Seek to See Him: Ascent and Vision Mysticism in the Gospel of Thomas (Library of Early Christology) - Softcover

DeConick, April D.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1481307924 ISBN 13: 9781481307925

Publisher: Baylor University Press, 2017

Synopsis

In  Seek to See Him April DeConick argues that the Gospel of Thomas, contrary to the way Thomas is normally understood, does not originate from gnostic traditions. Instead, she proposes that Thomas is best explained by Hermetic and Second Temple Jewish mystical traditions.
 
DeConick substantiates her proposal by first examining the developmental stages of the Gospel of Thomas, questioning the classification of Thomas as gnostic on the basis of Thomas’ dualism and his speculation about original sin. DeConick carefully delineates the difference between Thomas’ and gnostic views of the world and of salvation before going on to demonstrate the crucial role of purification, heavenly ascent, and  visio dei―final transformation through an experience of seeing God―in this Gospel. In the end, DeConick shows that Thomas is best explained as arising from the fusion of Jewish Mysticism and Hermetic praxis and not as being shaped by gnostic traditions.

About this title

About the Author:

April D. DeConick is Chair of the Department of Religion and Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Rice University (Houston, Texas). She specializes in early Christian history and theology, noncanonical Gospels, and gnostic and mystical traditions, and she was an editor of Baylor University Press' Israel's God and Rebecca's Children: Christology and Community in Early Judaism and Christianity.

Review:

"DeConick offers a serious alternative to the common classification of the Gospel of Thomas as Gnostic and provides a helpful, needed exposition of the role of ascent and the visio Dei in Thomas' anthropogony and soteriology."―D. Jeffrey Bingham, Journal of Early Christian Studies, reviewing a previous edition or volume

"The real value of Seek to See Him lies in the fact that DeConick introduces into the discussion of the Gospel of Thomas a set of texts and traditions that has been neglected but should be taken seriously in the interpretation of Thomas."―Marvin Meyer, Journal of Biblical Literature, reviewing a previous edition or volume

About this edition

• Publisher: Baylor University Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1481307924
• ISBN 13: 9781481307925
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 225