Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts

Monday, October 10, 2022

The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered. Robert Eisenman. Michael Wise

The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered. Robert Eisenman. Michael Wise
The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered. Robert Eisenman. Michael Wise

"The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered" by Robert Eisenman and Michael Wise is concise and insightful.


Two scholars compile and interpret fifty documents that are key and previously inaccessible portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls.


"For the first time the public will be able to see the most interesting and exciting texts from the unpublished corpus and judge for itself. Providing precise English translations and complete transcriptions into modern Hebrew characters, The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered makes generally available in a clear and accessible style fifty of the best texts. Accompanied by incisive and readable commentaries aimed at both lay person and scholar alike, these texts provide exciting and ground-breaking insights into Messianism, an alternative presentation of the flood story, ecstatic visions, prophecies, Mysteries, astrology, divination, and much more." "This is nothing less than the literature of the Messianic Movement in Palestine. Responsible for the uprising that led to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, its later stages are virtually indistinguishable from the rise of Christianity in Palestine. Professors Eisenman's and Wise's research will go a long way towards solving the problem of the Scrolls in the context of Jewish history of the period and shed new light on the formation of early Christianity."

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

The Gnostic Discoveries. The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library. Marvin Meyer

The Gnostic Discoveries. The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library. Marvin Meyer
The Gnostic Discoveries. The Impact of the Nag Hammadi Library. Marvin Meyer

I'm enjoying "The Gnostic Discoveries" by Marvin Meyer. He passed away about 10 years ago and is still one of my favorites among Religion scholars.


The archaeological find of the twentieth century was the astounding discovery by an Egyptian peasant in December 1945 of a large storage jar filled with ancient papyrus manuscripts. Painstakingly restored and translated, these fragments came to be known collectively as the Nag Hammadi library. Through them we glimpse a fascinating alternative perspective on Jesus and many of his earliest followers, including the influence of Gnosticism on their beliefs.
"Gnosticism," a term alluding to special mystical knowledge, designates a series of religious movements that have existed since ancient times. This philosophy permeated Judaism, Greco-Roman religion, and what now appear to be different varieties of Christianity. Some of these alternative views, including Jesus’s relationship to Mary Magdalene, have revolutionized biblical scholarship and were recently sensationalized by Dan Brown in his bestseller, The Da Vinci Code.
The struggle to publish these ancient manuscripts has at times seemed like an ancient story of Egyptian magic -- filled with curses and drama. Included in these discoveries are several gospels of Jesus’s life that never made it into the modern Christian Bible as well as a treasury of lost, esoteric wisdom that portrays a side of Christianity suppressed by the institutionalized church. Meyer provides an overview of all the texts and their contents, grouping the codices by their respective genres, schools of thought, or attributed author, and discussing their meaning and significance for us today. He also provides an appendix that for the first time offers a quick survey of all the texts of the Nag Hammadi library and the Berlin Gnostic Codex, summarizing the contents of each of the texts and offering select quotations to illustrate their character and style.
The Gnostic Discoveries is the best available guide to the history and significance of the find at Nag Hammadi- an amazing archaeological link to the founding of the largest religion in the world.


The Meaning of the Nag Hammadi, now in paperback opens the with the thrilling adventure story of the discovery of the ancient Papyrii at Nag Hammadi. Muhammad Ali, the fellahin, discovered the sealed jar, he feared that it might contain a jinni, or spirit, but also had heard of hidden treasures in such jars. Greed overcame his fears and when he smashed open the jar, gold seemed to float into the air. To his disappointment, it was papyrus fragmenst, not gold, but for scholars around the world, it was invaluable.
Meyer then discusses the pre–Christian forms of wisdom that went onto influence what Christians believe today. In addition, some Nag Hammadi texts are attributed to Valentinus, a man who almost became Pope, and whose rejection changed the church in significant ways. Text by text, Meyer traces the history and impact of this great find on the Church, right up to our current beliefs and popular cultural fascination with this officially suppressed secret knowledge about Jesus and his followers.

