Although there is no proof that John read Thomas’s gospel, she believes he rejected its teachings completely. The Gospel of John was written to refute Thomas’s gospel because it had more liberal views that would be difficult to reconcile with the political landscape at the time. In the first chapter, Pagels explores how Christianity began as a sect of Judaism. It is possible to love God without subscribing to regimented beliefs because God manifests in many forms. However, Pagels realized that there is a difference between what we believe and what we feel. Pagels’s son had a terminal disease, and she found peace by searching for God. However, she feels that there is no scope for debate on certain topics and this makes her uncomfortable. On one hand, she appreciates the comfort that it offers to its followers. The first chapter discusses the author’s issues with Christianity.

Pagels admits that she has a Gnostic view on the subject, which colors everything in her book. Proving that this religion should be inclusive is important because Jesus intended for everyone to follow it and not just sects and factions.

Each of these focuses on a different reason as to why the modern Christian Church is invalid. This book has received a lot of criticism from traditional Christians because it allows people to find God without following the doctrines of the Christian Church. It ignores Jesus’s original intentions for the church, which are outlined in scripture, including Gospel of Thomas. Pagels argues that Orthodox Christianity is inaccurate. The book focuses on one text, which was found in 1900s and challenges the idea that there’s only one way to find God. The Gospel of Thomas is a book that explores the way Jesus’ followers interpreted his teachings. Her most significant achievement is proving that the earliest Christian church wasn’t unified as we previously believed. A very popular book with both religious and academic readers, she is an award-winning writer who specializes in religion and history books. Pagels argues that there’s more to Christianity than rigidly adhering to one set of beliefs. 1-Page Summary of Beyond Belief Overall Summaryīeyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas (2003), a work of Christian nonfiction by Elaine Pagels, explores the origins of Christianity and how it took shape.

Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige Hill