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Gnosticism's Christian form grew to prominence in the 2nd century A.D. Ultimately denounced as heretical by the early church, Gnosticism proposed a revealed knowledge of God ("gnosis" meaning "knowledge" in Greek), held as a secret tradition of the apostles. In The Gnostic Gospels, author Elaine Pagels suggests that Christianity could have developed quite differently if Gnostic texts had become part of the Christian canon. Without a doubt: Gnosticism celebrates God as both Mother and Father, shows a very human Jesus's relationship to Mary Magdalene, suggests the Resurrection is better understood symbolically, and speaks to self-knowledge as the route to union with God. Pagels argues that Christian orthodoxy grew out of the political considerations of the day, serving to legitimize and consolidate early church leadership. Her contrast of that developing orthodoxy with Gnostic teachings presents an intriguing trajectory on a world faith as it "might have become." The Gnostic Gospels provides engaging reading for those seeking a broader perspective on the early development of Christianity. --F. Hall
Book Description
A provocative study of the gnostic gospels and the world of early Christianity as revealed through the Nag Hammadi texts.
Customer Reviews:
Remarkable.......2007-09-27
This book is great. Plenty of information to understand gnosticism as well as early church politics. The density of informations requires you read it with a pen or reread it. I will do that as it is so easy to read and engrossing.
Interesting Read.......2007-05-14
I recently finished the book. I found it very interesting and a thought provoking read. At times it was a dragged a bit, but over all worth the effort.
A spotlight on controversy.......2007-05-13
I have always enjoyed Ms Pagels' commentaries on the History Channel, and found this book expands upon them in a scholarly manner, as she gives not only her conclusions but the path she took to arrive at them. This is a fine volume for anyone interested in early Christian ideas which were discarded.
J. V. Vaisvil
Informative.......2007-05-06
Still reading this but it's very informative because it gives background and history which is different from the other Gnostic Gospels that I have. If you are searching for truth and are willing to open your mind to ALL possibilities, add this to your collection. My motto is, I am searching for the truth and I don't care what clothes it is wearing. Truth is Truth. If you agree, get this book and continue your search. This will help you.
Outstanding scholarly work.......2007-04-11
Originally written nearly 30 years ago, this book remains a must-read on the subject. Elaine Pagels is a renowned scholar with a Harvard Ph.D. in religion. She directly studied and translated some of the Nag Hammadi manuscripts in the early seventies. Her related research represents the foundation of this book. She later became a Princeton professor. She wrote several seminal books on Christianity. Her lifelong work has significantly advanced our knowledge of early Christianity.
Each chapter focuses on a specific tenet of Christianity and stresses the differences between Gnostic and orthodox Christians. While the orthodox Christians believe in the physical reality of Jesus' resurrection, the immaculate conception of Jesus, and martyrdom; the Gnostic Christians interpret the resurrection in a spiritual way (not a literal one). They also do not believe in the Immaculate Conception. And, they reject martyrdom as a fanatical practice not reflecting Jesus' teachings.
The Gnostic Christians don't believe in the orthodox Christians' hierarchy. Gnostic Christians believe each of us has direct access to God. And, that orthodox bishops and priests represent unwanted obstacles to this access. Additionally, Gnostic Christians do not exclude women as the sexes are equal in front of God. They even revere God as both the Father and the Mother. Also, they don't consider Mary Magdalene to be a woman of ill repute, but instead an equal if not a superior to the twelve apostles.
For Gnostic Christians, the overarching factor is how much gnosis (knowledge) a believer has. This also entails wisdom and maturity. Gnosis is means knowledge based on empirical firsthand experience in Greek. It entails self-knowledge or "know thyself" a key concept in Greek philosophy (Aristotle, Plato, Socrates). For Gnostic Christian this concept is so important that knowing self ultimately leads to knowing God. Thus, there is no separation between God and the individual. This underlines the drastic difference between Gnostic and orthodox Christians. The author mentions that this concept leads to Gnosticism having a significant influence on modern Existentialism.
Gnostic Christians also considered Jesus to be a spiritual guide more than a divine entity. The author indicates that other historians suggested this concept comes from Buddhism and that early Gnostic Christians may have likely been influenced by Buddhism. They support their arguments by the existing trade routes of the time that linked the relevant regions allowing for the mentioned exchange of spiritual concepts.
Pagels advances that the orthodox Christians more concrete criteria to join their religion were at the essence of their success over their Gnostic counterparts. For a religion to be successful it needs more than ideas. It needs a strong organizational political structure that promotes its expansion based on principles readily understandable to newcomers. Orthodox Christianity had all these elements enhancing its prospective success. Gnosticism had ideas alone. Within two centuries, the Gnostic movement will have disappeared and orthodox Christianity will flourish presenting a fairly united front for over a millennium until Martin Luther in the 16th century. Oddly enough, Luther's Reformation would adopt certain of the Gnostics concepts including the deemphasizing of a religious hierarchy and implementing the more direct access between each individual and God.