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins

Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins


Sketch of
"Head of Christ"
Wearing the Crown of Thorns
1867
French, Bronze Bust
Sculpted by Jean-Baptiste Clesinger (1814-1883)
Collection of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
by Travis Simpkins



From Jesus to Christ: Documentary



For more info, please visit:


Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. by Travis Simpkins. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins

Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins
Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Elaine Pagels, Ph.D.
Author of "The Gnostic Gospels"
Harrington Spear Paine Foundation
Professor of Religion
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
by Travis Simpkins



Elaine Pagels - Price Lecture. Trinity Church, Boston


For more info, please visit:


Elaine Pagels. Princeton University. The Origin of Satan. by Travis Simpkins
Elaine Pagels. Princeton University. The Origin of Satan. by Travis Simpkins

Monday, June 20, 2022

Adam, Eve, and the Serpent. Elaine Pagels. Sex and Sin. The Holy Bible. Early Christianity

Adam, Eve, and the Serpent. Elaine Pagels. Sex and Sin. Bible. Early Christianity
Adam, Eve, and the Serpent. Elaine Pagels. Sex and Sin. The Holy Bible. Early Christianity

Elaine Pagels is one of my favorite religion scholars. "Adam, Eve, and the Serpent" is her examination of how the beliefs regarding sex and sin evolved during the early centuries of Christianity.


How did the early Christians come to believe that sex was inherently sinful? When did the Fall of Adam become synonymous with the fall of humanity? What turned Christianity from a dissident sect that championed the integrity of the individual and the idea of free will into the bulwark of a new imperial order—with the central belief that human beings cannot not choose to sin? In this provocative masterpiece of historical scholarship Elaine Pagels re-creates the controversies that racked the early church as it confronted the riddles of sexuality, freedom, and sin as embodied in the story of Genesis. And she shows how what was once heresy came to shape our own attitudes toward the body and the soul.

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

The Woman with the Alabaster Jar. Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail. Margaret Starbird

The Woman with the Alabaster Jar. Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail. Margaret Starbird
The Woman with the Alabaster Jar. Mary Magdalene and the Holy Grail. Margaret Starbird

"The Woman with the Alabaster Jar" by Margaret Starbird has become somewhat of a classic in the Mary Magdalene genre. This book was Starbird's reaction after reading (and being deeply affected by) the controversial book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail."


Margaret Starbird’s theological beliefs were profoundly shaken when she read Holy Blood, Holy Grail, a book that dared to suggest that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalen and that their descendants carried on his holy bloodline in Western Europe. Shocked by such heresy, this Roman Catholic scholar set out to refute it, but instead found new and compelling evidence for the existence of the bride of Jesus--the same enigmatic woman who anointed him with precious unguent from her “alabaster jar.”

Sunday, May 8, 2022

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Earlier today, my wife and I enjoyed a visit to the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Massachusetts. Fascinating subject and place...


For more info, please visit:

museumofrussianicons.org


Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church

Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
Museum of Russian Icons. Clinton, Massachusetts. Russian Orthodox Church
 

Friday, April 29, 2022

Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins

Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins


Sketch of
"Head of Christ"
Wearing the Crown of Thorns
1867
French, Bronze Bust
Sculpted by Jean-Baptiste Clesinger (1814-1883)
Collection of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
by Travis Simpkins



From Jesus to Christ: Documentary




For more info, please visit:


Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. by Travis Simpkins. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

The Secret Teachings of Jesus. Four Gnostic Gospels. Translated by Marvin Meyer

The Secret Teachings of Jesus. Four Gnostic Gospels. Translated by Marvin Meyer
The Secret Teachings of Jesus. Four Gnostic Gospels. Translated by Marvin Meyer

It feels like a Gnostic kind of evening...
This little book, translated by Marvin Meyer, contains the Secret Book of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Thomas and the Secret Book of John.



In December 1945, two Egyptian fellahin, digging for natural fertilizer in the Nile River valley unearthed a sealed storage jar. The jar proved to hold treasure of an unexpected sort: a collection of some fifty-two ancient manuscripts, most of which reflect the teachings of a mystical religious movement we call Gnosticism (from the Greek word gnosis, "knowledge"). The texts are also, with few exceptions, Christian documents, and thus they provide us with valuable new information about the character of the early church, and about the Gnostic Christians within the church.

In this volume, Marvin W. Meyer has produced a new English translation for general readers of four of the most important and revealing of these early Christian texts -- the Secret Book of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Thomas, and the Secret Book of John.


