| The Gospel of Philip: Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and the Gnosis of Sacred Union Contributor(s): LeLoup, Jean-Yves (Author), Needleman, Jacob (Foreword by) |
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ISBN: 1594770220 ISBN-13: 9781594770227 Publisher: Inner Traditions International OUR PRICE: $13.46 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: August 2004 Annotation: CHRISTIAN STUDIES / MYSTICISM?In this rich and lucid translation, Jean-Yves Leloup unlocks mysteries of the enigmatic bridal chamber found in the Gospel of Philip and sheds new light on their associations with Jewish esoteric tradition.?Margaret Starbird, author of The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalen and the Holy Grail?For scholars and seekers alike, every page of this book opens profound new dimensions in the teachings of Jesus.?Jacob Needleman, author of Lost Christianity and The American SoulThe mainstream position of the Christian church on sexuality was perhaps best summed up by Pope Innocent III (1160?1216) when he stated that ?the sexual act is so shameful that it is intrinsically evil.? Another Christian theologian maintained that ?the Holy Ghost is absent from the room shared by a wedded couple.? The apostle Philip, however, records in his gospel that Christ said precisely the opposite: The nuptial chamber is in fact the holy of holies. For Philip the Holy Trinity includes the feminine presence--God is the Father, the Holy Ghost is the Mother, and Jesus is the Son--and neither man nor woman alone is created in the image of God. It is only in their relationship with one another--the sacred embrace in which they share the divine breath--that they resemble God.The Gospel of Philip is best known for its portrayal of the physical relationship shared by Jesus and his most beloved disciple, Mary Magdalene. Because it ran counter to Church dogma, however, which condemned ?the works of the flesh, ? Philip's gospel was suppressed and eventually lost until rediscovered at Nag Hammadi in 1947. Orthodox theologian Jean-Yves Leloup's translation of the gospel from the Coptic andhis analysis of this scripture are presented here for the first time in English. What emerges from this important source text is a restoration of the sacred initiatic union between the male and the female principles that was once at the heart of Christianity's sacred mystery.JEAN-YVES LELOUP, an Orthodox theologian and professor of theology, philosophy, and psychology, is the founder of the International College of Therapists. His other books include The Gospel of Mary Magdalene and a forthcoming translation and commentary on the Gospel of Thomas. He lives in France. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Religion | Christianity - History - Religion | Biblical Studies - Bible Study Guides - Religion | Buddhism - General (see Also Philosophy - Buddhist) |
| Dewey: 229.8 |
| LCCN: 2004110340 |
| Physical Information: 0.52" H x 6.32" W x 8.98" (0.59 lbs) 192 pages |
| Themes: - Religious Orientation - Christian |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: A new translation and analysis of one of the most controversial of the apocryphal gospels - Emphasizes an initiatic marriage between the male and female principles as the heart of the Christian mystery - Bears witness to the physical relationship shared by Jesus and Mary Magdalene - Translated from the Coptic and analyzed by the author of the bestselling The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (over 90,000 sold) The mainstream position of the Christian church on sexuality was perhaps best summed up by Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) when he stated that "the sexual act is so shameful that it is intrinsically evil." Another Christian theologian maintained that the "Holy Ghost is absent from the room shared by a wedded couple." What Philip records in his gospel is that Christ said precisely the opposite: The nuptial chamber is in fact the holy of holies. For Philip the holy trinity includes the feminine presence. God is the Father, the Holy Ghost is the Mother, and Jesus is the Son. Neither man nor woman alone is created in the image of God. It is only in their relationship with one another--the sacred embrace in which they share the divine breath--that they resemble God. The Gospel of Philip is best known for its portrayal of the physical relationship shared by Jesus and his most beloved disciple, Mary of Magdala. Because it ran counter to the direction of the Church, which condemned the "works of the flesh," Philip's gospel was suppressed and lost until rediscovered at Nag Hammadi in 1947. Orthodox theologian Jean-Yves Leloup's translation from the Coptic and his analysis of this gospel are presented here for the first time in English. What emerges from this important source text is a restoration of the sacred initiatic union between the male and female principles that was once at the heart of Christianity's sacred mystery. |
Contributor Bio(s): Needleman, Jacob: - Jacob Needleman is a professor of philosophy at San Francisco State University and the author of many books, including The Essential Marcus Aurelius, Why Can't We Be Good?, The American Soul, The Wisdom of Love, Time and the Soul, The Heart of Philosophy, Lost Christianity, and Money and the Meaning of Life.LeLoup, Jean-Yves: - Jean-Yves Leloup is a theologian and founder of the Institute of Other Civilization Studies and the International College of Therapists. His books include Jesus and Judas, The Sacred Embrace of Jesus and Mary, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, The Gospel of Philip, and The Gospel of Thomas. He lives in France. |
