The Gospel of Thomas Goes Public

Course Description for Nag Hammadi Series: The Gospel of Thomas

This thought-provoking course unlocks religious and historical mysteries about the ancient text, the Gospel of Thomas, and its relationship to the Bible. Discovered near the caves of Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945, this gospel continues to inspire and surprise, provoking its readers with many questions for us to discuss.

Learn to Interpret the Gospel of Thomas for Yourself and Address Some Controversial Issues

· Why does the Gospel of Thomas have parables so similar to those in the Bible?

· Is it considered Wisdom literature?

· Why isn’t it in the Bible?

· Is it heretical or gnostic?

· How does the study of gender explain the meaning of the text?

· What does it teach about healing?

· Is this the same Jesus as in the Bible?

It’s time for the Gospel of Thomas to go public!

When the (only extant) full text of the Gospel of Thomas was discovered for the first time since antiquity in 1945, scholars and religious leaders hardly knew what to make of it. Now that it has been translated and studied by scholars, Dr. Hal Taussig and Dr. Shirley Paulson answer questions for the public.

As we explore such topics as why the Gospel of Thomas is not in the Bible, we end up discussing how the Bible came together in the first place. When we struggle with some of the controversial Sayings of Jesus, we end up discussing ancient concepts of gender that differ from today’s understanding.

This course offers a special advantage of being taught by two scholars. Mostly we agree, but sometimes we do not. This gives students a chance to think for themselves and discover how this ancient text can be viewed from different points of view.

What will we cover in the course?

Before we immerse ourselves too deeply into the texts, we help you understand where it came from, why it’s in the Nag Hammadi collection, and how to find your own copy to read for the course.

As we start to discuss some of the issues related to the text and its relationship with other texts written around the same time, we make clear comparisons with the other relevant verses. We stop to ponder the meaning of many of them, encouraging you to think, from your own life experiences, how you might relate to these ideas. We find ‘Thomas’ Sayings that are strangely similar to the Bible and others that are completely new.

You’ll see how the Gospel of Thomas fits with the long history of Wisdom literature of the past 10,000 years.

We give careful thought to the most-often asked questions about whether this mysterious book is heretical, gnostic, or tainted in some way. When we finish with this portion, you will be asked to write a letter to your own clergy (or an imaginary one) explaining why you think the Gospel of Thomas should be in the Bible (or shouldn’t).

When we get to the last Saying (verse) in the Gospel of Thomas, you’ll undoubtedly agree it’s a most perplexing and challenging way to the end book! But in this course, we offer three very different ways to approach it, so that you can decide for yourself what it means to you. And this exercise will strengthen your confidence in your interpretation of other unusual Sayings.

How does the course work?

There are seven sections in the course, each one focusing on one of the basic questions people ask about the Gospel of Thomas. I (Shirley Pauson) am the lead instructor. Sometimes I engage with Dr. Taussig, the other instructor, and other times I lecture alone. All the passages we study are highlighted, so that you can read along with us. There are four assignments that will encourage you to reflect and gather your own thoughts. There are also two quizzes, each one summarizing about half of the course. These quizzes help you decide if you have learned the content well enough to speak confidently of your own knowledge of the Gospel of Thomas and its related issues.

Who needs this course?

Knowledge of the Gospel of Thomas is essential for people want to understand the Bible, its origins, and its meaning.

Who should take the course?

If you are in a Bible study group,

If you are interested in cutting edge and outside the normal box study of a famous old document,

If you want to know more of what Jesus said or taught,

If you are a Christian who wants to understand more of your heritage,

If you seek spiritual insights from the ancient sacred texts,

Or if you want to get some of the controversial issues concerning the Gospel of Thomas straightened out,

Then you definitely want to get going with this course!

On the other hand…

If you have already studied the Coptic language and read the Nag Hammadi literature,

If you are seeking a scholarly debate over controversial texts,

Or if you want a review of all of the 114 Sayings in this text,

It’s better to skip this course and wait for our advanced course to be offered.

The course is designed for beginners, but intermediate level Bible students will also find much to learn and think about. When you complete this course, you will know the basic content and great value of this highly important text. You’ll have a better idea about its history and how it was recovered. And you’ll gain a broader understanding of the way Jesus was viewed in the first centuries of the Christ movements.

About the instructors – Dr. Shirley Paulson and Dr. Hal Taussig

Shirley: I love studying ancient Christian texts, both the Bible and the other texts written around the same time or a little later. But I also love talking about it with students and anyone else. Since Bible readers come from so many different religious backgrounds, I learn through their eyes what these ancient texts mean to people today. As founder of Early Christian Texts, I am constantly engaged in public conversations about these amazing ancient texts.

My exploration and research began with Master of Theological Studies work at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, which led to my PhD in Religion and Theology from the University of Birmingham (UK). My unique academic contribution is my research in extracanonical texts from the perspective of contemporary methodology in Practical Theology. The combination of my experience with healing, theological scholarship, and research in Practical Theology evokes ever-new questions and conversations based on ancient texts.

I served as Head of Ecumenical Affairs for the world headquarters of The Christian Science Church for ten years, and on the Board of the North American Academy of Ecumenists for five years. I also have fifteen years’ experience as a public speaker, and I have published several articles and book chapters on spiritual healing and early Christ movements, with a new book on an extracanonical text forthcoming.

Hal: I am a retired professor and minister. I taught New Testament at Union Theological Seminary in New York, Chestnut Hill College, and with the Graduate Faculty of Creation Spirituality. I pastored at Chestnut Hill United Church in Philadelphia and the Oekolompadgemeinde in Switzerland. Now I spend my time writing, publishing, researching, and playing in natural and urban settings, where he I also pursue my interest in death and vitality.

Currently, as a collaborator at Early Christian Texts, I follow 1st-and 2nd-century Christic imagination. My study of ancient Mediterranean practices opens up new historical perspectives and challenges conventional Christian dogma. My study of newly discovered ancient texts accesses different meanings for our time. I reimagine ancient texts, pretexts, and historical contexts as a way toward 21st-century trust, honesty, and—most of all—vulnerability.

I am still actively entangled in the mistakes and love of some books I have written in the past fifteen years: A New New Testament; The Thunder: Perfect Mind; In the Beginning Was the Meal: Social Experimentation and Early Christian Identity; and Re-reading the Gospel of Mark Amidst Loss and Trauma. My recent lectures include Seoul, Korea; Melbourne, Australia; Holden Village, Washington; and Theologian in Residence in Boulder, Colorado.