REL 19.20 Lost Books of the Bible

Why do some Bibles include books that other Bibles omit, for example the Book of Enoch, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, or the Apocalypse of Paul? Who decided which texts should be included or excluded from the Bible, and what criteria did they use? Were these texts somehow subversive, or did they reveal secrets that religious authorities wished to keep to themselves? This course will study the contents of various versions of the Bible and explain how Jewish and Christian communities decided which texts to include or exclude from their Bibles, decisions that played formative roles in shaping both communities.

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