The Apocryphal Jesus

The term Greek word apocrypha means secret; the apocryphal writings of early Christians are known for being heretical because they are not part of the New Testament's 27 canonical books; early Christian writings contribute to Christian doctrine.

Learning about the early Christian apocrypha with an extended reflection on the Virgin Mary; finding out that much of Virgin Mary's life's story comes from the Proto-Gospel of James, which fills in many gaps from the canonical gospels.

The "Infancy Gospel of Thomas" is known as a bizarre book, offering a grim insight into the childhood of Jesus, portraying him as both amazingly divine but also troublingly human; delving into some scholarly debates around the book.

The New Testament gospels leave many questions on the table; many early Christian apocryphal works humanize Joseph and resolve some of the questions and contradictions of the New Testament.

While Mary is present in the canonical gospels, it is in the early Christian apocrypha that she becomes the leader among the saints; exploring key texts to uncover the facts about Jesus' mother; understanding her special place in Christianity today.

Not all apocryphal works have survived, and many of today's ones exist only as fragments; surveying important fragments and lost gospels and what they say; gaining a fascinating glimpse of early Christian beliefs and controversies.