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Episodes
- S1 E1 - The Influence of ApocryphaMarch 30, 201733minThe term "apocrypha" comes from the Greek and means "hidden" or "secret." The apocryphal writings of early Christians have a reputation for being heretical because they are not part of the New Testament's 27 canonical books. But as you will learn in this first lecture, these early Christian writings have contributed greatly to Christian culture and doctrine. #Music, Philosophy & ReligionFree trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E2 - Jesus and Mary in the Proto-Gospel of JamesMarch 30, 201728minBegin your foray into the early Christian apocrypha with an extended reflection on the Virgin Mary. You may think you know her from the New Testament gospels, but you might be surprised to find out that much of her life's story actually comes from the Proto-Gospel of James, which fills in many of the gaps from the canonical gospels.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E3 - Young Jesus in the Infancy Gospel of ThomasMarch 30, 201730minThe Infancy Gospel of Thomas is considered a bizarre book, offering what some see as troubling insight into the childhood of Jesus, portraying him as both amazingly divine but also troublingly human. Delve into some of the scholarly debates around this book and find out why it was so popular in the Middle Ages.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E4 - Joseph and the Magi in the ApocryphaMarch 30, 201730minThe New Testament gospels leave many questions on the table: Why was Mary a virgin if she was married to Joseph? How did Joseph feel about his wife bearing the child of the Lord? In this lecture, see how many early Christian apocryphal works humanize Joseph and resolve some of the questions - and contradictions - of the New Testament.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E5 - The Apocrypha and the Cult of MaryMarch 30, 201732minWhile Mary is present in the canonical gospels, it's really in the early Christian apocrypha that she becomes the leader among the saints. Explore several key texts to uncover what we know about Jesus' mother, her relationship with the disciples, and what makes her unique among New Testament figures. Better understand her special place in Christianity today.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E6 - Lost Gospels and FragmentsMarch 30, 201732minNot all apocryphal works have survived, and many of the ones we have today exist only as fragments. Survey several important fragments and lost gospels - how we discovered them and what they say - to gain a fascinating glimpse of early Christian beliefs and controversies that we would not know about otherwise.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E7 - Sayings of Jesus from the Gospel of ThomasMarch 30, 201732minThe Gospel of Thomas is the most famous - even infamous - apocryphal gospel, suppressed by the Church for its supposed heresy. As you'll find out in this lecture, the gospel compiles the sayings of Jesus and is modeled on the wisdom books from the Old Testament. This "living Jesus" provides a radically different angle on the meaning of Jesus' life and teachings.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E8 - Jesus's Statements beyond the GospelsMarch 30, 201731minNot all of Jesus' words come directly from the canonical gospels. These words - known as "agrapha" - come from numerous sources: books of the New Testament other than the gospels, the works of early Christian authors such as Origen, and alternative manuscripts of the New Testament gospels. Examine several of these sources to gain new insights into Jesus.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E9 - Conversations with the Living JesusMarch 30, 201730minThe gospel writers recorded much of Jesus' life, but they also acknowledged that they didn't record everything. Much of what he said is recorded in so-called "dialogic gospels," accounts of Jesus in lengthy conversations with one or more of his disciples. Study three of these unique works and gain new theological insight into Christianity.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E10 - The Gospel of Judas's Gnostic VisionMarch 30, 201732minJudas Iscariot is one of the most infamous figures in the Christian Bible, but the Gospel of Judas gives us a new perspective on this traitorous disciple. In this lecture, Professor Brakke introduces you to Gnosticism and shows how, in this gospel, Judas' betrayal of Jesus points to a greater truth about divinity and the material reality of the world.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E11 - The Gospel of Peter and the Talking CrossMarch 30, 201732minJesus designated Peter as the founder of the Church, which arguably makes him one of Christianity's most important disciples. The Gospel of Peter, however, adds some complexity to Peter's story - and it reframes the story of the Crucifixion to help make Christianity more compatible with the politics of the Roman Empire.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E12 - The Apocrypha and Pilate's SanctificationMarch 30, 201733minIn the early centuries, Christianity became a Roman religion, which created awkwardness given that the Roman Pontius Pilate crucified Jesus. Find out how certain apocryphal texts - including the Gospel of Nicodemus, also known as the Acts of Pilate - dealt with this problem by recasting Pilate as a sympathetic figure and, ultimately, a Christian saint.