The Lost Gospels Explained

What happened to the early Christian writings that were not included in the Bible? Who wrote them, what did they teach, and why did some texts become part of the Christian canon while others did not?

The Lost Gospels Explained: Texts That Didn't Make the Bible and Why explores the fascinating world of early Christian literature, examining writings that circulated among Christian communities but were ultimately excluded from the New Testament.

From the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Peter to the Gospel of Mary, the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, and other lesser-known works, this book explores the origins, themes, historical context, and reception of these remarkable texts.

Readers will discover how early Christian communities differed in their beliefs and practices, how questions of authorship and theological consistency influenced the development of the canon, and why some writings were eventually regarded as authoritative while others were rejected, forgotten, or preserved only in fragments.

The book also examines the discovery of ancient manuscripts, the Nag Hammadi library, the development of the New Testament canon, and the difference between apocryphal writings and texts that were simply lost over time.

Rather than treating these writings as secret versions of Christianity, this book places them within the broader historical development of early Christianity and explains what scholars can-and cannot-know about them.

For readers interested in biblical history, early Christianity, ancient manuscripts, and the origins of the New Testament, The Lost Gospels Explained offers an accessible journey into the fascinating literature that exists beyond the pages of the Bible.