To this day the majority of Christian movements follow an orthodox Christian structure. Gnostic Christianity has entirely disappeared; But as mentioned some of its ideas have survived within eastern philosophies (Buddhism), classical Greek philosophy, and modern existentialism.
This is a fascinating book on a subject with an extensive literature. If you like this book, I strongly recommend all the other books written by the same author. I also recommend books written by Michael Baigent. In particular, his latest book "The Jesus Papers" is excellent.
Average customer rating:
- Has history been tampered with?
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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Similar Items:
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Has history been tampered with?.......2007-10-23
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RAZQNMXM4M9CL Has history been tampered with? Yes, it has! Did events and eras such as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Roman Empire , the Dark Ages, and the Renaissance, actually occur within a very different chronology from what we've been told? Yes, they certainly did!
The history of humankind is both drastically shorter and dramatically different than generally presumed.
Why is it so? On one hand, it was usual custom to justify the claims to title and land by age and ancestry, and on the other the court historians knew only too well how to please their masters. The so called universal classic world history is a pack of intricate lies for all events prior to the 16th century. World history as we learn it today was entirely fabricated in the 16th-18th centuries. It's likely that nobody told you before, but
there is not a single piece of firm written evidence or artefact that is reliably and independently dated prior to the 11th century.
Naturally, after what you've learned in school and university, you will not easily believe that the classical history of ancient Rome, Greece, Asia, Egypt, China, Japan, India, etc., is manifestly false.
You will point accusing finger to the pyramids in Egypt, to the Coliseum in Rome and Great Wall of China etc., and claim, aren't they really ancient, thousands of years ancient? Well, there is no valid scientific proof that they are older than 1000 years!
The oldest original written document that can be reliably dated belongs to the 11th century!
New research asserts that Homo sapiens invented writing (including hieroglyphics) only 1000 years ago. Once invented, writing skills were immediately and irreversibly put to the use of ruling powers and science.
The consensual chronology we live with was essentially crafted in the 16th century by the Jesuits.
The world history was compiled from contradictory mix of innumerable copies of ancient Latin and Greek manuscripts and other irrefutable proofs delivered by late mediaeval astronomers that were cemented by the authority of writings of the Church Fathers.
Early in life, we learn about ancient history. Children love the magical lessons of history - they are like fairy tales. Teachers recite breathtaking stories; very soon We learn by heart the names and deeds of brave warriors, wise philosophers, fabulous pharaohs, cunning high priests and greedy scribes.
We learn of gigantic pyramids and sinister castles, kings and queens, dukes and barons, powerful heroes and beautiful ladies, emaciated saints and low-life traitors.
Ancient history is based documents, manuscripts, printed books, paintings, monuments and artefacts - called primary sources.
The problem is that neither these ancient documents, nor events described therein can be irrefutably dated, moreover they contradict each other for the most part.
When a school textbook tells us that Genghis Khan in year X or Alexander in year Y, have each conquered half of the world, it means only that it is so said in some of the written sources.
There are no answers to simple questions:
When were these primary sources written?
Where and by whom were these sources found?
It is wrongly presumed that ancient and medieval chronicles, written by Genghis Khan's or Alexander the Great contemporaries and eyewitnesses, are readily available. Actually, only sources written hundreds or even thousands of years after the events are there, compiled mostly in the 16th 18th centuries, or even later.
As a rule, these sources suffered considerable multiple manipulations, falsifications and distortions by editing. At the same time,
innumerable originals of ancient documents under various pretexts were destroyed in Europe under various pretexts.
The names of persons and geographical sites often changed meaning and location during the course of the centuries.
Geographical locations became clearly defined on maps only with the advent of printing.
This made possible the circulation of identical copies of the same map for purposes of the military, navigation, education and governance tasks.
Historians from Oxford say: "hey, everybody knows that Julius Caesar lived in the first century B.C.
`Julius Caesar' statement is only a point of view as
there is simply no irrefutable documentary proof that Julius Caesar or any other great name of antiquity ever existed.
Better than that - extremely rare sources that can be reliably dated back to the 10th-14th centuries A D, do not show the polished picture of classical history.
They show a picture both contradictory and confusing.
All methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts are erroneous:
Radio-carbon C14 method produces dating with exactitude of plus minus 1500 years, therefore it is too crude for dating of events in historical timeframe!
The Almagest tractate, which lies as corner stone contemporary chronology, compiled in the 2nd century A D by Ptolemy, the founding father of astronomy, contains astronomical data of 9th to 16th century!
The Bronze Age,that has supposedly began 5000 years ago. Bronze is made of 90% copper and 10% tin, but the technology for tin extraction dates back to 14th century A D!.
All eclipses contained in manuscripts, like Thucydides one, relating 'ancient' events have exclusively medieval dating. All horoscopes cut in stone or painted in Egyptian temples, like Dendera have exclusively early medieval dating solutions.
Not quite what you have learned in school? Open your eyes, and, you will find sufficient proof to reach step by step the inevitable conclusion that the classical chronology is false and therefore, that the history of ancient and medieval world universally accepted today, is also false. Have a fresh outlook on everything said or printed about "ancient" and "enigmatic" Roman, Greek and Egyptian, medieval as well as all other "lost and found" civilizations.
