Secret Gospels: Essays on Thomas and the Secret Gospel of Mark

(Paperback)

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This title offers a fresh look at the so-called secret gospels that have played a major and controversial part in the study of the historical Jesus and that present two distinctive proclamations of the good news of Jesus. Meyer looks at these revolutionary texts, covering topics ranging from gender and infancy stories to discipleship and the relationship of the Gospel of Thomas to Islamic literature.

Reviews

"These essays...are clearly written...Meyer's essays provide a useful introduction to manuscript-reading." -Anglican Theological Review 87:2 * Anglican Theological Review *
"Meyer (Bible & Christian studies, Chapman Univ.; director, Albert Schweitzer Inst.) is one of our most notable scholars on the extracoanonical mystery literature associated with the New Testament--the Gospel of Thomas, the Secret Gospel of Mark, and the Gnostic Gospels. His new book deals principally with the enigmatic appearance of a naked or near-naked young man both in canonical and extracanonical writings dealing with Jesus. His book includes a respectful review of existing primary and secondary sources and culminates in a thoughtful comparison of the Mark fragments with the apparent myster-initiation depicted at the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii--without, however, directly dealing with the potentially disturbing implications of that comparison regarding Jesus' own role in religious initiation practices. Still, his book is a capably written and thought-provoking discussion of a perennial puzzle in New Testament studies."--Library Journal, March 2003 -- Library Journal * Blurb from reviewer *
If you wish to be hooked, read Marvin Meyer's erudite and compelling essays on the gospels of Thomas and Secret Mark, for his fresh study reads with the authority and suspense of Agatha Christie at her best. He commands first-century Greek, Coptic, and Syriac/Aramaic/Hebrew scriptures, their wisdom and messianic epiphanies and key recent scholarly interpretations. A distinguished biblical and gnostic scholar, Meyer immerses us in the light of an age, offering his syncretistic insights. Quietly countering those who would dismiss an early dating for Thomas, he makes this extraordinary gospel more relevant, citing Paul as one probably versed in Thomas's Jesus. With precision, innovation, and supple humor he calls a spade a spade. A profound and essential book. Willis Barnstone Distinguished Professor, Indiana University Comparative Literature Institute of Biblical and Literature Studies -- Willis Barnstone * Blurb from reviewer *
"The perceptive and witty insights of Marvin Meyer make his scholarly essays a delight to read. And contrary to some doubters, the Gospel of Thomas and the Secret Mark episode still provide vital clues for understanding Christianity's formative years." John Dart news editor, The Christian Century -- John Dart * Blurb from reviewer *
"The Gospel of Thomas and the Secret Gospel of Mark are probably the two early Christian texts over which there is the most scholarly disagreement. In _Secret Gospels_ Marvin Meyer sets forth his interpretation of the two with erudition and flair." Birger A. Pearson Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies University of California, Santa Barbara -- Birger A. Pearson * Blurb from reviewer *
Marvin Meyer's new book, Secret Gospels,offers many new insights among his knowlegeable and thoughtful discussions of these marvellous--and famously difficult--texts. Elaine Pagels -- Elaine Pagels * Blurb from reviewer *
"The Gospel of Thomas and the Secret Gospel of Mark are two early Christian texts known in the second century, suppressed, or simply lost, only to surface in the latter half of the twentieth century. Marvin Meyer has been one of the few New Testament scholars to make them a focus of his research and to incorporate them into a modern historical construct of Christian origins. For over twenty years Meyer has investigated the less-well known and less popular aspects of Christian origins, its lost gospels, and the unfamiliar ancient culture in which Christianity became a Hellenistic religion. His collected essays on the two most notorious of these ancient gospels, Thomas and Secret Mark, demonstrates their importance for the origins of Christianity and brings them into the main stream of New Testament scholarship." Charles W. Hedrick Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri -- Charles W. Hedrick * Blurb from reviewer *
"A compelling reconstruction of the place of these gospels within Christian origins."--Religious Studies Review, Volume 29, Number 4, October 2003. -- Fred W. Burnett * Blurb from reviewer *
"Heavily documented, interesting, challenging, with a provocative glimpse into early Christian literary history and theology." -Currents in Theology & Mission, 4/04 -- EK * Currents in Theology and Mission *
"[Meyer's] essays are developed and argued in such a way as to be quite interesting to even those with much experience...Overall, Meyer's scholarship in his essays is quite well done. He introduces and makes clear various opinions and interpretations of the passages and clearly outlines his own position and arguments. His positions are well presented and thought out, taking into consideration pertinent and relevant material in his arguments." -2004 * Reviews in Religion and Theology *

Author Bio

Marvin Meyer is Professor of Religious Studies at Chapman College.