Epigraph:
“Indeed, We Ourself have sent down this Exhortation (the Quran), and most surely We will be its Guardian.” (Al Quran 15:10)
Gospel of Thomas
Source: The Huffington Post
By Hal Taussig: Author, ‘A New New Testament: A Bible for the 21st Century Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Texts’
More than 75 otherwise unknown documents from the early Christ movements of the first and second centuries have been discovered in the sands of Egypt, the markets of Cairo, or in unprocessed sections of European and Near Eastern libraries in the past 150 years. As these documents have been translated and studied by scholars, it has become clear that many of them belong to the very heart of Christian beginnings. Unfortunately the public knows little about these documents and churches almost never read them.
As I have taught these documents over the past 20 years in seminaries, colleges, the church where I pastor, and many groups around the country, I have regularly heard some version of the following remarks:
“When I read this material, I feel like I have discovered a long lost sister or brother.”
“Why don’t I know about these works? Why aren’t they in my Bible?”
As hundreds and then thousands of people responded in this manner, I began to think that the larger public really needed to have a chance to read the most valuable of these new discoveries alongside the powerful works of the traditional New Testament. Indeed, it had long been clear to me that these more recent discoveries complemented and supplemented the established Scriptures.
It is true that some of these new works have already been published in collections of what are often called the “lost books of Christianity.” But this cordoning off of them into special collections has only encouraged their segregation into one of two categories. They are treated either as heretical versions of early Christianity or secret teachings that are far better than the traditional Scriptures.
I reject both of these alternatives. These documents are neither the perfect Scriptures nor despicable heresy. Rather, they contain the same and different stories, new and old teachings, powerful prayers and fresh imagery.
So with the support of my publisher, in 2011-2012, I convened 19 nationally recognized spiritual leaders to study a wide range of ancient literature from the early Christ movements and to decide which of them would be valuable spiritually for 21st century American readers. In late February of 2012 this council of Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Jewish and yogic leaders chose to add 10 books to the traditional New Testament. These additions are spliced into the regular order of the traditional books so that the new and the old can be read alongside each other. It is my hope that this New New Testament can provide both new spiritual depth and new understanding for a wide range of readers.
See a slide show in the Huffington Post.
About the author: Professor Hal Taussig received the A.B. in Religion from Antioch College in 1965, the M.Div. from Methodist Theological School in Ohio in 1973, and the Ph.D. from Union Institute in 1975. He has taught Masters and Ph.D. studies at Union Theological Seminary for the past 11 years as Visiting Professor of New Testament Studies and is also Professor of Early Christianity at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. Dr. Taussig previously taught at Chestnut Hill College, St. Joseph’s University, the School of Theology at Claremont, and Albright College.
Categories: Bible
If we search the word ‘Gospel,’ in the Holy Quran
We get twelve references. Here, I reproduce all of them:
He has sent down to thee the Book containing the truth and fulfilling that which precedes it; and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel. (Al Quran 3:4)
She (mother Mary) said, ‘My Lord, how shall I have a son, when no man has touched me?’ He said, “Such is the way of Allah, He creates what He pleases. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is. ‘And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel;And will make him a Messenger to the children of Israel.’ (Al Quran 3:48-50)
O People of the Book! why do you dispute concerning Abraham, when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Will you not then understand? (Al Quran 3:66)
And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, fulfilling that which was revealed before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel which contained guidance and light, fulfilling that which was revealed before it in the Torah, and a guidance and an admonition for the God-fearing. (Al Quran 5:47)
And let the People of the Gospel judge according to what Allah has revealed therein, and whoso judges not by what Allah has revealed, these it is who are the rebellious. (Al Quran 5:48)
And if they had observed the Torah and the Gospel and what has been now sent down to them from their Lord, they would, surely, have eaten of good things from above them and from under their feet. Among them are a people who are moderate; but many of them — evil indeed is that which they do. (Al Quran 5:67)
Say, ‘O People of the Book! you stand on nothing until you observe the Torah and the Gospel and what has now been sent down to you from your Lord.’ And surely, what has been sent down to thee from thy Lord will increase many of them in rebellion and disbelief; so grieve not for the disbelieving people. (Al Quran 5:69)
When Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My favor upon thee and upon thy mother; when I strengthened thee with the Spirit of holiness so that thou didst speak to the people in the cradle and in middle age; and when I taught thee the Book and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when thou didst fashion a creation out of clay, in the likeness of a bird, by My command; then thou didst breathe into it a new spirit and it became a soaring being by My command; and thou didst heal the night-blind and the leprous by My command; and when thou didst raise the dead by My command; and when I restrained the children of Israel from putting thee to death when thou didst come to them with clear Signs; and those who disbelieved from among them said, ‘This is nothing but clear deception.’” (Al Quran 5:111)
‘Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet, the Immaculate one, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel which are with them. He enjoins on them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful for them the good things and forbids them the bad, and removes from them their burden and the shackles that were upon them. So those who shall believe in him, and honour and support him, and help him, and follow the light that has been sent down with him — these shall prosper.’ (Al Quran 7:158)
Surely, Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their property in return for the Garden they shall have; they fight in the cause of Allah, and they slay and are slain — a promise that He has made incumbent on Himself in the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Qur’an. And who is more faithful to his promise than Allah? Rejoice, then, in your bargain which you have made with Him; and that it is which is the supreme triumph. (Al Quran 9:111)
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. And those who are with him are hard against the disbelievers, tender among themselves. Thou seest them bowing and prostrating themselves in Prayer, seeking grace from Allah and His pleasure. Their mark is upon their faces, being the traces of prostrations. This is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is like unto a seed-produce that sends forth its sprout, then makes it strong; it then becomes thick, and stands firm on its stem, delighting the sowers — that He may cause the disbelievers to burn with rage at the sight of them. Allah has promised, unto those of them who believe and do good works, forgiveness and a great reward. (Al Quran 48:30)
Then We caused Our Messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow them, and We gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who accepted him compassion and mercy. But monasticism which they invented for themselves — We did not prescribe it for them — for the seeking of Allah’s pleasure; but they did not observe it with due observance. Yet We gave those of them who believed their due reward, but many of them are rebellious. (Al Quran 57:28)