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Jesus Christ in Apocryphal Gospels: Orthodoxy and Heresy in Early Christianity

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Jesus Christ in Apocryphal Gospels: Orthodoxy and Heresy in Early Christianity VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY Valdas MACKELA JESUS CHRIST IN APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS: ORTHODOXY AND HERESY IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY Summary of Doctoral Dissertation Humanities, Theology (02 H) Kaunas, 2012 The dissertation was written in the period from 2007 to 2011 at Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania, Kaunas Academic Supervisor Can. prof. dr. (h. p.) Kęstutis Žemaitis (Vytautas Magnus University, Humanities, Theology – 02 H) Academic Consultant Mons. prof. dr. (h. p.) Arvydas Ramonas (Klaipėda University, Humanities, Theology – 02 H) The dissertation is to be defended before the Academic Council of Theology at Vytautas Magnus University: Chairman Prel. prof. dr. (h. p.) Vytautas Steponas Vaičiūnas (Vytautas Magnus University, Humanities, Theology–02 H) Board Members: Rev. prof. dr. (h. p.) Andrius Narbekovas (Vytautas Magnus University, Humanities, Theology–02 H) Prof. dr. Birutė Obelenienė (Vytautas Magnus University, Social sciences, Educational Sciences–07 S) Rev. prof. habil. dr. Jerzy Pałucki (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, Humanities, Theology–02 H) Rev. prof. dr. Kazys Meilius (Mykolas Romeris University, Social Sciences, Law–01 S) Opponents: Rev. prof. habil. dr. Marek Chmielewski (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, Humanities, Theology – 02 H) Doc. dr. Pranas Janauskas (Vytautas Magnus University, Humanities, History – 05 H) The dissertation will be defended in an open session of the Scientific Council of Theology of Vytautas Magnus University in Didžioji aula (The Great Aula) at Vytautas Magnus University at 12 a.m. on 29th of March 2012. Address: Gimnazijos str. 7, LT – 44260 Kaunas, Lithuania The summary of the dissertation was disseminated on the 29th of February, 2012. A copy of the dissertation is available at the libraries of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas and at the National Library of Martynas Mažvydas in Vilnius. VYTAUTO DIDŽIOJO UNIVERSITETAS Valdas MACKELA JĖZUS KRISTUS APOKRIFINĖSE EVANGELIJOSE: ORTODOKSIJA IR EREZIJA ANKSTYVOJOJE KRIKŠČIONYBĖJE Daktaro disertacijos santrauka Humanitariniai mokslai, teologija (02 H) Kaunas, 2012 Disertacija rengta 2007–2011 metais Vytauto Didžiojo universitete, Teologijos katedroje Mokslinis vadovas Kan. prof. dr. (h. p.) Kęstutis Žemaitis (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, teologija – 02 H) Mokslinis konsultantas Mons. prof. dr. (h. p.) Arvydas Ramonas (Klaipėdos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, teologija – 02 H) Disertacija ginama Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Teologijos mokslo krypties taryboje: Pirmininkas Prel. prof. dr. (h. p.) Vytautas Steponas Vaičiūnas (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, teologija – 02 H) Nariai: Kun. prof. dr. (h. p.) Andrius Narbekovas (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, teologija – 02 H) Prof. dr. Birutė Obelenienė (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, socialiniai mokslai, edukologija – 07 S) Kun. prof. habil. dr. Jerzy Pałucki (Liublino Jono Pauliaus II katalikiškasis universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, teologija – 02 H) Kun. prof. dr. Kazys Meilius (Mykolo Romerio universitetas, socialiniai mokslai, teisė – 01 S) Oponentai: Kun. prof. habil. dr. Marek Chmielewski (Liublino Jono Pauliaus II katalikiškasis universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, teologija – 02 H) Doc. dr. Pranas Janauskas (Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) Disertacija bus ginama viešame Teologijos mokslo krypties tarybos posėdyje 2012 m. kovo mėn. 29 d. 12 val. Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Didžiojoje auloje. Adresas: Gimnazijos g. 7, LT-44260 Kaunas, Lietuva. Disertacijos santrauka išsiųsta 2012 m. vasario 29 d. Disertaciją galima peržiūrėti Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto ir Lietuvos nacionalinėje M. Mažvydo bibliotekose. INTRODUCTION Substantiation of the Research Problem. In the first centuries of Christianity, there were many other gospels written in addition to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Those which did not become a part of the New Testament are called the apocryphal gospels. Unlike the canonical gospels, they are not considered divinely inspired. Over twenty different apocryphal gospels were found in the 19th and 20th c., although, in some cases, only fragments survived. Others have been entirely lost and are known only because of having been mentioned in the writings of the Fathers of the Church, who did not approve of the accounts of Jesus Christ portrayed in these gospels. Today it is usually historians who are interested in the apocryphal gospels, although