Antiquity and Dark Ages are phantoms invented in the 16th 18th and polished in 19th 20thcenturies. Human civilization is in fact barely 1000 years old!
This book will change your perception of History forever!
What if Ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt were invented during Renaissance?
What if The Old Testament was a rendition of events of the Middle Ages?
What if Jesus Christ was born in 1053 and crucified in 1086 AD?
Sounds Unbelievable?
Not after you've read "History: Fiction or Science?" by Anatoly Fomenko, the genius mathematician.
Armed with astronomy and computers Anatoly Fomenko turns History into a rocket science.
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
Book Description
For all those readers curious to read the actual texts of the Gnostic Gospels, here is the definitive collection of all the Gnostic Gospels and Gospel–like texts.
o Marvin Meyer, premier scholar of Gnostic and other Christian literature outside the New Testament, presents every Gnostic Gospel and Jesus text with a brilliant overall introduction, introductions to each text, and notes that explain everything the reader needs to know to understand the text. He includes his latest translations of not only the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Mary, but other texts such as the Secret Book of John, which some scholars regard as the second part of the New Testament Gospel of John. The material is largely from the discovery at Nag Hammadi, freshly translated and introduced, but also includes texts found elsewhere. The texts, especially taken together, present an image of Jesus as the ultimate wisdom teacher, a kind of mysterious Jewish Zen master, who scandalized listeners by his radical egalitarianism (regarding women, slaves, the poor, the marginalized as of equal status, or more, with establishment male believers) and his insistence on living the message, spiritual experience, vs. outer observance only.
o For those wanting to learn more after reading The Da Vinci Code. This book provides the definitive next book for those looking for expert presentation of the alternative Gnostic stream of Christianity, in which there is no talk of crucifixion and Mary Magdalene is presented as the disciple that Jesus loved best. "Marv is one of the original secret gospels scholars who has done an enormous amount of work to bring these texts to light. All of his research on the Nag Hammadi texts is having an incredible impact on our knowledge of early Christian history––it is virtually redefining it." ––Dr. Elaine Pagels, Princeton University
Customer Reviews:
A different view of things..........2007-04-12
I was very pleased with Marvin Meyer's translations and loved that he had so many notes in the back to look at while reading the texts. It was an interesting look into the world of the ancient Gnostics. I really enjoyed the Gospels of Thomas and Mary. Some of the other ones, as written by Valentinus, for example, I just really couldn't get into because of some of the radical ideas such as the evilness of the human world, which I happen to like. lol
Wow I read a lot of these Gnostic texts.......2006-09-08
Yet another in my library of "religious" documents. Religion and philosophy are two of my main interests and I get into more of what didn't make it in as opposed to what did make it in. Any rate, wonderful read. Interesting to read more of what the early Christians believed.
Gnostic Gospels.......2006-08-25
This book provides readers unaware of the nature or scope of the Gnostic Gospels a thoughtful and thought provoking introduction to the subject. I now feel better informed on this aspect of Christian religion and traditions.
Very interesting in parts, confusing in others........2006-08-05
That sort of book is difficult to "judge" or rate with a star system, given that this is a collection of different books, written by different authors, etc.
The first texts are very interesting, especially if you have some serious knowledge of the Bible beforehand and if Christianity in general is an interest of yours. It can be inspiring and won't fail to surprise you. That's the good side of this collection.
Now, there are books in there that are really cryptic. Stories where Adam and Eve have two children, Jahveh and God (or else, I don't claim to be super precise here, but I know Jahveh was in the lot)and etc, etc. I'm no specialist in the apocrypha, and I have to say that even with the introduction of Meyer, nothing made much sense in those more obscure stories.
In conclusion, while there are some books here that are indeed very interesting for the non-specialist reader, there are others that will merely confuse you. I would imagine.
The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus:.......2006-07-25
This book pulls together all of the Gnostic Gospels into a comprehensive and understandable whole. I wish I had known this before I bought all the rest. Thank you.
Average customer rating:
- Gnostic trip
- A New Look at Jesus
- Finally some new Information
- Useful resource
- Offers differing points of view of early Christianity.
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The Secret Teachings of Jesus: Four Gnostic Gospels
Manufacturer: Vintage
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The Lost Books of the Bible
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The Gnostic Gospels
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ASIN: 0394744330
Release Date: 1986-05-12 |
Book Description
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.
Customer Reviews:
Gnostic trip.......2007-03-16
Not at all happy with the book. Sorry I ordered it. Even the author changed the point of view. Why can't the true story be told?
A New Look at Jesus.......2006-09-19
Very interesting presentaton. It is a translation of texts that you do not find in the Bible.
It would have been better presented with some more comments. Good informaton but very dry presentaton for reading.
Finally some new Information.......2006-09-17
I found this book was very thought provoking. Finally some new information to ponder. If all you want is more of what you already knew, this probably isn't the book for you. The last Gospel in the book gives you a very different slant on things. Wish that we could find more books that give you something other than the same old thing.
