Rating: 
Summary: Literary Armageddon
Review: Nearly all knowledgeable Biblical scholars realize there have been a wide range of writings attributed to Jesus and his Apostles..... and that some of these were selected for compilation into the book that became known as the Bible.....and that some books have been removed from some versions of the Bible and others have been re-discovered in modern times.
The attention focused on Gnosticism by Dan Brown's DaVinci Code may be debatable, but the fact is that increased attention on academics tends to be predominately positive, so I welcome those with first-time or renewed interest. At least first-timers to Gnosticism are not pursuing the oh-so-popular legends of the Holy Grail, Bloodline of Christ, and Mary Magdalene.
This is great......I seldom quote other reviewers, but there is one reviewer of Pagels' books who confided that he had been a Jesuit candidate and had been required to study a wide range of texts but was never was told about the Nag Hamadi texts. He said:
"Now I know why. The Gospel of Thomas lays waste to the notion that Jesus was `the only begotten Son of God' and obviates the need for a formalized church when he says, `When your leaders tell you that God is in heaven, say rather, God is within you, and without you.' No wonder they suppressed this stuff! The Roman Catholic Church hasn't maintained itself as the oldest institution in the world by allowing individuals to have a clear channel to see the divinity within all of us: they need to put God in a bottle, label the bottle, put that bottle on an altar, build a church around that altar, put a sign over the door, and create rubricks and rituals to keep out the dis-believing riff-raff. Real `Us' versus `them' stuff, the polar opposite from `God is within You.' `My God is bigger than your God' the church(s)seem to say. And you can only get there through "my" door/denomination. But Jesus according to Thomas had it right: just keep it simple, and discover the indwelling Divinity `within you and without you.'"
Here are quickie reviews of what is being bought these days on the Gnostic Gospels and the lost books of the Bible in general:
The Lost Books of the Bible (0517277956) includes 26 apocryphal books from the first 400 years that were not included in the New Testament.
Marvin Meyers' The Secret Teachings of Jesus : Four Gnostic Gospels (0394744330 ) is a new translation without commentary of The Secret Book of James, The Gospel of Thomas, The Book of Thomas, and The Secret Book of John.
James M. Robinson's The Nag Hammadi Library in English : Revised Edition (0060669357) has been around 25 years now and is in 2nd edition. It has introductions to each of the 13 Nag Hammadi Codices and the Papyrus Berioinensis 8502.
The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English (0140278079) by Geza Vermes has selected works....a complete work is more difficult to achieve than the publisher's marketing concept indicates. His commentary generates strong reactions.
Elaine Pagels has 2 books (The Gnostic Gospels 0679724532 and Beyond Belief : The Secret Gospel of Thomas 0375501568) that have received considerable attention lately. For many, her work is controversial in that it is written for popular consumption and there is a strong modern interpretation. She does attempt to reinterpret ancient gender relationships in the light of modern feminist thinking. While this is a useful (and entertaining) aspect of college women's studies programs, it is not as unethical as some critics claim. As hard as they may try, all historians interpret the past in the context of the present. Obviously there is value in our attempts to re-interpret the past in the light of our own time.
If you want the full scholarly work it is W. Schneemelcher's 2 volume New Testament Apocrypha.
