Elaine pagels is an intense investigative scholar who minutely examines early christian texts, searching for an ongoing assessment of faith, while able to question religious orthodoxy. Beyond belief elaine pagels religion history christian. I would not suggest buying an item in usedgood condition as it will by definition show signs of wear and use. The secret gospel of thomas 2003, a work of christian nonfiction by elaine pagels, explores the earliest christian texts to uncover how christianity took shape. This bold new book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the secret gospel of thomas.
Beyond belief elaine pagels is a scholar of religious history who holds advanced degrees from top universities and has a wide reputation for pioneering research on early christianity. Asks how hearts can heal after tragedy religion scholar elaine pagels lost her young son to terminal illness and her husband a year later in an accident. Elaine pagels dallas event sells out, but you can still read. Beyond belief is a readable history of how church orthodoxy evolved over the first 4 centuries. Beyond unbelief a critical response to elaine pagels. Elaine pagels is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university and the author of reading judas, the gnostic gospelswinner of the national book critics circle award and the national book awardand the new york times bestseller beyond belief. An interview with elaine pagels on her new book why religion. Finding my religion religious scholar elaine pagels on how.
Elaine pagels dallas event sells out, but you can still. Professor pagels is the author of several books on religious subjects and was awarded a macarthur fellowship in 1981. Beyond belief by elaine pagels goodreads share book. She is the author of several books, including reading judas. With characteristic intelligence and wisdom, elaine pagels lays bare her own lifeshattering losses, offering up the possibility that suffering might afford each of us membership in a profoundly connected humanand cosmiccommunity.
Elaine pagels, one of the worlds most important writers and thinkers on religion and history, and winner of the national book award for her groundbreaking work the gnostic gospels, now reflects on what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the twenty. I had a hard time deciding which section it should go into. It is a rational, coherent, respectful and gentle contemplation on faith and belief supported by a deep insight into what it is to be human. Sex and politics in early christianity,the gnostic paul. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels about the book in beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. Secret the beyond gospel pagels by thomas of elaine elaine of thomas belief. And how do various traditions still shape the way people. Elaine pagels discusses her new book in this interview. A startling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the bible, by the bestselling author of beyond belief. Some brave monk must have defied the order to destroy them, secreting them in a hillside. But thanks to elaine pagels for her courage in writing this wonderful book. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation,adam, eve, and the serpent. She is the author of the gnostic gospels, beyond belief, and revelations. Ancient categories and modern perceptions of parabiblical literature.
Download pdf a church beyond belief book full free. Elaine pagels is the author of revelations, beyond belief, and the gnostic. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels 241pp, macmillan. The secret gospel of thomas kindle edition by pagels, elaine. The secret gospel of thomas, which explores the discussion and debate between followers of. Elaine pagels looks to her own life to help address these questions. I only hope readers will be able to get beyond the personal nature of the exchange. Her new book draws upon the perspectives of science, history, and her own. Pagels attempts to trace the history of the formation of the bible in her well researched and meticulously notated book beyond beliefs, and does a fantastic job.
This luminous memoir strips religion to its elementary particles. The gospel of judas and the shaping of christianity, interprets and translates the recently discovered gnostic gospel of. The harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university, pagels was awarded the rockefeller, guggenheim, and macarthur fellowships in three consecutive years. She is now the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university. May 04, 2004 beyond belief portrays the rich and beautiful heritage that was lost when champions of religious orthodoxy turned on many of their fellow christians and declared them heretics. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. Pagels says, she has found the answer to her quest by writing a book, beyond belief. Exciting discoveries of ancient religious texts especially the 52 texts found at nag hammadi in 1945 are prompting religious historians to rethink the standard account of christian origins.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers. Brave new virtual world at santa barbara city hall. Satan random house, 1995, and beyond belief random house, 2003. Pagels has conducted extensive research into early christianity and gnosticism. Beyond belief is a gem of a book and ideal for anybody who is thinking about what religion and spirituality might have to offer them. This book is based on research originally presented, for the most part, in scholarly publications cited in each chapters notes and revised to make it more generally accessible. The gospel of judas and the shaping of christianity.
