Other Early Christian Gospels: A Critical Edition of the Surviving Greek Manuscripts

(Paperback)

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Since the late nineteenth century our knowledge of early Christianity and its literature has been improved significantly by the recovery of numerous ancient manuscripts. Among the most important finds are the Greek manuscripts that preserve portions of little-known early Christian gospels, such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the "Unknown Gospel" of Egerton Papyrus 2. These fragmentary manuscripts provide us with direct access to texts that seem to have been written at about the same time as the New Testament gospels. They allow us to study ancient writings about the life of Jesus in their original language, without the filters of later translation or commentary. They make long-forgotten gospels penned by some of Jesus' earliest followers available once again, shedding new light on the formative years of Christianity and, perhaps, even on Jesus himself.

Other Early Christian Gospels collects all the recently-recovered Greek manuscripts containing parts of long-lost early Christian gospels into a single volume. It includes new critical editions, English translations, and exhaustive indexes of the Greek fragments of the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, the Egerton Gospel, and six other unidentified gospels. This invaluable work makes long-forgotten texts, authored by some of Jesus' earliest followers, available once again, shedding new light on the formative years of Christianity and, perhaps, even on Jesus himself.

In addition, Other Early Christian Gospels features "student's Greek texts" that present the restored Greek texts without any potentially confusing apparatus, editorial signs, or unidentifiable word fragments. This special student's version makes the fragmentary ancient texts dramatically more accessible to those still in the process of learning Greek.

Reviews

"An invaluable tool for apocryphal studies." International Review of Biblical Studies, vol. 54:2007/08
"Bernhard has compiled an excellent critical edition of the extant Greek fragments of non -canonical Gospels with with a suitable English translation" Journal for the study of the New Testament, 30 May 2008 -- Michael Bird
"This ia an excellent resource..It deserves to be widely read, and its editor is to be congratulated on his achievement" ANVIL Vol.25 No.2 2008 -- Andrew Gregory
"Finally we have a critical edition of the Greek extra-canonical gospels in one volume. Andrew Bernhard has put together an indispensable academic tool - the original Greek manuscripts photographed and transcribed, along with his own translations of the gospels known to us from papyri fragments." - April D. DeConick, Professor of Biblical Studies, Rice University, Texas, USA -- April D. DeConick, Professor of Biblical Studies, Rice University, Texas, USA
"A small but helpful volume [...] Bernhard certainly succeeds in accomplishing an interesting and useful database for students and non-specialists in the field. He has a considerable appreciation of the problems involved in the discussion of such texts and fragments." - Thomas J. Kraus, TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism -- Thomas J. Kraus, TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism
"This is likely to be a convenient reference for those who wish toconsulteither the Greek text or see photographic plates of these manuscripts." - Paul Foster, Senior Lecturer, New Testament,University ofEdinburgh, Scotland, UK -- Paul Foster, Senior Lecturer, New Testament, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
"Bernhard's timely study is a valuable addition to the fast-growing scholarly literature on the non-canonical gospels... An immensely useful introductory handbook." - Loveday Alexander, JSNTS Booklist, 2007 -- Loveday Alexander
"Presentation of each fragment is generally well done, including an introduction, critical Greek text, sometimes a simplified "student's" Greek text, and English translation; the plates are excellent and the volume is well indexed." - Michael W. Holmes, Religious Studies Review -- Michael W. Holmes
Reviewed in International Review of Biblical Studies, 2007.
"Highly recommended for everybody interested in early Christian writings in addition to the writings of the new testament." The Expository Times, 1st May, 2010.
"This is an excellent resource. It brings together conveniently a number of texts both in Greek and in English, and tells readers where they need to go for more detailed discussions than Bernhard himself provides. It deserves to be widely read, and its editor is to be congratulated on his achievement." - ANVIL
"This is a resource that will be of interest to professional students of the Bible." - Donald Senior, C.P., The Bible Today, September 2008 -- Donald Senior * Bible Today, The *
"...the main value of the book lies in the editions of the texts provided....if this volume enables others to engage in a more informed way with the texts treated here, it will have performed a valuable service." - Christopher Tuckett, Review of Biblical Literature, September 2008 -- Christopher Tuckett * Review of Biblical Literature *

Author Bio

Andrew Bernhard holds a Master's degree in Greek and Roman History from Oxford University, where he edited some of the Oxyrhynchus papyri.