Useful resource.......2006-05-24
This is a great resource that finally lets people see for themselves what the Gnostic writings are about: blathering nonesense removed from historical context. These writings would not inspire an elementary student of religion. They reveal a totally different religion that did not inspire the majority of it's readers. These books went out of circulation long before Christianity was legal. There was no power structure in place, only the plain sense of average people who said, "What?" when they read these and "Wow!" when they read the first four gospels, written more than 100 years earlier. I'm glad to finally be able to see for myself that all the hoopla is just that. This version is readable and accurate.
Offers differing points of view of early Christianity........2006-02-28
I never believed the garbage put out by the Catholic Church that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. I never understood why women were so beaten down since there were at least 7 women disciples who accompanied the 12 apostles. This book and the Gospel of Mary puts things in perspective. Remember, history is written by the winners. There was no Council of Nicea or New Testament during the early days of Christianity. There were many growing pains and these books help one understand that. Peter was not unlike many men of his time, who believed women were not worth anything, just part of men's possessions.
Product Description
`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.
Customer Reviews:
Had History really been tampered with? Summing it up! .......2007-10-23
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3A80YKC8W7UEE New Chronology is a theory validated by astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient manuscripts that asserts: that Antiquity and Dark Ages are phantoms invented in the 16th 18th centuries. Human civilization is barely 1000 years old!
New Chronology complies with the most rigid scientific standards:
- It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know;
- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion;
- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically;
New Chronology goes by the following basic axioms:
- Chronology is the basis of history;
- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;
- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history are fantasy and hoax;
- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;
- The closer in time is a given manuscript to the events described the less distortions it contains;
- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.
Fomenko asserts: There was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by over two centuries of yoke and slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a trilingual state with Arabic and Turkic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that official Russian history is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scholars brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs. Their ascension to the throne was the result of conspiracy, so they charged these imported historians with the mission of making Romanov's reign look legitimate.
Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate Godunov rulers and the ambitious Romanov upstarts.
As Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, he successfully removes a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one: the Ancient Rome: the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the 14th century A. D., the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece.
The Ancient Egypt: the pyramids of Giza become dated to the 11th to 14th century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less. The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the 11th to 15th century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone, like enormous Dendera horoscope that hangs in main entrance to the Louvre museum in Paris.
He was the first one to decipher and date unambiguously all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case.
English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the book "History: Fiction or Science?" portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.
Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such ancient history. Period. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the 17th 18th century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them otherwise.
Islam with all its key figures appears as late as 15th-16th century A. D. as a branch of proto-Christianity. This is amply illustrated by imagery of Prophet Mahomet, archangel Gabriel, Heaven and Hell of this period. In today's Islam all imagery of the things living is taboo.
Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th 17th century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a proto Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian!) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.
The history of religions according to Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the 11th century and Jesus Christ ), Bacchic Christianity (11th to 12th century, before and after Jesus Christ), Jesus Christ Christianity (12th to 14th century) and its subsequent mutations (15th to 17th) into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on..
Saint Augustine was quite prescient when he said: "be wary of mathematicians,.. particularly when they speak the truth."
Henry Ford once said: "History is more or less bunk!"
Prominent mathematician Anatoly Fomenko not only proved it for a fact, but as true scientist tried to upgrade it into a rocket science.
This book will change your perception of History forever!
What if Ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt were invented during Renaissance?
What if The Old Testament was a rendition of events of the Middle Ages?
What if Jesus Christ was born in 1053 and crucified in 1086 AD?
Sounds Unbelievable?
Not after you've read "History: Fiction or Science?" by Anatoly Fomenko, the genius mathematician.
Armed with astronomy and computers Anatoly Fomenko turns History into a rocket science.
Check and see.......2007-06-21
I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.
Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22
Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.
Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05
We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:
a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;
b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;
c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.
Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:
It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.
- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.
- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.
Fomenko goes by the following axioms:
- Chronology is the basis of history;
- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;
- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;
- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;
- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;
- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.
Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?
The Russians:
Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.
The Westerners:
Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.
The Chinese:
Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.
The Arabs:
Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.
The Divinity:
Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.
According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.
St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."
Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09
After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.
However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:
- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.
I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.
The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.
It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?
Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.
Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).
Book Description
Of all the "lost" gospels of the early Christian Bible, the Gospel of St. Thomas is the most well known. According to Tau Malachi, each verse of this Holy Scripture is like an "endless well of Wisdom." Drawing upon the Holy Kabbalah, contemporary Christian thought, and wisdom of the gnostic tradition, Malachi guides the reader into a true gnostic experience-a first-hand and completely unique exploration of the sacred secrets and spiritual insights in this important gnostic text.
Both intuitive and interactive, the gnostic approach to faith is a sacred quest for greater knowledge, understanding, and wisdom-a deeper penetration of the Mystery. This path leads to a higher degree of the enlightenment experience or gnosis. The Gnostic Gospel of St. Thomas reveals how the reader can use each verse in this scripture as a source of daily contemplation and spiritual growth, while exploring the secrets of resurrection and ascension, the true role of St. Mary Magdalene in the early church, and other mystical and magical teachings.
