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audioandereadergrrly's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the audio version. It was easy to zone out to the narrator’s voice and I could tell when a tough word was stumbled upon. The text itself read less like an introduction and more like a scholarly essay, with parts that I had trouble keeping up with. The organization of the contents seemed scattered and I wished it were more comprehensive for the casual reader who is interested in the topic but unfamiliar with the background.
drakonreads's review
4.0
The book looked over definitions and the uses of apocryphal books. It looks in-depth at various of the gospels.
It looked at various gospels: Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Mary, Protevangelium of James, Gospel of Judas, and other smaller fragments such as Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 840 and Papyrus Egerton 2.
The book looked at certain debates regarding the non-canonical/apocryphal gospels and provides an academic view that tampers popular misinterpretations.
The main thesis of the book seemed to be that the apocryphal books in themselves are useful for their show of the diversity of early Christianity and the way it reflects on debates in the communities in later centuries such as 2nd, 3rd and 4th century concerns. One example is the disputes over hierarchical church leadership and the contextualizing personal vison within religious experience.
It looked at various gospels: Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Mary, Protevangelium of James, Gospel of Judas, and other smaller fragments such as Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 840 and Papyrus Egerton 2.
The book looked at certain debates regarding the non-canonical/apocryphal gospels and provides an academic view that tampers popular misinterpretations.
The main thesis of the book seemed to be that the apocryphal books in themselves are useful for their show of the diversity of early Christianity and the way it reflects on debates in the communities in later centuries such as 2nd, 3rd and 4th century concerns. One example is the disputes over hierarchical church leadership and the contextualizing personal vison within religious experience.
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