Sunday, February 19, 2006

COPTIC GOSPEL OF JUDAS WATCH: The Winston-Salem Journal has a well-researched article on this, which, for example, actually interviews the Vatican official it quotes.
'Gospel' is stirring up a debate about Judas

By Stacy Meichtry
RELIGION NEWS SERVICE

The first translation of an ancient, self-proclaimed "Gospel of Judas" will be published in late April, bringing to light what some scholars believe are the writings of an early Christian sect suppressed for supporting Jesus Christ's infamous betrayer.

If authentic, the manuscript could add to the understanding of Gnosticism, an unorthodox Christian theology denounced by the early church. The Roman Catholic Church is aware of the manuscript, which a Vatican historian calls "religious fantasy."

[...]

Monsignor Walter Brandmuller, the president of the Vatican's Committee for Historical Science, called it "a product of religious fantasy."

In an interview, he said that the manuscript would not have any impact on church teaching.

"We welcome the (manuscript) like we welcome the critical study of any text of ancient literature," Brandmuller said.

He said that despite some reports to the contrary, the drive to improve Judas' reputation does not have the support of the Vatican.

"There is no campaign, no movement for the rehabilitation of the traitor of Jesus," Brandmuller said.

[...]

The article also describes some of the contents of the Gospel of Judas, which is scheduled to be published at Easter.

Incidentally, as far as I know, the Times of London article remains uncorrected and unclarified. But I stopped checking after a couple of weeks.

I've reconstructed this post, which is one of the ones lost yesterday.

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