Customer Reviews:
The Real Jesus?.......2006-01-25
One of the Nag Hammadi manuscripts, the Gospel of St. Thomas is non-canonical gospel. In this gospel, Jesus is a mystical teacher--never as a savior. No miracles here, just an emphasis on his words as teaching. It professes the achievement of enlightenment through realization of self, a most Eastern twist on things. The text itself is mainly in the form of, "Jesus said xxx." Interestingly enough, very much like the set of "Confucius Said"'s from the Analects. It is generally rejected by mainstream Christians but it is a most interesting read for sure. This particular copy that I read has commentary and expansion on each of the versus of the gospel. I would give it four stars.
Real Gnostics Among Us?.......2004-06-25
Wow!
There is something about this book that is saying far more than the scholars and modern academia is saying. Not only is it stylistically more interesting to read, it's practically and directly spiritual!
I'd been looking for a way to find SPIRITUALITY in the West, rather than stale dogmas, and real methods to feel connected with God, Divine Spirit, or whatever you want to call it in a practical and meaningful way. This book addresses those needs quite directly, unlike the scholars writing about Gnosticism who, at best, address those issues indirectly. I used to look up to the Eastern systems of metaphysics because they had a rich tradition of meditation and spiritual contemplation that I always felt I needed, but couldn't really connect with. But this author is coming to show me that such a spiritual richness and depth may also exist in the West!
The best part about the book is its practical use! The chapters are direct responses to each line of the Gospel of St. Thomas. There is a contemplation following each of St. Thomas' 114 sayings. This allows me to read in order, out of order, re-read sections in a nice, relaxing way as it fits into my busy schedule. Plus, each contemplation is good spiritual food for thought, so that I can read a contemplation, look back on Thomas' line and contemplate it myself to glean a little more on my own. It's the perfect book for anyone that has been looking for something more directly spiritual about Gnosticism, and more practically useful as good, solid food for one's truly spiritual considerations.
Truth in simplicity.......2004-06-22
The Truth spoken in the Gospel of Thomas has many subtle layers. Tau Malachi takes these subtle sayings and peels them open enabling one to more penetrate the Mysteries. The method and approach Tau Malachi takes is complex in it's simplicity. In his writing style he draws from the unspeakable and grounds it making the subtle Truth speakable. I'am very grateful that finally a book that goes into the depth of Christian Gnosticism exists! Thank You Tau Malachi!!
Deepen your Spirituality.......2004-06-21
As author Tau malachi exclaims, "There is a need for a new gospel, a gospel of the Cosmic Christ-one that restores the mystical and magical elements to Christianity..." In the Gnostic Gospel of St. Thomas, Tau Malachi inspires us to look with new eyes, hear with new ears and open our hearts and minds to experience a living gnosis born from the Holy Spirit within. Whether your new to Gnostic Christianity or a fellow seeker of the Mysteries, this book will open new vistas that will deepen your Spirituality and understanding of Gnostic Christianity.
Gnostic Gospel fo St. Thomas: Meditations.......2004-06-21
At last! While there is so much gratitude we owe to scholars who've made available English translations of Gnostic texts, I find their academic commentaries often reach only so far. Even more gratitude is owed to Tau Malachi for picking up where such academics leave off, guiding in a meditative and introspective voice that opens up the reader to spectacular vistas within the Gospel of St. Thomas. As a devout Christian who once had issues with there being any other scripture than my Old and New Testament, I've become not only intrigued by the bigger questions and contemplations Tau Malachi gently weaves around these 114 sayings, I'm surprised by how much benefit for my faith the Gnostic messages in this book have inspired!
Book Description
The birth of the Christian Church—and what it means for modern religion and philosophy.
This engaging guide presents an accessible overview of the birth of the Christian church, using the historical works found at the famous Nag Hammadi site in Egypt. With chapters discussing each of the major and minor documents found at Nag Hammadi, this volume also includes an overview of Gnosticism and the major players, revealing not only what the texts say, but also what they mean.
-Renewed interest in Gnosticism and the Gnostic gospels is driven by interest in the Nag Hammadi documents, The DaVinci Code, the Matrix movies, the Kabbalah, renewed interest in the divine feminine ideal, and the fact that many who've left the Church are looking for new answers in the early church
-Author is a scholar and expert who's studied with some of the top people in the field
Customer Reviews:
Excellent survey of the Gnostic texts .......2007-04-09
In addition to details on individual Nag Hammadi texts as well as some other Gnostic texts, Matkin presents keys players within early Chistianity on the orthodox and on the gnostic side. He also discusses those early times, later gnostic movements, and modern interests in gnosticism.
The book is nicely chunked: twenty chapters each divided into sections and subsections that makes it easy to finish one piece, put the book down, and return to it later so as not to be overwhelmed by all the complex mythologies of the Gnostics.