Monday, December 13, 2021

The Gospels of Mary. The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene the Companion of Jesus. Marvin Meyer

The Gospels of Mary. The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene the Companion of Jesus. Marvin Meyer
The Gospels of Mary. The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene the Companion of Jesus. Marvin Meyer


I'm enjoying this little book by Marvin Meyer (who passed away about 10 or so years ago). He is one of my favorites among Religion scholars. Note that Gospels is plural in the title. This book is a convenient compilation of all the snippets in ancient texts, both Gospels and Apocrypha, which relate directly to Mary Magdalene. All in all the earliest references to her total about 40 to 50 pages of material. That's it.

There is an actual Gospel of Mary Magdalene dating to the 1st or 2nd Century. It is very fragmentary, with pages missing from the beginning and the end as well as a lost chunk in the middle. It well worth a read, very esoteric, speaking of the inner self and the ascension of the soul. Parts of it are included here, but the complete text has been translated and published elsewhere several times.



Mary Magdalene, Jesus's Closest Disciple
Marvin Meyer, one of the foremost scholars of the Gnostic Gospels:

-translates and introduces the Gnostic and New Testament texts that together reveal the story and importance of Mary Magdalene

-includes new translations of the Gospels of Mary, Thomas, Philip, and related texts about Mary Magdalene

-discloses, with Esther A. De Boer, the long-suppressed story of Mary's vital role in the life of Jesus and in the formative period after his crucifixion
presents as authentically as possible the real Mary Magdalene

Monday, November 8, 2021

The Grail. From Celtic Myth to Christian Symbol. Roger Sherman Loomis

The Grail. From Celtic Myth to Christian Symbol. Roger Sherman Loomis
The Grail. From Celtic Myth to Christian Symbol. Roger Sherman Loomis

 I'm enjoying "The Grail: From Celtic Myth to Christian Symbol" by Roger Sherman Loomis...



The medieval legend of the Grail, a tale about the search for supreme mystical experience, has never ceased to intrigue writers and scholars by its wildly variegated forms: the settings have ranged from Britain to the Punjab to the Temple of Zeus at Dodona; the Grail itself has been described as the chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper, a stone with miraculous youth-preserving virtues, a vessel containing a man's head swimming in blood; the Grail has been kept in a castle by a beautiful damsel, seen floating through the air in Arthur's palace, and used as a talisman in the East to distinguish the chaste from the unchaste. In his classic exploration of the obscurities and contradictions in the major versions of this legend, Roger Sherman Loomis shows how the Grail, once a Celtic vessel of plenty, evolved into the Christian Grail with miraculous powers. Loomis bases his argument on historical examples involving the major motifs and characters in the legends, beginning with the Arthurian legend recounted in the 1180 French poem by Chrtien de Troyes. The principal texts fall into two classes: those that relate the adventures of the knights in King Arthur's time and those that account for the Grail's removal from the Holy Land to Britain. Written with verve and wit, Loomis's book builds suspense as he proceeds from one puzzle to the next in revealing the meaning behind the Grail and its legends.

Sunday, November 7, 2021

The Knights Templar in the New World. How Henry Sinclair Brought the Grail to Acadia. William F. Mann

The Knights Templar in the New World. How Henry Sinclair Brought the Grail to Acadia. William F. Mann
The Knights Templar in the New World. How Henry Sinclair Brought the Grail to Acadia. William F. Mann

I picked up a copy of "The Knights Templar in the New World" by William Mann.
Fans of Scott Wolter and America Unearthed would enjoy it. Some similar themes.
William Mann is involved in the York Rite and serves as Grand Master of Knights Templar in Canada.



Uses the principles of sacred geometry, archaeological evidence, and Native American legend to discover the site of a secret Templar settlement in Nova Scotia

• Offers evidence that Scottish prince Henry Sinclair not only sailed to the New World 100 years before Columbus, but that he also established a refuge there for the Templars fleeing persecution

• Shows that the Grail, the holy bloodline connecting the House of David to the Merovingian dynasty through Jesus and Mary Magdalene, was hidden in the New World

In 1398, almost 100 years before Columbus arrived in the New World, the Scottish prince Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, sailed to what is today Nova Scotia, where his presence was recorded by Micmac Indian legends about Glooskap. This was the same Prince Henry Sinclair who offered refuge to the Knights Templar fleeing the persecution unleashed against the order by French king Philip the Fair at the beginning of the 14th century. With evidence from archaeological sites, indigenous legend, and sacred geometry handed down by the Templar order to the Freemasons, author William F. Mann has now rediscovered the site of the settlement established by Sinclair and his Templar followers in the New World. Here they found a safe refuge for the Grail--the holy bloodline connecting the House of David to the Merovingian Dynasty through the descendants of Jesus and Mary Magdalene--until the British exiled all the Acadians in 1755.

