TY - JOUR
T1 - Reconsidering the gospel of jesus' wife
T2 - An imperfect forgery or another polemical gnostic fragment
AU - Kim, David W.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Equinox Publishing Ltd. 2015.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - The 10th International Congress of Coptic Studies (ICCS) was held in September 2012 in Italy. However, when the Gnosticism and Manichaeism section began, the atmosphere of the congress was rapidly changed by Karen King's paper. It was originally assumed that the topic would be an attempt on the Tchacos Codex, but the Harvard scholar announced a new Coptic fragment in relation to the marital status of Jesus with Mariam. The new Coptic fragment was a rough rectangular shape, torn on all four corners. The amazing outbreak of the new Coptic papyrus took the attention of scholars and global faith communities, arousing uncertainty and suspicion. Then, what is the new text about? Why is the Coptic teaching so controversial? What is the present status of the controversy? This article will not only review the critical debate but also, based on the texts of Mary, Pistis Sophia, Philip and Thomas, propose a new hypothesis that the new manuscript is not an imperfect forgery but an as yet unconfirmed polemical gnostic fragment.
AB - The 10th International Congress of Coptic Studies (ICCS) was held in September 2012 in Italy. However, when the Gnosticism and Manichaeism section began, the atmosphere of the congress was rapidly changed by Karen King's paper. It was originally assumed that the topic would be an attempt on the Tchacos Codex, but the Harvard scholar announced a new Coptic fragment in relation to the marital status of Jesus with Mariam. The new Coptic fragment was a rough rectangular shape, torn on all four corners. The amazing outbreak of the new Coptic papyrus took the attention of scholars and global faith communities, arousing uncertainty and suspicion. Then, what is the new text about? Why is the Coptic teaching so controversial? What is the present status of the controversy? This article will not only review the critical debate but also, based on the texts of Mary, Pistis Sophia, Philip and Thomas, propose a new hypothesis that the new manuscript is not an imperfect forgery but an as yet unconfirmed polemical gnostic fragment.
KW - Coptic
KW - Forgery and gospel fragment
KW - Gnostic
KW - Jesus' wife
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84930060366&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1558/rsth.v34i1.17784
DO - 10.1558/rsth.v34i1.17784
M3 - Article
SN - 0829-2922
VL - 34
SP - 19
EP - 40
JO - Religious Studies and Theology
JF - Religious Studies and Theology
IS - 1
ER -