Rating:
Summary: Just take it as good reading
Review: Overall, not a bad read. It's very interesting. There are those who will have problems with this primarily because of 1) Marvin Meyer's insistance on being "gender neutral" and 2) Those who were reared in fndamentalist backgrounds who were taught that any deviation from or questioning of the Canonical Bible will send one to hell fire. Just look on this as a good piece of literature with some interesting and thought-provoking sayings and there won't be a problem.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Just For Entertainment
Review: Some of the reviews here suggest that the Nag Hammadi texts are not as authoritive as the cannonical ones because they are second century, lack historicity, and are hopelessy tainted by gnosticm. Firstly, the gospels that you read in the Bible are not 1st century, but are rather BASED on 1st century works, and the oldest piece of one of the cannonical gospels currently known, dates from around 150AD and is a tiny fragment containing less than a dozen words. The oldest copies in existence of these gospels are in fact 6th century, making Nag Hammadi much closer to history. Also the cannonical texts have been heavily edited and rewritten down the years for political reasons, which has not happened to Nag Hammadi as they have been hidden for so long.As for lacking in historicity, truth is a pathless land, and it is the message itself which is important. There is no religion higher than truth. The cannonical gospels, are four gospels offering a similar perspective on Jesus. Nag Hammadi texts offer another perspective, a gnostic one. In order to obtain a full picture on Jesus one must not be blinkered and rely solely on one perspective, whichever one that may be. After all the cannonical texts are hopelessy tainted by paganism. True Christianity was overwritten with many pagan themes from the ancient mystery cults of Dionysis, Mithras and others. Contrary to believe that the Romans were Christianised, in fact the Christians were Romanised. Why else were the original emporers of Rome also the popes,(Constantine etc)and why was the Church based in Rome? Gnosticm offers another viewpoint which should be understood, but should not form the sole viewpoint any more that the Bible should.
Rating: 
Summary: The Encyclopedia States Gnostic Gospel Is A False Teaching -
Review: The Gnostic religion was created in 200AD(researched from its TimeLine)and the false scriptures were hidden and found in 1945. The Gnostic Gospels is actually a Pagan (who believes in many gods and included our GOD in it.)religion. The Gnostic Gospels were trying to imitate the Apostles, and Jesus' teachings into their own strange words. So in the 200 AD century when it was rumored of the teachings of the Gnostic Gospels, the Church Fathers battled to save their religion - Fortunately the Church Fathers won. The Gnostic Gospels eventually died out and they buried their scriptures in a place that was later found in 1945. I discovered that this is a very evil religion, invoking godness within themselves, and coming up with strange sayings that is almost believable of Jesus' teachings. I certainly DO NOT recommend anyone, even the Christians or Jews to read this book, its very deceivable. I had discovered the truth from the Encyclopedia to find its history. I suggest you to STICK with the BIBLE and don't TAKE ANYTHING that comes after the original Bible. Anything else that comes after the original Bible, is false. - So in truth, the Enclyopida itself states that the Gnostic Gospel is very evil. - So I don't recommend it, I was nearly deceived and confused as a Christian after I had read it. - If you are searching for a Bible, get the REAL ONE.- And if you don't believe me, then check it out yourself in the Encyclopedia - I'd be more happy to welcome if you did so. And if you don't want to hear the truth and let my words pass you by - Then I can say: You've been decieved....I wish you all the best- I am not trying to discourage you from buying this book, but I am here to warn you to BEWARE of this book!
Rating: 
Summary: Stilted by "Political Correctness"
Review: The translation's a little stilted by political correctness ("Child of Humanity" instead of "Son of Man," for instance), but it's an interesting read because it's just the material, without editorializing.
Rating:
Summary: Gimme that Old Time New Age religion
Review: There are those that suggest that the Gospel of Thomas and all other Gnostic writings contradict the Bible. If that is true then the Bible falls short of telling us the entire story. The Bible was created by the Nicene Council to vindicate Peter as the survivor of the legacy of Jesus. There are numerous texts, not the least of which is "James the Brother of Jesus" by Eisenman" which hammers that suggestion to dust. When asked who would survive him (Jesus) as his heir by all the collective apostles, Jesus responded "My Brother James for which reason the heavens and earth came into being". Peter follows in his Homolies of Peter with the candid statement that if "anyone disagrees with James, including me, they are wrong", indicating that James was indeed the head of the surviving Christians. This book by Meyer is not only legitimate, but a pivotal book in the history of the truth about Jesus. It doesn't contradict the Bible unless you think that the Bible is the only book of history that is valid. To excuse all texts discovered in our era of discovery because of a religious preconception is folly and childish. The truth vindicates Jesus, though it surely will not vindicate those who know nothing about Jesus outside the Bible. Meyer helps us come out of the closet with regards to Jesus. My hat is off to you. Gnosticism means to know. The ignorant ones who don't acknowledge discovery are certainly not qualified to know the truth. What will happen when these book burners find out that Jesus is quoted in hundreds of other places as well? You are my hero Doctor. I would kiss your ring.