Matkin steers a middle road, neither a proponent of Gnosticism nor eager to dismiss it. While acknowledging Elaine Pagel's contribution to making the early Gnostics accessible, he doesn't refrain from criticizing her. While open to what made the Gnostics tick, he presents critics. For example, he he includes the comment of Frederica Mathewes-Green, an Eastern Orthodox writer, that Gnostic schemes to directly experience God were "so wacky".
The one real problem I face after reading this book is that it leaves me with no excuse not to read the Nag Hammadi texts again themselves ( The Nag Hammadi Library ) which, without Matkin's guidance, may overwhelm me, as they did the first time I read them. Even the second time I read them (in 2005), I can see now I missed a lot due to less preparation. I am rereading Matkin's summary of each Nag Hammadi text as I read the texts themselves. Along with other background reading in Gnosticism, Matkin has prepared me for what I hope to be a really inspiring reading of the Nag Hammadi Library. So I am grateful to Matkin for his efforts and delivery.
Good for understanding.......2006-03-18
If you are looking for a great book to understand the who what when where and why about these gospels, this is a good book for you. If you're needing a Cliffsnotes version of what goes on in the books and what they could be alluding to, this is NOT the book for you. But, I found the research good, intelligent and at times, humorous. This is a great read if you are curious about the gnostic gospels and want to know more, in a general sense, about what the gnostics were all about.
The Irony Is Many Of The Gnostic Works Were Not Written For A Wide Audience.......2005-11-19
I like to make up my own mind about things, and I knew early on in my life I'd one day read the so-called "Gnostic Gospels". What fanned the fires of my curiosity were all the occasions as I was growing up when my teachers in religious school would tell us there was "nothing of any value" in those books, and that was why the Church excluded them from its canon. So, naturally, I gravitated toward this pseudo-forbidden reading list.
The Gnostic Gospels tell stories that are at once familiar to those modern individuals who have some background in the books included in the Bible, but there is also a lot that represents challenges to the supposed accepted version of Biblical events. After poking around over the years in the subject of the Gnostic writings, I found little of deep interest there and moved on to other areas. When I happened across this Idiot's Guide to the topic, I pounced on it and found it to be a fine overview that could teach almost anyone about these writings that date to some of the earliest decades of Christianity.
Are the Gnostic Gospels valid? If the question is "are they authentic?" then the answer would be yes. They are writings from antiquity. They contain many of the same figures from Sunday School classes and offer plenty of good-natured parables and anecdotes, histories and grains of hard-won wisdom. They, do, however, at times offer claims that stand in direct contradiction to much of what is taught as ecclesiastical truth in nearly all present-day branches of the Christian faith. Who is right? Who knows. Is that even really important?
I found this Guide to be colloquial, authored by contributors with solid knowledge of the field, and it informed me about probably all I need to know regarding this subject, whether or not I ever again go on to read the actual Gnostic works.
Informative Overview of Gnosticism.......2005-10-01
If you are interested in Gnosticism you are probably not an idiot; with that said, idiots (and the rest of us) will find this book to be a detailed overview of the origins, texts, and views of the present-day and old-world Gnostics. As with all Idiot's Guides, the information in this book is very well presented for readers of any age or background. The author's wording makes the text easy to read and, most importantly, easy to comprehend.
J. Michael Matkin, the author, does not just give a one sided view of Gnosticism. Rather he provides distinct differences in viewpoints along with research to help the reader make his or her own decision.
This book is an admirable accomplishment. Many existing books on Gnosticism use an almost "Shakespearean" tone that leaves much interpretation to the reader. This is highly recommended for those readers who don't want to have to stop and contemplate each sentence.
Chapters:
(1) Why Read the Gnostic Gospels? - The Gnostics deserve a hearing. In this chapter, reasons why we should take the time to examine the Gnostic teachings.
(2) Are You in the Know? - A fast and furious overview of the general Gnostic beliefs. The Gnostic fascination with the cause of pain, suffering, and evil in the world. A look at what they thought would solve it all.
(3) Fighting for the Right - What we know about the Gnostics primarily comes from the writings of their enemies. An introduction to the principal orthodox Christian writers of the second and third centuries.
(4) The Gnostic Lineup - Who where the Gnostic teachers? A brief biography of Simon the Magician, Basilides, Valentinus, and Marcion.
(5) Death and Resurrection - Gnosticism receded after the third century, but continued to exist in many forms. Throughout Western history there have been occasional revivals of Gnostic thought. The discovery of new Gnostic writings, especially the groundbreaking find at Nag Hammadi.
(6) The Gospel of Thomas - An introduction to the most famous and infamous of the Gnostic Gospels. Meet the Apostle Thomas and his missionary whirlwind tour through Syria, Persia, and India. The big question: is it really Gnostic?
(7) The Gospel of Mary - A look at the only gospel named for a woman. Who was Mary of Magdala?
(8) The Gospel of the Egyptians - The first of many speculative histories written by the Gnostics. This one is a preparation for baptism.
