PCS 510 Introducing Nag Hammadi and Related Texts
About the Course
Introducing Nag Hammadi and Related Texts, delves into some remarkable ancient Christian texts that were discovered relatively recently in the twentieth century. An extremely important discovery, made near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, the Nag Hammadi collection includes 52 books, and 40 of them were a complete surprise to modern scholars! Nobody knows why they were lost for 1600 years, but these new-old documents expand our knowledge of Jesus and his early followers. In fact, although they expose some prevalent misperceptions about early Jesus followers, the real roots of Christianity, the innovation and insights contained in these documents are quite inspiring. The course specifically focuses on some of the more famous discoveries, such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary, as well as a few lesser-known works.
You will learn:
When and where these ancient texts were discovered
The surprising messages from the selected texts
Why controversy swirls around some extracanonical writings
What impact will these writings have on your life and faith? How do they change your understanding of Christian origins? It’s up to you to decide!
What to expect:
The course is divided into six sections, each section containing four lectures. You can watch the recordings at your convenience and enjoy continuing access to it. The full course includes nearly three hours of recorded instruction.
Online weekly discussions start Wednesday, January 14, 7:00 pm Eastern (6 Central, 5 Mountain, 4 Pacific). We meet every other week (with one exception): Jan 14, Jan 28, Feb 11, Feb 18, Mar 4, Mar 18.
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Shirley Paulson, PhD
Shirley Paulson, PhD is the founder and principal producer of Early Christian Texts: The Bible and Beyond. This website features her online teaching, blog, Zoom discussions, and podcasts highlighting the work of other scholars. Shirley’s academic work focuses on early Christian writings, especially those relating to healing practices and theology. Her book is Illuminating the Secret Revelation of John: Catching the Light,(Cascade Books, 2022), and she contributed to a chapter in Westar’s After Jesus Before Christianity (HarperOne 2021). She currently serves on the Westar Institute’s Board of Directors and writes for its Fourth R magazine. Prior to this work, Shirley served as the first Head of Ecumenical Affairs for the global headquarters of the Christian Science Church and served on the Board of the North American Academy of Ecumenists.
Example Curriculum
- Lecture 1: What the Bible Tells Us about Mary Magdalene (6:52)
- Lecture 2: Learning about Mary Outside the Bible (7:27)
- Lecture 3: What the Gospel of Mary Tells us about Mary Magdalene (6:57)
- Lecture 4: Each Text about Mary has a Special Purpose (7:27)
- Your Thoughts Related to Section 1
- Recording of Section 1 Discussion
- Lecture 5: How is the Gospel of Thomas Like the Bible? (2:10)
- Lecture 6: The Unique Message of the Gospel of Thomas (10:42)
- Lecture 7: Why is the Gospel of Thomas Not in the Bible? (13:28)
- Lecture 8: Why a Canon? And Why So Late? (7:04)
- Your Thoughts Related to Section 2
- Recording of Section 2 Discussion
- Lecture 9: The Bible Tells Us Relatively Little About the Disciples of Jesus (8:20)
- Lecture 10: What About the Disciples After the Bible? (6:52)
- Lecture 11: Apocryphal Writings Explain the Christian Church (6:58)
- Lecture 12: Apostles in the Nag Hammadi Books (7:21)
- Your Thoughts Related to Section 3
- Recording of Section 3 Discussion
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