Early Christianity

The Gospel of Mary starts on page 7, in the middle of a question. Someone is asking the risen Savior whether matter will be destroyed, and we never learn who, because the first six pages of the only Coptic copy are gone. Four more pages vanish right when Mary starts describing her vision. What survives is short enough to read over a cup of coffee. It’s also one of the most dramatic texts from early Christianity, and it ends with an argument that never really got settled. I wrote about who Mary Magdalene was in the Gnostic tradition back in January. This time I want to read the gospel itself, holes and all, because the argument at the end means more once you’ve seen what comes before it. ...

Gnosticism, particularly its early Christian form, represents a complex and fascinating aspect of early Christian history. It was characterized by distinctive beliefs, practices, and eventual suppression. Emerging in the first and second centuries AD, Christian Gnosticism was not a uniform movement but rather a constellation of diverse groups who shared certain esoteric and mystical beliefs. Origins The origins of Christian Gnosticism remain mysterious, likely drawing from Jewish, Christian, and Hellenistic pagan traditions. The movement developed as early followers of Jesus sought to understand his teachings and divine nature. ...