Rating:
Summary: Glenn Kimball
Review: There are those that suggest that the Gospel of Thomas and all other Gnostic writings contradict the Bible. If that is true then the Bible falls short of telling us the entire story. The Bible was created by the Nicene Council to vindicate Peter as the survivor of the legacy of Jesus. There are numerous texts, not the least of which is "James the Brother of Jesus" by Eisenman" which hammers that suggestion to dust. When asked who would survive him (Jesus) as his heir by all the collective apostles, Jesus responded "My Brother James for which reason the heavens and earth came into being". Peter follows in his Homolies of Peter with the candid statement that if "anyone disagrees with James, including me, they are wrong", indicating that James was indeed the head of the surviving Christians. This book by Meyer is not only legitimate, but a pivotal book in the history of the truth about Jesus. It doesn't contradict the Bible unless you think that the Bible is the only book of history that is valid. To excuse all texts discovered in our era of discovery because of a religious preconception is folly and childish. The truth vindicates Jesus, though it surely will not vindicate those who know nothing about Jesus outside the Bible. Meyer helps us come out of the closet with regards to Jesus. My hat is off to you. Gnosticism means to know. The ignorant ones who don't acknowledge discovery are certainly not qualified to know the truth. What will happen when these book burners find out that Jesus is quoted in hundreds of other places as well? You are my hero Doctor. I would kiss your ring.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening
Review: There is so much about the past that the Catholic Church has supressed. For those that are turned off by Christianity in general, this is actually, surprisingly something you will enjoy. The Gospel of Thomas went straight to my heart.
Rating: 
Summary: A Pointless Book
Review: This author attempts to undermine Christianity; quite a monumental task. He's effectively saying, '2,000 years, so what? You've got it all wrong!' Surely the greatest hoax in history! Gnosticism is about 'knowledge' but knowledge is not the same as 'truth'. Some reviewers talk about 'gnosticism' as a movement. It is in fact not a single movement, but the meanderings of many people trying to find something else other then the message of Christ as presented to them. Whether a Gnostic from millenia ago, or a modern day Gnostic, you are a skeptic at heart. To believe this tripe is also to suggest Jesus was a failure; after-all His followers seemed not to have understood what He said, and repressed His teachings - or the alternate theory, which this author seems to ignore, that Gnosticism is in fact the lie. Read this if you want to find a version of 'hidden' teachings. But, be wary, as stated earlier, Gnosticism was never a single movemnet, in the same way as there are no single group of agnostics. Therefore these 'hidden' teachings are only one of a dozen different group of 'hidden' teachings. Are you to believe these, or those expoused by Manicheans, or Bogomils, or Albergensians, or other Gnostics? Do you follow the Gospel of Thomas or the Gospel of Truth; the Letter to Rheginus; Treatise on the Three Natures; Apocalypse of Adam; the Gospel of Matthias; the Gospel of Philip; the Acts of Peter, etc etc.? Just add the Gospel of Thomas to this long list. PS
Who are the modern Gnostics? Where are their Churches? What is 'their' Bible say? People such as this author aren't pushing for a revival of Gnosticism, or trying to get you to go to a Gnostic church. They are not trying to get you to follow them to a new way of life. They are simply trying to sow seeds of doubt in your own beliefs!
Rating:
Summary: Another Great One
Review: This book is another masterpiece of the teachings of Jesus. This will give you a wealth of knowledge about the real Jesus. The secret book of James, Book of Thomas, and The secret book of John will open your eyes to what Jesus said and taught his closest deciples. But, the greatest find in this book is the gospel of Thomas.
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