(9) The Gospel of Truth - This one may have been written by Valentinus himself. We'll see a master Gnostic teacher in action.
(10) The Gospel of Philip - More of a collection of quotations than a narrative. It gives us a Gnostic reimagining of the process of intimidation.
(11) The Revelations of the Apostles - Experiences of the Divine were very important to the Gnostics. These texts are all revelations supposedly received by certain apostles.
(12) Acts and Letters - A hodge-podge of texts supposedly written by or about certain apostles. Also, the strange discovery of another version of the Gospel of Mark.
(13) The Beginning of the End - A series of Gnostic myths about how we got here and where we are going.
(14) The Divine Feminine - Gnostic writings demonstrate an esteem for the feminine side of the Divine. These texts all demonstrate the female void in Gnostic spirituality.
(15) The Sethite Literature - Books starting a little-known character from the Hebrew Bible. Seth the son of Adam becomes the father of an immortal race of people. Gnostics saw themselves as members of that race.
(16) The Soul's Journey - Texts regarding the individual spiritual journey. A focus on ethical teaching, and a speculative take on resurrection.
(17) Prayers, Liturgies, and Initiations - Gnostics at prayer. Worship life in a Gnostic community, evidenced by this group of texts.
(18) Speaking to the Church - Gnostics remained within the larger Christian community for some time. How did they cope? A selection of works showing the many ways that Gnostics persuaded or sparred with their fellow Christians.
(19) Gnu Gnostics - Where are we at today? The revival of interest in the Gnostics and their writings. Its impact on pop culture and on the church.
(20) New Stories, Old Stories - the Gnostic Gospels continue to fascinate us and provoke us to question. A look at some of the speculative literature, including Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code," based on the new Gnostic discoveries.
Book Description
In 1945 several secret gospels, hidden since the first century, were discovered in the Egyptian Desert at Nag Hammadi. They caused a sensation in the religious world as they revealed the mysteries of Gnostic Christianity. The gospels selected for this volume reveal intimate conversations between Jesus and his disciples and shed new light on his relationship with Mary Magdalene. The Gospel of Thomas, also included, consists of symbolic mini-parables, many of which are not in the New Testament.
Customer Reviews:
Content/ Packaging.......2007-06-11
Been wanting this material for nearly 20 years and in this form it is the more easily picked up and put down as time allows. Excellent edition and extremely well-packed.
Book Description
Who were the Gnostics? Were they heretics, or were they ancient visionaries who possessed the keys to the deepest secrets of Christianity? Where did they come from? Did they leave any descendants? Why were they suppressed by the early Church? And why do their ideas keep reappearing throughout history? Forbidden Faith is the first comprehensive popular history of Gnosticism, a secretive tradition that has survived for centuries in many forms and under many names.
Richard Smoley, an expert in esoteric Christianity, traces the Gnostic legacy from its ancient roots in the Gospel of Thomas, discovered in Egypt; early second-century Gnostic communities of the Roman Empire; and the Manichaeans of Central Asia. He tracks how the Gnostic impulse was publicly repressed but survived underground in various forms of Christianity, surfacing again in the Middle Ages with the Cathars, a mysterious group of heretics who inspired the medieval tradition of courtly love but were then wiped out by the Inquisition. Since then, Smoley reveals, the Gnostic legacy has survived into the modern era with the help of Jewish Kabbalists, the Freemasonry of our founding fathers, the poetry of William Blake, the intuitive insights of nineteenth-century American Theosophists, and the psychological works of Carl Jung. Finally, we learn how some of the key teachings of the Gnostics are being revived today in serious nonfiction such as the criticism of Harold Bloom, in the science fiction of Philip K. Dick, as well as in popular Hollywood films like The Matrix and The Da Vinci Code.
Why should Gnosticism exercise such a peculiar and lasting fascination? Throughout most of Christian history, Gnosticism was the "forbidden faith," and such condemnation by the official Church might actually have served to endow the movement with glamour. But that explanation goes only so far. For the Gnostics to have such lasting appeal, it seems logical that they must offer solutions to some problems, solutions overlooked by mainstream religion. Forbidden Faith provides the enduring story and continuing legacy of those errant faithful who have had direct experiences of the divine that can't be explained by the official beliefs of the Church.
Customer Reviews:
Quiet Faith, Hidden Truth.......2007-08-08
I came across this book during the course of my usual duties as a bookstore employee. I had seen books on the topic before but never had I been struck by any of them (at least not strongly). I had just finished reading the extended newer edition of 'The Essential Rumi' by Coleman Barks (I had read the previous publishing twice) and his recommendation on the back of this book sold me. I looked into Richard Smoley's past works, checked the amazon reviews, and came back to purchase it the next day (as well as perform the neccessary duties assigned to me during my working hours). This book introduced me to many mystical movements, inspired individuals, and small divisions of the christian church that I had no foreknowledge of . Most of my background has been in eastern religions; the strongest focus being on the poetry and writings of the sufis of Islam. This book was a great introduction to the esoteric traditions that stemmed from multiple interpretations of the teachings of christ. Most important to me was that this book reflected many concepts I had been wrestling with in my head for some time. This book presents a lot of information in a quick and understandable format and for the person who is interested in the evolution of mystical thought (not to mention the commonalities shared by the diverse spiritual movements of the world), this would be a great addition to one's library. My interest does not lie in New Age interpretations of historical texts and if you're like me, this will not dissappoint. Very well written and does not stray into fantastic personal interpretations of history. Presents possibilities, commonalities, historical fact, and to some's dismay, does not hold The Da Vinci Code in high regard (thank Jehovah, suckers).
