The Original Gospel of Thomas in Translation - (Library of New Testament Studies) by April D Deconick (Hardcover)

About the Book

Examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the second century CE and places early Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. This book provides an English translation of the Gospel of Thomas, which includes the original 'kernel' of the Gospel and the sayings.

Book Synopsis

This title provides the first comprehensive analysis of the stages of development of the Gospel of Thomas, including a reconstruction, translation, and analysis of the 'original' form of this gospel, the Kernel Gospel of Thomas, as well as the later accretions.

The author develops a complete analysis of the origin and meaning of Gospel of Thomas as it developed through various oral and literary compositional 'stages, ' from the earliest apocalyptic Kernel Gospel from Jerusalem (30-50 C.E.) to its final form as an early Christian mystical Gospel with Alexandrian affinities (90 C.E.).

Review Quotes

""The commentary, the bulk of the book, is itself very good. Each section, whether a few lines or a few paragraphs, begins with the authors own translation of the Coptic text...The clearly organized and (graphically) well-laid-out sections help the reader move efficiently to points of interest...Opposing viewpoints are given fair space, responses are made, and conclusions are drawn. Fresh insights regarding translational, interpretive, or text-critical issues are not uncommon...when it comes to writing a critical commentary on Thomas, one cannot hope to master it all. Deconick's book is worth having on the shelf because she comes as close as does anybody." -Nicholas Perrin, Bulletin for Biblical Research, 18." --Nicholas Perrin

"There is a wealth of information in this volume and the standard formatting makes it readily accessible. This is a very helpful discussion which will undoubtedly generate much focused and fruitful investigation of this enigmatic text." --Paul Foster, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, Expository Times

"'DeConick's approach is an instance of a relatively new paradigm for assessing intertextual relationships that might help scholars avoid some "dead ends" into which a purely literary paradigm sometimes leads... Her large-scale study of the Gospel of Thomas addresses some very important questions, and it is a particular pleasure to see her interpreting the Gospel of Thomas without the label "gnostic." This commentary on the Gospel of Thomas is a valuable tool with many important observations and easy access to related source material and scholarly discussion. Thus, apart from its standing as a scholarly study, it provides a most convenient starting point for further studies on the Gospel of Thomas. One need not agree with all of DeConick's conclusions, but even a more critical reader will be happy to consult this rich yet concise commentary' Stephan Witetschek, University of Cambridge, UK in RBL 05/2008" --John Painter, Review of Biblical Literature

About the Author

April D. DeConick is the Isla Carroll and Percy E. Turner Professor of Biblical Studies in the Department of Religious Studies at Rice University (Houston, Texas). She specializes in early Christian history and theology, noncanonical Gospels, and gnostic and mystical traditions. Her books include" Seek to See Him: Ascent and Vision Mysticism in the Gospel of Thomas" (1996);" Voices of the Mystics: Early Christian Discourse in the Gospels of John and Thomas and Other Ancient Christian Literature" (Sheffield Academic, 2001);" Recovering the Original Gospel of Thomas: A History of the Gospel and Its Growth" (T. &T. Clark, 2005); and" The Original Gospel of Thomas in Translation, with Commentary and New English Translation of the Complete Gospel" (T. &T. Clark, 2006) and The Thirteenth Apostle: what the Gospel of Judas really says (Continuum, 2007). She has also edited the collection of papers, " Paradise Now: Essays on Early Jewish and Christian Mysticism" (SBL, 2006).