Pagels treats readers to the examined life behind her intellectual feats with extreme grace and depth. Through the bestselling books of elaine pagels, thousands of readers have come to know and treasure the suppressed biblical texts known as the gnostic gospels. The secret gospel of thomas vintage reprint by elaine pagels isbn. Above all, pagels reminds us vividly that early christianity was a diverse even contentious conglomerate of sometimes rival communities out of which emerged a wide range of memories, traditions, and eventual scriptures. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading beyond belief. Browse elaine pagels s bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. About beyond belief in beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy.
This is a powerful book about the most powerful of forces. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her. Pdf a church beyond belief download full pdf book download. Reed, apocrypha, outside books, and pseudepigrapha. Adam, eve and serpent by elaine pagels mint condition. Elaine pagelss gnostic gospels, which won the national book critics circle award and the national book award in 1980, introduced the general public to the discovery in 1945 at nag hammadi in egypt of an extraordinary cache of ancient papyrus books. It is a study of one of the gnostic gospels, early christian texts. Global archive voiced books online free ten years later irenaeus, perhaps still in his twenties, witnessed mob violence against christians at first hand in lyons, where he lived, and in the town of vienne, some thirty miles away. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing.
These questions took on a new urgency for pagels when dealing with unimaginable lossthe death of her young son, followed a year later by the shocking loss of her husband. In this compelling, honest, and learned memoir, elaine pagels, takes us inside her own life in a stirring and illuminating effort to explain religions enduring appeal. Elaine pagels is a renowned religious scholar, professor of religion at princeton university, and the author of the gnostic gospels, beyond belief, and revelations. Also, please keep in mind that we match items based on the upcisbn and use ebay catalog photos. Elaine pagels born 1943 is professor of religion at princeton university. Readers of all faiths and none can learn from her brilliance and courage. Jon meacham, author of the soul of america with characteristic intelligence and wisdom, elaine pagels lays bare her own lifeshattering losses, offering up the possibility that suffering might afford each of us membership in a profoundly connected humanand cosmiccommunity.
Pagelss 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. A religious scholars memoir of faith michael robbins bookforum. And when we see jesus earliest followers, including peter, james, and paul, not as we usually see them, as early christians, but as they saw themselvesas jews who had found gods messiah. Shes one of americas leading scholars of religion and the author of. But after reading palmers confessions of an insider regarding the earliest days. The resulting research led to her bestselling book the gnostic gospels. Religion scholars elaine pagels and karen kings new book, reading judas. The secret gospel of thomas random house, 2003 by elaine pagels.
Elaine pagels audio books, best sellers, author bio. Author of the book gnostic gospels, pagels revists the secret gospel of thomas as a method to describe the historical background into the formation of the bible as we see today. The secret gospel of thomas, noted religious historian elaine pagels reflects on the significance of the rich collection of noncanonical gospels and manuscripts discovered by a. In april 1987, elaine pagels 6yearold son, mark, died from. Elaine pagels, the gnostic gospels vintage books, 1979, 1989, and beyond belief, the secret gospel of thomas random house, 2003. The heresy that saved a skeptic the new york times. Beyond belief by elaine pagels, written in 2003, is a small book consisting of only five chapters that seeks to show that what is today considered christian orthodox belief is not validly derived from the teachings of early christianity. Elaine pagels dallas event sells out, but you can still read her. As an introductory undergraduate or adult education text, beyond belief could be immensely useful. The gnostic gospels modern library 100 best nonfiction books. Islamic excursions among the converted peoples, a 1998 book by v. She is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university.
Pagels aims to show that there is more to christianity than rigorously upholding one set of beliefs. Elaine pagels, one of the worlds most important writers and thinkers on religion and history, and winner of the national book award for her groundbreaking workthe gnostic gospels, now reflects on what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the twentyfirst century. Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible. In this book, pagels outlines her notion in five stages.
