With the release of a National Geographic report, the "Gospel of Judas" is making headlines (see NPR and the NY Times, for example). And so begins (again) the gasps, accusations of cover-ups and declarations of an end to faith. Like this headline: Gospel of Judas casts doubt on traditional beliefs. Or this in an Associated Press report at FoxNews:
Others have done a better job than I ever could of setting the record straight, so I’m sourcing you outward on this one. Why the 'Lost Gospels' Lost Out is a good starting point. It gives a background not only on why the four gospels in the Bible actually have a good reason to be there but also why the Gnostic gospels (to which Judas belongs) don’t. It also lists some good links at the bottom of the page. Web sites like Probe Ministries and CARM are also good resources. Books like Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ or Josh McDowell’s work are good places to go for in-depth explorations.
Take some time to look into this. There is no secret or threatening revelation here. It is old news, folks. Very old news.
There were several gospels in circulation at the time in addition to the four in the Bible. When those gospels were denounced, it was thought that believers hid them away.Or this from the NY Times:
Sigh.The discoveries of Gnostic texts have shaken up Biblical scholarship by revealing the diversity of beliefs and practices among early followers of Jesus. . . . As the findings have trickled down to churches and universities, they have produced a new generation of Christians who now regard the Bible not as the literal word of God, but as a product of historical and political forces that determined which texts should be included in the canon, and which edited out.
For that reason, the discoveries have proved deeply troubling for many believers.
Others have done a better job than I ever could of setting the record straight, so I’m sourcing you outward on this one. Why the 'Lost Gospels' Lost Out is a good starting point. It gives a background not only on why the four gospels in the Bible actually have a good reason to be there but also why the Gnostic gospels (to which Judas belongs) don’t. It also lists some good links at the bottom of the page. Web sites like Probe Ministries and CARM are also good resources. Books like Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ or Josh McDowell’s work are good places to go for in-depth explorations.
Take some time to look into this. There is no secret or threatening revelation here. It is old news, folks. Very old news.