![]() ![]() We found about 50 ancient Christian texts. A lot of them were buried and suppressed as early as the 2nd century and rediscovered, actually, in 1945 in an archeological find that was just amazing. I mean, what I learned in graduate school was a surprise, that there are many other Gospels that we didn't know about. Tell us, for those of us who don't follow such things closely, what are these Gnostic Gospels, when were they written, who wrote them, and how do they relate to the Gospels that we're familiar with in the New Testament? And the other disciples were jealous and asked, why do you love her more than all of us? Now, you know, in the Gospel of Philip that sounds pretty provocative.ĬONAN: It sure does. It was found - it's probably written in the early 2nd century and it has words like this, Jesus loved Mary Magdalene more than the other disciples and kissed her often. There is a lot in it that's very interesting and true.ĬONAN: Well, you wrote in your piece, in fact, that Dan Brown credited you and your book on the Gnostic Gospels, particularly the Gospel of Philip, for sending him off on this novel. Although, you wonder if Dan Brown had said it was just fiction whether it would have been such a sensation. I mean, it makes a great fiction novel, I think.ĬONAN: And I guess that's the point, fiction. PAGELS: Well, there certainly isn't, although nothing's probably impossible historically, but there's no evidence that I know. ![]() Is there any evidence to support the idea that Jesus Christ was not crucified, got married, and he and Mary Magdalene had children? And I guess we have to begin with the big one. ![]() ![]() Good to be here.ĬONAN: Professor Pagels is with us from her office in Princeton, New Jersey. Professor ELAINE PAGELS (Professor of Religion, Princeton University): Thank you. And the e-mail address is Elaine Pagels, nice to have you on TALK OF THE NATION today. If you've read the book or seen the movie, what are your questions about what's true or not in The Da Vinci Code. In this Sunday's San Jose Mercury News, she wrote an op-ed piece arguing that Brown's story is a work of fiction, but what makes it so compelling is not the parts he made up but those parts that are true. She's also the author of The Gnostic Gospels and Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas. The central theme of both the novel and the movie revolves around the controversial idea that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene were married and had a child, and that the Catholic Church covered up the truth.Įlaine Pagels is a Professor of religion at Princeton University. Despite some bad reviews and claims of historical and theological errors, the movie version of The Da Vinci Code topped the weekend's box office sales, taking in $77 million. Time now for the TALK OF THE NATION Opinion Page. ![]()
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