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E13 - Dialogues with the Risen JesusMarch 30, 201734minThe New Testament tells us Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to the apostles before ascending into heaven. While the canonical gospels left Jesus' words a mystery, many apocryphal writers filled in the gaps. Examine several of these dialogic gospels to learn what Jesus told his followers after the resurrection.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E14 - Hope and Adventure in the Acts of JohnMarch 30, 201733minMany of the apocryphal gospels were essentially novels written during the early Christian era, and they were filled with adventurous tales of shipwrecks, necrophilia, self-mutilation, and other wild stories. Dive into the Acts of John to consider this fascinating genre of literature and what it offered audiences of the time - as well as historians today.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E15 - Social Disruption in the Acts of PaulMarch 30, 201733minHistorians agree that this fragmentary work presents us a largely invented character, yet the Acts of Paul also gives us a remarkable challenge to the basic structure of Roman society - the household, the city, the empire, and even the Church. Examine this subversive book and discover a version Christianity that completely upends the reigning social order.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E16 - Thecla: Independent Woman of the ApocryphaMarch 30, 201731minContinue your study of the Acts of Paul and turn to his disciple, Thecla, who is one of the most interesting women in early Christian writing. Although she likely did not exist in real life, she represents many women who did, and her story gives us a powerful look at the role of women in early Christian society.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E17 - Miracles and Magic in the Acts of PeterMarch 30, 201731minAs you have seen, Peter may have been the first leader of the Church, but he was a flawed leader. The fragmentary Acts of Peter builds on his story from the canonical gospels and shows us a fascinating, if somewhat troubling, figure. Learn more about Peter and his miracles, and find out why he was crucified upside down.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E18 - Peter versus Paul in the Pseudo-ClementinesMarch 30, 201731minEach of the surviving apocryphal acts of the apostles make one apostle its hero, but they don't disparage the other apostles. However, the Pseudo-Clementine texts present a dramatic fight surrounding the early Church. This theological mess may pose a problem for historians, but it is nonetheless an important piece of early Christian literature.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E19 - The Acts of Thomas and the Mission to IndiaMarch 30, 201730minHow did Christianity get to India? Did Thomas really travel across the Middle East and preach the gospel in South Asia? Historians debate these questions and more, but regardless of the literal truth, the Acts of Thomas provides spiritual guidance about humanity's place in the world and challenges us to liberate ourselves.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E20 - Spiritual Love in the Acts of AndrewMarch 30, 201731minWhile it was not the most profound of early Christian writings, the Acts of Andrew contains some of the strangest stories in all of early Christian literature, including tales of cannibals, myriad seductions, jilted husbands, and a human-killing giant serpent. Learn about some of these exciting stories, consider the book's genre, and reflect on the role of women.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E21 - Forged Letters of Jesus and the ApostlesMarch 30, 201731minThe letter is one of the most important forms of Christian communication, from the New Testament letters of Paul through today's Papal addresses. In the early Christian world, apocryphal letters abounded, many of them forged. Examine the content of some of these letters, including ones purportedly written by Jesus.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E22 - Revelations That Didn’t Make the BibleMarch 30, 201730minThe New Testament Book of Revelation is not the only apocalypse narrative from the first centuries of the Common Era. In this lecture, you'll explore the content and theology of several other Christian apocalypses and consider why the Revelation to John made it into the canon while the many other apocalypses did not.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E23 - Tours of Hell before DanteMarch 30, 201730minYou might be surprised to learn the canonical New Testament does not present a single consistent picture of the afterlife in general or hell in particular, yet visions of damnation exist in much of the early Christian apocrypha, including the Apocalypses of Peter and Paul. Take a tour of hell through several of these works and review their continued influence.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
- S1 E24 - Apocrypha after the New TestamentMarch 30, 201733minAlthough the New Testament was codified in the fourth century, apocryphal books continued to be written into the Middle Ages. Round out the course by surveying the later Christian apocrypha and witness the way the creative flourishing of Biblical writing continued through the Middle Ages and even into the present.Free trial of The Great Courses Signature Collection or buy
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- Audio languages
- English
- Subtitles
- English [CC]
- Producers
- The Great Courses
- Cast
- David Brakke
- Studio
- The Great Courses
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