Page 3 of 3
5 min read
Scripture and Complexity-- Jesus' Powerful Argument
In the Secret Book of James, Jesus encourages us to never settle with the straightforward reading or interpretation of scripture. That sounds pretty odd-- it should be easy to read
5 min read
Sacrament of the Bridal Chamber: Strange Early Christian Practice?
Did you know that not all early Christians observed the same sacraments as most Christians do, today? In a previous post, we talked about Valentinian perspectives about baptism. The Gospel
6 min read
Jesus Breaking Gender Rules in Thomas
In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus makes a claim that sounds incredibly misogynistic and offensive to modern ears. Working from Marvin Meyer's translation in The Nag Hammadi Scriptures
5 min read
Discover Paul's Gnostic Argument in Romans 1
Gnosis in Paul's writings-- Some gnostic Christians, such as the "Valentinians", read Romans very differently than most Christians do today. They perceived Paul to be a
5 min read
The Demiurge, Intriguing Solution to Hard Old Testament Problems
God Is Complicated-- The Demiurge? Many Christians today who read the New Testament struggle with God's portrayal in the Old Testament. Some early Christians used the concept of
4 min read
Bold Gnostic Thoughts About Jesus (and Homosexuality?) from Romans 1
Paul and Gnostic Thinkers- Did you know that some ancient gnostics, such as those today called Valentinians, considered Paul to be primary source of their theology? In what is perhaps
3 min read
Baptism... God Is a Dyer? Fascinating Valentinian Argument
Introduction Christians have long discussed and debated the theological significance of baptism; just as modern Christians differ, so did early Christians. The Gospel of Philip is a Christian text, likely