In this groundbreaking book, elaine pagels, princetons distinguished historian of religion, traces the evolution of satan from its origins in the hebrew bible, where satan is at first merely obstructive, to the new testament, where satan becomes the prince of darkness, the bitter enemy of god. Elaine pagels one of pws best books of the yearone of amazons best books of the monthwhy is religion still around in the twentyfirst century. The secret gospel of thomas pagels, best know for her national book awardwinning the gnostic gospels, wrestles with her own faith as she struggles to understand whenand whychristianity became associated almost exclusively with the ideas codified in the fourthcentury nicene creed and in the canonical texts of the new. Elaine pagels, beyond belief thank you for reading books on archive. In elaine pagels beyond belief, richard holloway discovers that a lost gospel could have added another dimension to the bible. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Pagels reveals the various diversity of many interpretations. The secret gospel of thomas 9780375703164 by pagels, elaine and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. In beyond belief, her spiritual journey becomes a springboard for an intellectual and professional reexamination of the faith of early christians. The secret gospel of thomas, she contrasts thomas with its. Apr 02, 2007 finding my religion religious scholar elaine pagels on how the newly discovered gospel of judas sheds new light on the dawn of christianity. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of thomas, and. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels beyond belief.
Elaine pagels why religion a personal story events free. Its probably elaine pagelss fault im a christian, if i am. Was it a healing experience for you to write this book. May 04, 2004 in beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. The book chronicles a search for meaning beyond personal suffering and is a. The american press and the coming of the holocaust, 19331945 1993 by deborah lipstadt beyond belief.
Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, pagels returns to her investigation of the secret gospel of. A profound exploration of the bibles most controversial book from the author of beyond belief and the gnostic gospels the strangest book of the new testament. Why religion a personal story hardcover politics and. A startling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the bible, by the bestselling author of beyond belief through the bestselling books of elaine pagels, thousands of readers have come to know and treasure the suppressed biblical texts known as the gnostic gospels.
Why religion a personal story by elaine pagels, paperback. This bold new book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the secret gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945. Encouraged by the spirited discussion in the comments to my earlier post on the gospel of thomas, i dug up and read a copy of beyond belief. Princeton university professor elaine pagels is one of americas most respected scholars. The book was a best seller that won both the national book award and the national.
Elaine pagels dallas event sells out, but you can still read her moving memoir, why religion. She has written several other books as well on the history of christianity. Save up to 50% on beyond secret the secret and on all. Jul 11, 2019 elaine pagels is a preeminent academic whose impressive scholarship has earned her international respect. Elaine pagels is the harrington spear paine professor of religion at princeton university and the author of reading judas, the gnostic gospels winner of the national book critics circle award and the national book awardand the new york times bestseller beyond belief. I resisted beyond belief for months, because i thought i was done with that topic, and was very familiar with the topic of its subtitle, the secret gospel of thomas. In this groundbreaking book, elaine pagels, princetons distinguished historian of religion, traces the evolution of satan from its origins in the hebrew bible, where satan is at first merely obstructive, to the new testament, where satan becomes the prince of darkness, the bitter enemy of. In the spring of the year 367, the bishop of alexandria in egypt wrote a famous letter to his flock. When her infant son is diagnosed with fatal pulmonary hypertension, awardwinning author elaine pagels is moved to explore her faith. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels, first published in 2004. Pagels, a writer and thinker on religion and history, winner of the. Elaine pagels has been called one of the worlds most important writers and thinkers on religion and history. E laine pagels, professor of religion at princeton university, became famous well, at least well known with the publication of her book, the gnostic gospels, in 1979. After listing the twentytwo books that he says are believed to be the old testament, athanasius proceeds to offer the earliest known list of the twentyseven books he calls the books of the new testament, beginning with the four gospels, matthew, mark, luke.