The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (or Paidika) is one of the most unusual gospels in the Christian tradition. Instead of revealing the compassionate Jesus so familiar to us from the biblical Gospels, it confronts its readers with a very different Jesus – a child who sometimes acts like a holy terror, killing and harming others for trifling faults. So why is Jesus portrayed as acting in such an ‘unchristian’ fashion? To address this question, Cousland focuses on three interconnected representations of Jesus in the Paidika: Jesus as holy terror, as child, and as miracle-working saviour. Cousland endeavours to show that, despite the differing character of these three roles, they present a unified picture. Jesus’ unusual behaviour arises from his ‘growing pains’ as a developing child, who is at the same time both human and divine. Cousland’s volume is the first detailed examination of the Christology of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas and provides a fresh and engaging approach to a topic not often discussed in representations of Jesus.
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Table of Contents
Preface
1. Introduction
2. Jesus the Holy Terror
3. Jesus as Child
4. Jesus the Divine: The Christology of the Paidika
5. The Paidika's Jesus in Context
6. Conclusion
7. Bibliography
Index

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An examination of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas with particular focus on Jesus as child, holy terror and saviour.
This is a careful and reliable exposition of a highly unusual 'gospel' not normally included in discussions of the representation of Jesus
Formerly the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement, a book series that explores the many aspects of New Testament study including historical perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and theological, cultural and contextual approaches. The Early Christianity in Context series, a part of JSNTS, examines the birth and development of early Christianity up to the end of the third century CE. The series places Christianity in its social, cultural, political and economic context. The European Seminar on Christian Origins and Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Supplement are also part of JSNTS.
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780567668165
Publisert
2017-11-16
Utgiver
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC; T.& T.Clark Ltd
Vekt
408 gr
Høyde
234 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Aldersnivå
U, 05
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
160

Forfatter

Om bidragsyterne

J.R.C. Cousland is is Associate Professor of Early Christianity and Greek Religion and Mythology at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He has written widely on biblical and apocryphal literature.