Another gem from Richard Smoley.......2007-07-23
Having read Smoley's previous books and the magazine (Gnosis) he edited for many years, I was pleased to see him take up the history of Gnosticism. His background in philosophy and religion and his fluid, accessible style of presenting complicated material make this book a great intro to the subject.
Get over yourself!.......2007-06-28
Richard Smoley's greatest gift to the reader is his historic rendering of Man's eternal struggle in search of a spiritual Self, one in touch with special knowledge, the "thought of God."
We are introduced to myriad, varied concepts of God-ness, from an Absolute Good, to an eternal Janus-like Duo of the Good and the Evil; to a God who must not be soiled by contact with his physical creations and therefore creates and enlists lesser gods, demiurges, to execute such chores, putting layers of separation increasingly between the Ultimate and the creation. At the bottom of this cosmological barrel is physical Man seeking spiritual perfection through an endless maze of filters.
Oversimplified, Gnosis is seen as a vilification of the body, a prison in which we struggle for the Self. Smoley, addressing the ego quotes from "A Course in Miracles" (Helen Shucman, 1975):
"Into eternity, where all is one, there crept a tiny,
mad idea, at which the Son of God forgot to laugh."
We are introduced to thinkers and quacks, saints and lunatics, historic and virtual: Thomas, Hermes Trimegistus, Zoroaster, Descartes, Philip K. Dick, Ram Das, Plato, Neo and Agent Smith, the Da Vinci Code, the quantum physics of the human experience, even Saddam Hussein. We hear the words of William Butler Yeats calling the human spirit one "fastened to a dying animal;" and the author's own observation. "Human beings are creatures that are capable of viewing the body as an 'other.'" Does this "other" seek an immortal imaginary friend in the likes of Jesus?
From all the struggle and neuroses and the "spiritual wickedness in high places," we are nonetheless provided a recipe for hope, its key ingredient being "loss of preoccupation." How to live in this world is to overlook it.
Early on, it may be Thomas, who provides an early, sane glimmer of hope. For my own purposes, I've distilled his take as, "Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff."
Faith, Reason & Gnosis.......2007-02-25
What a great book! Gnosticism can be difficult to understand but Mr. Smoley makes it very easy to read and comprehend the Legacy. Richard Smolely did an excellent job of researching the tenets of Gnosis throughout "known" history. It got a little boring and it was a stretch during the Medeival Church era but it was worth it to find out where he was going with it at the end of the book.
For example he analyzes the movie "The Matrix". It really is not a Gnostic movie. I never considered this but when "Thomas" Anderson discovers he is not in the real world, their reality is "worse" than the Matrix. This is NOT Gnosticism. What is Gnostic is what follows: "The only character who expresses anything close to true Gnosticism is, ironically, Agent Smith----the truly disembodied mind who is forced to take on physical form and interact in the simulated physical world within the Matrix. As he says to Morpheus: 'I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it.' He is desperate to return to a pure state of disembodied existence, just as any true Gnostic would. Yet he is the embodiment of the enemy."
And then he further gathers the following from Meister Echardt "I put detachment higher than love." For Echart, it is detachment from the world and its experiences that leads on toward God. "Experience must always be an experience of something, but detachment comes so close to zero that nothing but God is rarefied enough to get into it, to enter the detached heart." This statement is practically a one sentence summary of the path of Gnosis.........
This is exactly what happens during meditation if done correctly....when one looks......inward!
This book is loaded with "Secret Knowledge" or Gnosis!
Richard Smoley is clearly a Gnostic Scholar. I shall keep this book in my library for future reference.
Jesus said "Become of Passers-by".......Gospel of "Thomas" (Nag Hammadi Library).
A history of the Gnostics.......2007-01-15
Buy this book if you would like to read a study of the entire history of the Gnositcs from what Jesus said in the biblical gospels all the way up to what the Da Vinci code had to say about Dan Brown's theories of Gnosticism. The authors covers all bases in between he discusses the Egyptian roots of Gnosticism, the Cathars, the sages of the renaissance, Rosicrucianism, and the Knights Templar. The book explains how Gnosticism changed up to the current time with most of the myth and symbolism being dropped in favor of a more psychological approach through archetypes and symbolism. This journey will take you through the thougts of Boehm, Blake, Phillip Dick and many others. At the end of the book high explains Gnostic theology and what the future may hold for reason, faith, and gnosis. If you are interested, buy this book-
Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas
Holy Blood, Holy Grail
The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans, and Heretics
