Gnostica, Judaica, Catholica

Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies

by Gilles Quispel, Jean-Pierre Mahé, April D. DeConick

This volume brings together a rich & varied collection of essays by Gilles Quispel (1916-2006), Professor of the History of the Early Church at Utrecht University from 1951 until retirement in 1983. During his illustrious career, Quispel was also visiting Professor at Harvard University in 1964/5, & visiting Professor at the Catholic University of Leuven from 1969 until 1974. The 50 essays collected in this volume testify to most of the prominent themes from Professor Quispel's scholarly career: the writings of the Nag Hammadi library in general & the Gospel of Thomas in particular; Tatian's Diatessaron & its influences; the Hermetica; Mani & Manichaeism; the Jewish origins of Gnosticism; & Gnosis & the future of Christianity. This volume also makes a number of his less known earlier publications (mainly presented under the heading 'Catholica') available to the international community. Until shortly before he died, Quispel remained active in his study of the Gospel of Thomas. He had been one of the 1st to acquire the Coptic text of the Gospel of Thomas, of which he published the 1st translation in 1959 & his final translation in 2005. He was also active in researching the Diatessaron, & Valentinus the Gnostic. One of his most recent essays--published here for the 1st time--is on 'the Muslim Jesus.'

869 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

See also G.C. Quispel for works on 20thC migration, racism and anti-Semitism.

Gilles Quispel was a Dutch theologian, and historian of Christianity and Gnosticism. He became professor emeritus of early Christian history at Utrecht University.
After studies at Leiden and Groningen, his 1943 doctorate at Utrecht was on Tertullian's sources. He worked on the Gospel of Thomas, and was closely associated with the editing of the Nag Hammadi Library. He became quite famous after one of his statements with regard to gnosticism and early Christianity: "Gnosticism is about to become the 21st century world religion," having in view that most scholars and young researchers manifest a great interest in this religious-philosophical system, focused on esoteric knowledge as means of salvation, during a summer seminar at the University of Amsterdam, in 2000.