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The Secret Gospels by R. Joseph Hoffmann, editor & translator published by Prometheus Books

The major apocryphal sources of the Jesus tradition are brought together in a consecutive narrative in The Secret Gospels: A Harmony Of Apocryphal Jesus Traditions. Composed between the second and seventh centuries C.E., these "secret gospels" were a powerful influence in shaping Christian belief and doctrine for well over a thousand years. They include clearly written stories of the birth of Jesus Christ, his "lost" years as a boy in Nazareth, the wanderings of the holy family, the death of Joseph, and the ascension of Mary into heaven. These writings were excluded from the official canon of the church -- yet each one of them at some point in early Christian history was accepted on par with the eventually canonized gospels and writings by one group or another of the Christian faithful somewhere scattered over the world. Standing as a comprehensive introduction to the apocryphal tradition, The Secret Gospels is essential reading for anyone interested in the life and thought of the formative period of Christian belief. Enhanced by running notes and commentary, The Secret Gospels includes information on long-unavailable sources from Eastern, Coptic-Egyptian, and Arab-Christian traditions. R. Joseph Hoffmann is Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow at Westminister College, Oxford. His published works include What The Bible Ready Says, Jesus In History And Myth, and Biblical Versus Secular Ethics. He is editor of the Critical Studies in Religion series. "Fascinating early-church glimpses into the miracle-working childhood of Jesus outside the canonical tradition." --The Living Church ". . . an important supplement to the canonical gospels." --The Human Quest ". . . few perusing Hoffmann's work will be disappointed. It gives an admirable and revealing glimpse into the piety of early church folk theology. --The Clergy Journal

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