The Gnostic Discoveries: The Impact Of The Nag Hammadi Library

Description

The astounding discovery in December 1945 by an Egyptian peasant of desert caves filled with jars of ancient papyrus manuscripts, known collectively as the Nag Hammadi Library, was the archaeological find of the century. These fragments at Nag Hammadi, painstakingly restored and translated, reveal a fascinating alternative perspective on Jesus and the beliefs of many of his earliest followers. Some of these alternative views, including Jesus' relationship to Mary Magdalene, were recently sensationalized by Dan Brown in his bestseller The Da Vinci Code. Books on Gnosticism have continued to enjoy a lift from the popularity of that novel, and the fortcoming movie should continue to spur sales of these more serious books on gnosticism.

Marvin Meyer is one of the foremost scholars on early Christianity and texts about Jesus outside the New Testament. He is Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies at Chapman University in Orange, California. Among his recent books are The Gospel of Judas, The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus, The Gospels of Mary, The Gospel of Thomas, and The Nag Hammadi Scriptures.