Listen "Gnosticism and the Nag Hammadi Library Explained"
Episode Synopsis
In 1945, dozens of previously unknown Christian texts were discovered near the Egyptian desert town of Nag Hammadi. Some texts were closely tied to the New Testament, like the Gospel of Thomas, but others were pretty wild, portraying the God of the Hebrew Bible as a demon trickster. All of these texts were labeled "gnostic," but scholars continue to debate what "gnostic" really means and what to make of these curious works from the early centuries of Christianity. Helen and Dave are joined by Kimberley Fowler, a scholar of early Christianity who spends her days reading cryptic texts like The Second Discourse of the Great Seth. Learn more at Bible Odyssey:Was the Gospel of Thomas Gnostic?The Gospel of Judas SUPPORT BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE!If you enjoy the podcast, please show your support through the Time Travelers Club, our Patreon. We love making the show, but since we don't run ads we rely on listener contributions to cover our costs. Please help us continue to showcase high-quality biblical scholarship with a $5/month subscription. (Think of it as $1.25 an episode!) GET YOUR BIBLICAL TIME MACHINE MUGThe Biblical Time Machine Store is open! Check out our 4-part audio study guide called "The Gospel of Mark as an Ancient Biography." Or get yourself a handsome Biblical Time Machine mug or a cool sticker for your water bottle. Support the showTheme music written and performed by Dave Roos, creator of Biblical Time Machine. Season 4 produced by John Nelson.
More episodes of the podcast Biblical Time Machine
The Physical Appearance of Jesus
12/01/2026
Did the Beloved Disciple Exist?
05/01/2026
Asherah: The Forgotten Wife of God?
28/12/2025
How Christmas Carols Retell The Nativity
21/12/2025
How Luke Rewrote Matthew's Nativity
14/12/2025
Birth Stories in the Ancient World
07/12/2025
How Mary Was Lost
30/11/2025
Women's Health in the New Testament World
24/11/2025
Manichaeism – An Ancient Faith Rediscovered
17/11/2025
How the Death Penalty Came to Die
10/11/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.