Monday, August 30, 2021

Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins

Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins
Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Candida R. Moss, Ph.D.
Historian & Bible Scholar
Professor of Theology
New Testament and Early Christianity
University of Birmingham
by Travis Simpkins



Candida Moss, Ph.D. - The Myth of Persecution



For more info, please visit:


Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins
Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins

Friday, August 27, 2021

Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins

Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins
Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Elaine Pagels, Ph.D.
Author of "The Gnostic Gospels"
Harrington Spear Paine Foundation
Professor of Religion
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
by Travis Simpkins



Elaine Pagels - Price Lecture. Trinity Church, Boston


For more info, please visit:


Elaine Pagels. Princeton University. Adam, Eve and the Serpent. by Travis Simpkins
Elaine Pagels. Princeton University. Adam, Eve and the Serpent. by Travis Simpkins

Saturday, May 29, 2021

Jesus Christ. Crucifixion. New Testament. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins

Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins


Sketch of
"Head of Christ"
Wearing the Crown of Thorns
1867
French, Bronze Bust
Sculpted by Jean-Baptiste Clesinger (1814-1883)
Collection of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
by Travis Simpkins



From Jesus to Christ: Documentary



For more info, please visit:


Jesus Christ. Bible. New Testament. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bible. New Testament. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins

Henry Lincoln. The Holy Place: Rennes-le-Chateau. Merovingian Dynasty. by Travis Simpkins

Henry Lincoln. Author, Filmmaker. Holy Blood,  Holy Grail. by Travis Simpkins
Henry Lincoln. Author, Filmmaker. Holy Blood,  Holy Grail. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Henry Lincoln
BBC Filmmaker & Scriptwriter
Co-Author of
Holy Blood, Holy Grail
and
The Messianic Legacy
by Travis Simpkins



Holy Blood, Holy Grail. The Original Da Vinci Code


For more info, please visit:


Henry Lincoln. by Travis Simpkins. The Holy Place. Rennes-le-Chateau. Merovingian Dynasty
Henry Lincoln. by Travis Simpkins. The Holy Place. Rennes-le-Chateau. Merovingian Dynasty

Saturday, April 24, 2021

Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins

Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins
Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Candida R. Moss, Ph.D.
Historian & Bible Scholar
Professor of Theology
New Testament and Early Christianity
University of Birmingham
by Travis Simpkins



Candida Moss, Ph.D. - The Myth of Persecution



For more info, please visit:


Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins
Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins

Friday, February 19, 2021

Jesus Christ. Crucifixion. New Testament. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins

Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins


Sketch of
"Head of Christ"
Wearing the Crown of Thorns
1867
French, Bronze Bust
Sculpted by Jean-Baptiste Clesinger (1814-1883)
Collection of the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
by Travis Simpkins



From Jesus to Christ: Documentary




For more info, please visit:


Jesus Christ. Bronze Bust. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins
Jesus Christ. Bible. New Testament. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. by Travis Simpkins

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins

Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins
Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Candida R. Moss, Ph.D.
Historian & Bible Scholar
Professor of Theology
New Testament and Early Christianity
University of Birmingham
by Travis Simpkins



Candida Moss, Ph.D. - The Myth of Persecution



For more info, please visit:


Dr. Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins
Candida Moss. Bible Scholar. The Myth of Persecution. by Travis Simpkins

Thursday, January 14, 2021

Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins

Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. The Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins


Portrait Sketch of
Elaine Pagels, Ph.D.
Author of "The Gnostic Gospels"
Harrington Spear Paine Foundation
Professor of Religion
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
by Travis Simpkins



Elaine Pagels - Price Lecture. Trinity Church, Boston


For more info, please visit:


Elaine Pagels. Professor of Religion. Princeton University. Gnostic Gospels. by Travis Simpkins