[Elaine] Pagels contended that the gospel of Thomas was intended for those already familiar with a public account of Jesus’ life. Paired with John’s gospel, which the Princeton academic asserted was written in the same tradition, Thomas was written so that readers would have a “new, deeper meaning” “to be read complementarily” with John’s message of salvation.
Pagels speculated that Jesus was “probably illiterate” but memorized scripture the way Jewish boys memorize the Torah. It was “very likely” he quoted them all the time….
Pagels noted that Gnostics typically considered a “gloomy view of the world” and adhered to a “bizarre mythology,” but Thomas, in contrast, “is a simple list.”
“Whoever put John and Thomas together shared the same teaching tradition,” Pagels concluded.
Some “scholars” are highly imaginative.
“The Princeton University professor outlined five views of the historic Jesus: as teacher/philosopher, rabbi, magician, miracle worker/healer and a revolutionary against Rome.”
Whoops! Seems to have left out one other view that encompasses the others – Jesus is God.
Sounds like these fine folk of DioVA would be better off studying the canonical Gospels more carefully.
One does not build a healthy body by eating junk food, or worse.
The Episcopal Church in Virginia appears hell-bent on pursuing its own extinction. The remarks of Prof. Pagels are nothing more than dressed-up 19th century liberalism, the following of which has seen church attendance drop everywhere.
TEC is obviously determined to promote ACNA as the proper Anglican representative in Virginia!