Contemporary Christianity, diverse and complex as we find it, actually may show more unanimity than the Christian churches of the first and second centuries. For nearly all Christians since that time, Catholics, Protestants, or Orthodox, have shared three basic premises.… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
Rediscovering the controversies that occupied early Christianity sharpens our awareness of the major issue in the whole debate, then and now: What is the source of religious authority? For the Christian the question takes more specific form: What is the… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
“Only the Jews, of all the nations under Roman rule, had won the right to separate their political obligations from religious ones, to obey… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
“Even Tacitus admitted that “whatever their origin, [the Jews’] observances are sanctioned by their antiquity,”64 and the Romans respected tradition. Christians, however, had no… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
There's practically no religion that I know of that sees other people in a way that affirms the others' choices. But in our century… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
He's an intimate betrayer. That's what's so troubling. Judas turned in his own teacher. — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
The Antichrist is often identified with the second beast in the Book of Revelation that arises from the land, the beast that tries to… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
“Jesus—for example, his categorical rejection of divorce, or his statement that “if anyone does not hate his own father and mother and wife and… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
The Gospel of Thomas claims to be the secret sayings of Jesus. There are 114 of them, so it says many things, but the… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
I just have a sense that, you know, I'm curious about what is religion about, you know? Why do some of us still engage… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
“Augustine reflects that “what made me a slave to it was the habit [consuetudo] of satisfying an insatiable lust.”31” — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
Contemporary Christianity, diverse and complex as we find it, actually may show more unanimity than the Christian churches of the first and second centuries.… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
“I beseech you, my lord, why have I been endowed with the power of understanding? For I did not want to ask about heavenly… — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image
“thus the story of Eden was made to reinforce the patriarchal structure” — Elaine Pagels Copy Share Image