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Friday, April 07, 2006
Easter (rotten) Egg
Well, the Gospel of Judas has hit the (news)stands. As an historian interested in the history of religions in the 1st through 4th centuries, I am excited to read it. However, as a Christian I haven't much to say about the document itself. I think the bigger question is why, when it is usually trying to downplay the significance of Christianity, our culture goes so ga-ga over old news about diversity in the early centuries of that faith. This is an interesting historical find. It is an interesting contemporary cultural phenomena (and maybe a foreboding one?). However, it doesn't directly impact the NT or, even, its early "orthodox" protectors (save to maybe show that Irenaeus wasn't making stuff up). Anyway, I'll leave the ranting to others (for now).
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Excerpt from article.
"The document offers new insights into the relation between Jesus and Judas, whose betrayal led to his capture and crucifixion. Unlike the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, in which Judas is portrayed as a reviled traitor, the new gospel depicts him as acting on a request by Jesus to hand him over to the Romans."
It seems to me that the only problem that could arrise from this Judas-text is if people take it too seriously and then allow it to interfere with their faith. Even if Judas was the hero of the story (which I don't believe to be the case) why should it matter? It matters not to the Christian faith - does it?
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