they do not consider the question of whether and to what extent these gospels are divinely inspired, and also often do not consider the theological problems presented in them. They are interested primarily in the historical aspect of these gospels, and to what extent these books convey the life and teachings of the historical Jesus of Nazareth. Although many apocryphal gospels are attributed to Jesus’ disciples, this is, in almost all cases, unfounded. Most apocryphal gospels were written in the 2nd and 3rd c. or later. To historians, the true value of the apocryphal gospels is not in their witness accounts of the life of Jesus Christ, but the way these gospels assist in the understanding of early Christianity. The apocryphal gospels reflect the portrayal of the life and teachings of Jesus presented by different groups and individuals, conceptually differing from that of the greater part of Christianity, which is now known as “orthodox Christianity”. The vast majority of texts are linked to the heresy of “false knowledge” or Gnosticism – one of the most troublesome movements to the Fathers of the Church in Early Christianity. The polemics of the Fathers of the Church with a group of Christians who proclaimed the “Knowledge Falsely So-Called” in the 2nd and 3rd c. is significant because this particular debate influenced the formation of the Christian faith. In their polemic writings the Fathers of the Church emphasized the importance of the Apostolic Tradition. The discussion inspired them to select reliable Christian texts and canonise them; there was a need to formulate a “rule of the faith” and the foundations for symbols of the Christian faith were laid. The Fathers of the Church of this era (Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria) began using the terms “orthodoxy” and 5 “heresy” in the sense in which they are understood today. Up until now, we knew about the aforementioned discussion from only one side – that of the Fathers of the Church, but their opponents were only known from quotations and accounts found in heresiological writings. Not many texts are left from the first centuries of Christianity that are recognised as proclaiming false teaching. In spite of this, historians and theologians, relying on secondary sources and new methods, attempted to answer the question of who these opponents of the Church, later to be called Gnostics, were. Some held that they were Christians influenced by Greek philosophy and representing a radical branch of Christianity; others asserted that they were syncretic followers of pre-Christian religions, using Christian language. When in 1945, Coptic texts were found in Nag Hammadi of Upper Egypt, the opponents of the Fathers of the Church were given a chance to speak with their own voice. Since that time, scholars, relying of the texts of the Nag Hammadi library, have attempted to view the Church fathers’ dialogue with Gnosticism anew, and have raised several hypotheses about the origins of and relationships between Christianity and Gnosticism, orthodoxy and heresy. Not only scholars take interest in apocryphal texts, but also people who identify themselves with the heterodox movements of early Christianity and are in search for the answers to life’s essential questions in the apocryphal gospels. As many researchers of the history of Christianity have noted, heresies have a tendency to repeat themselves, however, the contemporary era is unique in that it has begun to look at the concepts of heresy and orthodoxy in a completely new light. In the dominant view of early Christianity and the historical Jesus scholarship, new credibility has been given to German scholar W. Bauer’s thesis that there was no common orthodoxy in the 2nd c. Christianity, but rather several theologies, until finally one prevalent theology associated itself with Rome and declared itself “orthodox”. Such view seems very attractive in a world where the division between truth and lie, good and evil is fading away, a world in which the most important value is tolerance and where differing opinions are honoured. Consumer society, accustomed to choosing between several options, opposes any attempt to limit this “freedom”, so therefore in the post-modern pluralistic world heresy becomes the new orthodoxy, because importance is placed not on truth knowable by reason, but solely on personal experience. The only belief that is not tolerated is the belief that there is only one truth and that that truth is knowable. This view has perhaps become one of 6 “the signs of the times” of our era, in which words of the apostle Paul in The Second Letter to the Corinthians are especially significant: “Because any chance comer has only to preach a Jesus other than the one we preached, or you have only to receive a spirit different from the one you received, or a gospel different from the one you accepted – and you put up with that only too willingly” (2 Cor 11: 4 NJV; emphasis mine – V. M.). It is easy to understand why the apocryphal gospels
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