This iVery Short Introduction/i offers a clear, accessible, and concise account of the apocryphal gospels - exploring their origins, their discovery, and discussing how the various texts have been interpreted both by the Church and beyond. Looking at texts from the iGospels from Nag Hammadi/i to the iDialogues with the Risen Saviour/i, Paul Foster shows how the apocryphal gospels reflect the diversity that existed within early Christianity, and examines the extent to which they can be used to reconstruct an accurate portrait of thehistorical Jesus. Including discussions of controversies and case-studies such as the alleged hoax surrounding the discovery of iSecret Mark/i, Foster concludes that the non-canonical texts, considered in the correct context, offer us an important window on the vibrant and multi-faceted face ofearly Christianity. | The Apocryphal Gospels: A Very Short Introduction by Paul Foster, Paperback | Indigo Chapters