The Apocryphal Gospels

Simon Gathercole editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd

Published:22nd Apr '21

£12.99

Available for immediate dispatch.

The Apocryphal Gospels cover

A new translation of the oldest non-canonical Christian gospels

In the early years of Christianity, several groups produced 'hidden' or 'apocryphal' gospels, alternative versions of the story of Christ. Sometimes these texts complemented the four canonical gospels of the New Testament, sometimes they subverted them and often they were completely different. Here, in the widest selection of non-canonical gospels gathered in one volume - which also includes two modern forgeries - we see the young Jesus making live birds from clay, hear his secret words of wisdom, discover gnostic cosmologies and witness the Harrowing of Hell. Preserved by their readers and attacked by their detractors, these gospels shine a fascinating light on the early Christian Church.

Translated with an Introduction by Simon Gathercole

A deeply impressive scholarly achievement, with first-class translations of many notoriously complex texts

-- Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury
This hugely useful volume is the best sort of scholarship . . . We are deeply in his debt -- Diarmaid McCulloch, author of A History of Christianity
This will become the standard version both for the general reader and for scholars -- John Barton, author of A History of the B

ISBN: 9780241340554

Dimensions: 198mm x 128mm x 20mm

Weight: 323g

480 pages