What is the Gospel of Thomas? - Ian Mills - June 14th - Friday Night Lecture

The Christian Bible includes four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But what about the others? The idea of lost, suppressed, and secretive gospels has captured the public imagination, inspiring best-selling novels and breathless documentaries. The true story of these extra-canonical gospels may be less sensational than History Channel conspiracy theories, but it is no less interesting.

 

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The best known non-canonical gospel is, perhaps, the Gospel of Thomas. Prof. Mills will tell the story of two archeological discoveries that brought this apocryphal gospel to light, the origin of this work in second century philosophical circles, and its relationship to the canonical gospels. The Gospel of Thomas is not a fifth gospel of the canonical sort but a work of a completely different genre. Finally, Mills will introduce a brand-new discovery—published in the Fall of 2023—that sheds new light on the character of the Gospel of Thomas and its use for historians of early Christianity.

Ian N Mills is Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics and Religious Studies at Hamilton College. He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament from Duke University and is the author of several articles and book chapters on early Christian history. Mills’ first book, The Hypothesis of the Gospels: Pluriform Literary Traditions in Hellenistic Reading Culture, will be published by Fortress Press in November 2024. This book explores how early Christians used concepts from Hellenistic literary theory to understand the variety of gospel books in their own sacred scriptures.