drew faith and inspiration from hundreds of sacred writings, not just those that make up the Hebrew Bible we know today. Early Christianity itself produced a wealth of sacred writings, which, though they did not become part of the New Testament, were popular among believers and important in spreading the faith. After the canons of the Jewish and Christian Bibles were established, many of these works disappeared into obscurity. Some were lost entirely; others survived in translations.
J. R. Porter introduces the reader to a wide selection of these extraordinary and beautiful "lost" works-from words considered to be those of prophets, kings, and patriarchs (even Adam himself) to legends and stories that supply "missing" parts of the Gospels. For each work, commentary is followed by a translated extract in clear and up-to-date language. The commentary places writings in their religious, social, and political context; explains the crucial importance of these works to the development of Jewish and Christian thought; and highlights the many legends and artistic traditions that sprang from them. It also examines the reasons-both religious and political-why these writings did not become part of the Jewish and Christian Bibles.
Lavishly illustrated with beautiful artwork, and amplified by maps, timelines, and data boxes, this text is a rich resource for anyone interested in exploring the origins of Judaism andChristianity.
Part I: Works related to the Old Testament
*Apocalypses
*Testaments
*Comments on Scripture
*Wisdom and Philosophy
*Hymns and Prayers
*Sibylline Oracles
*Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical works
*Recent Discoveries, including the Dead Sea Scrolls
Part II: Works related to the New Testament
*Apocryphal Gospels
*Apocryphal Acts
*Apocryphal Letters
*Apocryphal Apocalypses
*Recent Discoveries, including the Gnostic Library
From the Inside Flap
Highly accessible and superbly illustrated, this book presents an astonishing range of powerful and beautiful writings, rich in character, incident, spiritual profundity and literary merit. In the centuries around the beginning of the Common Era, the Jewish people drew spiritual inspiration from hundreds of sacred stories, not just those that make up the Hebrew Bible we know today. Early Christianity also possessed a wealth of writings considered authoritative; many of these did not become part of the New Testament, although they remained popular among believers and were important in spreading the faith. After the Jewish and Christian canons were established, many of these works disappeared into obscurity, some of them suppressed by prominent figures within the burgeoning Christian Church. Some writings were entirely lost, while others survived in translations; some were widely known, while others circulated only among small groups and sects. But many continued to animate and influence the faithful, and provided a rich source of popular legends and traditions. With deft and profound scholarship, the late Professor Roy Porter presents the general reader with a selection of these extraordinary and beautiful works, assessing their context, character and importance. More than 100 text extracts are presented and discussed, ranging from what are claimed to be the very words written by Eve herself to a treasury of legends that include the strange miracles and violent outbursts of the boy Jesus. Each entry consists of an introduction and an enlightening commentary, alongside the translated extract in clear, up-to-date language.
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