Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make It into the New Testament
While most people think that the twenty-seven books of the New Testament are the only sacred writings of the early Christians, this is not at all the case. A companion volume to Bart Ehrman's Lost Christianities, this book offers an anthology of up-to-date and readable translations of many non-canonical writings from the first centuries after Christ--texts that have been for the most part lost or neglected for almost two millennia.\ Here is an array of remarkably varied writings from early...
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While most people think that the twenty-seven books of the New Testament are the only sacred writings of the early Christians, this is not at all the case. A companion volume to Bart Ehrman's Lost Christianities, this book offers an anthology of up-to-date and readable translations of many non-canonical writings from the first centuries after Christ—texts that have been for the most part lost or neglected for almost two millennia.Here is an array of remarkably varied writings from early Christian groups whose visions of Jesus differ dramatically from our contemporary understanding. Readers will find Gospels supposedly authored by the apostle Philip, James the brother of Jesus, Mary Magdalen, and others. There are Acts originally ascribed to John and to Thecla, Paul's female companion; there are Epistles allegedly written by Paul to the Roman philosopher Seneca. And there is an apocalypse by Simon Peter that offers a guided tour of the afterlife, both the glorious ecstasies of the saints and the horrendous torments of the damned, and an Epistle by Titus, a companion of Paul, which argues page after page against sexual love, even within marriage, on the grounds that physical intimacy leads to damnation.In all, the anthology includes fifteen Gospels, five non-canonical Acts of the Apostles, thirteen Epistles, a number of Apocalypses and Secret Books, and several Canon lists. Ehrman has included a general introduction, plus brief introductions to each piece. This important anthology gives readers a vivid picture of the range of beliefs that battled each other in the first centuries of the Christian era.
Non-canonical gospels7The gospel of the Nazareans9The gospel of the Ebionites12The gospel according to the Hebrews15The gospel according to the Egyptians17The Coptic gospel of Thomas19Papyrus Egerton 2 : the unknown gospel29The gospel of Peter31The gospel of Mary34The gospel of Philip38The gospel of truth45The gospel of the savior52The infancy gospel of Thomas57The proto-gospel of James63The epistle of the apostles73The Coptic apocalypse of Peter78The second treatise of the great Seth82The secret gospel of Mark87Non-canonical acts of the apostles91The acts of John93The acts of Paul109The acts of Thecla113The acts of Thomas122The acts of Peter135Non-canonical epistles and related writings155The third letter to the Corinthians157Correspondence of Paul and Seneca160Paul's letter to the Laodiceans165The letter of 1 Clement167The letter of 2 Clement185The "letter of Peter to James" and its "reception"191The homilies of Clement195Ptolemy's letter to Flora201The treatise on the resurrection207The didache211The letter of Barnabas219The preaching of Peter236Pseudo-Titus239Non-canonical apocalypses and revelatory treatises249The Shepherd of Hermas251The apocalypse of Peter280The apocalypse of Paul288The secret book of John297On the origin of the world307The first thought in three forms316The hymn of the pearl324Canonical lists329The Muratorian canon331The canon of Origen of Alexandria334The canon of Eusebius337The canon of Athanasius of Alexandria339The canon of the third synod of Carthage341
\ From Barnes & NobleMany Christians believe that the 27 books of the New Testament comprise the only sacred writings of the early Christianity. Dr. Bart Ehrman, the chair of the department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, disagrees. He has edited an anthology of 15 Gospels; 5 non-canonical Acts of the Apostles; 13 Epistles; a number of Apocalypses and Secret Books; and several Canon Lists.\ \ \ \ \ From the Publisher"The author of more than ten books on New Testament history and early Christian writings, Ehrman has established himself as an expert on early Christianity. These two works should soundly solidify his stature, as they illuminate the flavor and varieties of early Christian belief."--Library Journal (on Lost Christianities and Lost Scriptures)\ "History, it's often said, is written by the victors. Bart Ehrman argues in a pair of intriguing new books that the same could be said of the Bible's New Testament.... Will shock more than a few lay readers."--The Boston Globe\ "Lost Scriptures provides a good sample of the literature and illustrates nicely the complex and often exotic world of second- and third-century Christianity."--America\ "Fresh authoritative translations of the texts that fell outside in the canon."--Christian Science Monitor\ \ \
