Islamic excursions among the converted peoples, a 1998 book by v. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels, first published in 2004. Emlyn williams classic account of the notorious moors murderers, ian brady and myra hindley, who between 1962 and 1965 abducted, brutally abused and murdered five children pauline reade, john kilbride, keith bennett, lesley ann downey and edward evans and buried them in shallow graves on saddleworth moor, in lancashire. How i overcame limiting new age beliefs, depression, spiritual abuse, mind control, predatory indian gurus and more. Agnostic musings for 12 step life order the little book in paperback or beyond belief in paperback, epub or kindles mobi ebook version. This book explores how christianity began by tracing its earliest texts, including the gospel of thomas, rediscovered in egypt in 1945. For some people, they do manage to, as they would say, strengthen their belief in that time. This also gives my listeners an opportunity to experience provocative films, documentaries and original interviews, which are featured on gaiam, said george. Ritual in the gospel of philip elaine pagels princeton university even now, fifty years after the discovery of the nag hammadi library, certain patristic scholars still use gnosticism as shorthand for all that is false, a foil for everything genuine and authentic. 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. Irenaeuss vision of a united and unanimous catholic church speaks more of what he hoped to create than what he actually saw in the churches he knew in gaul, and those he had visited or heard about in his travels though gaul, asia minor, and italy. The secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels 241pp, macmillan.
Aug 02, 2018 my spiritual memoir describes my multidimensional soul journey of recovering my power and creativity as a psychic, awakened starseed, former cult member, positive et contactee, earth healer. Elaine pagels is a distinguished professor of religion at princeton and says yes. 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. What do they reveal about pagelss own struggles with some aspects of traditional christian beliefs. Feb 22, 20 now comes a sober, wellwritten memoir by exscientologist jenna miscavige hill, beyond belief my secret life inside scientology and my harrowing escape, that dovetails, damningly, with wrights. True believers everywhere, he says, share this same faith. The secret gospel of thomas vintage reprint by pagels, elaine isbn. Pagels book is a jewel, not merely of exemplary historical scholarship, but as the personal faith journey of a seeker, restless with christian orthodoxy, but open to internal religious experience. In the spring of the year 367, the bishop of alexandria in egypt wrote a famous letter to his flock. In beyond belief, her spiritual journey becomes a springboard for an intellectual and professional reexamination of early christian faith. Thirty years after justins death, another philosopher, named celsus, who detested christians, wrote a book called the true word, which exposed their movement and accused some of them of acting like wildeyed devotees of foreign gods such as attis and cybele, possessed by spirits.
Beyond belief the secret gospel of thomas by elaine pagels. 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. As an introductory undergraduate or adult education text, beyond belief could be immensely useful. Pagels traverses grief, healing and the nature of belief in why. Beyond belief owning the book rebellion dogs publishing. 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. 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. Pagels begins each chapter with a personal reflection. She is the author of the gnostic gospels, beyond belief, and revelations.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Beyond belief elaine pagels read online free books archive. Elaine pagels is the author of numerous articles and five books and is well known for her work in translating the nag hammadi library, translations which contradicted the image of the early. Why has elaine pagels chosen beyond belief as her title. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation, viking penguin, new york, 2012 reading judas. Stated another way, the findings, reported in the october 2012. For pagels, the search for god goes beyond the rigid formulations of christian creeds and orthodox dogmabeyond belief. The ultimate mindpower manual if you were told that you could use your mind to influence a slot machine or dice fallwould you find this beyond belief. Beyond belief is the result of his fivemonth journey in 1995 through indonesia, iran, pakistan, and malaysialands where descendants of muslim converts live at odds with indigenous traditions, and where dreams of islamic purity clash with economic and political realities. 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. If you were told that you could use your mind in a telepathic manner to influence the thinking pattern of another individual or group of people.
The secret gospel of thomas was on the new york times bestseller list and revelations. With characteristic intelligence and wisdom, elaine pagels. A personal story, elaine pagels, the harrington spear paine foundation professor of religion. Beyond belief the secret gospel of thomas paperback 2003.
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. A new account of the origins of christianity, that brilliantly summarized the ancient and rambling nag hammadi texts, which describe the teachings of jesus as captured by early christian writers. Perhaps best known as the author of the gnostic gospels, the origin of satan, and adam, eve and the serpent, she has published widely on gnosticism and early christianity, and continues to pursue research interests in late antiquity. Pagels, a writer and thinker on religion and history, winner of the national book award for the gnostic gospels, reflects on what matters most about spiritual and religious exploration in the 21st century. The secret gospel of thomas, a new york times bestseller, and revelations. Growing up in a family of scientists, elaine pagels was taught that scientific discovery had made religion obsolete and irrelevant.
Elaine pagels on what we can learn from adam and eve part. The story of ian brady and myra hindley new ed by emlyn williams isbn. Controversial and thoughtprovoking, this international bestseller investigates the politics of christianity and how the. When her infant son was diagnosed with fatal pulmonary hypertension, awardwinning author elaine pagels was moved to explore her faith. Beyond belief the secret gospel of thomas pagels, elaine on. In elaine pagels beyond belief, richard holloway discovers that a lost gospel could have added another dimension to the bible. The gospel of judas and the shaping of christianity, co authored with karen king, viking penguin, new york, 2007.
She reveals in the first chapter of this 2003 book how. But after reading palmers confessions of an insider regarding the earliest days. 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. In this book, pagels outlines her notion in five stages. The secret gospel of thomas pagels, best know for her national book. 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. Elaine pagels joined the princeton faculty in 1982, shortly after receiving a macarthur fellowship. Beyond unbelief a critical response to elaine pagels.
Anthropology is the science of studying ourselves across all of human history in a comprehensive analysis of the complexities of cultures, past and present, to help us come to an understanding of our place in the universe. Elaine pagels born 1943 is professor of religion at princeton university. The american press and the coming of the holocaust, 19331945 1993 by deborah lipstadt beyond belief. The secret gospel of thomas, elaine pagelss fascinating exploration of how and why the new testament acquired its present form. Elaine pagels is an exceptionally engaging writer with a talent for locating and explaining hidden wisdom. In beyond belief, renowned religion scholar elaine pagels continues her.
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. Every daily reflection in beyond belief starts with a quote. For what is she searching, as both a scholar and a. The secret gospel of thomas by pagels, elaine was published by vintage in may 2004 and is our 62614th best seller. Dec 14, 2012 on friday december 14, 2012, gaiam will premiere beyond belief with george noory, a new weekly tv show exploring the unknown, and mysteries of the universe.
Jenna miscavige hill, niece of church of scientology leader david miscavige, was raised as a scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In the book beyond belief jenna miscavage hill describes in detail how the scientology church worked. In beyond belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details. Her descriptions of the church actually fits every line of the list on how to run a mindcontrol cult, using the proven indoctrination methods of authoritarian regimes, prisons, religious cults and military units the world over. The introduction, discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and author biography that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of beyond belief. Sex and politics in early christianity,the gnostic paul. This is a powerful book about the most powerful of forces.
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