Awards
2021 IAN Book of the Year Awards, Finalist, First Non-Fiction
2021 IAN Book of the Year Awards, Finalist, Non-Fiction: Religion/Christian
Some scholars have called the Gospel of Thomas "the fifth gospel," joining the four canonical books of the New Testament-Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Some have even suggested that a new and fresh perspective on the teachings of Jesus can be observed in its extraordinary aphorisms, dialogues, and parables.
This ancient collection of Jesus sayings, half of which were previously unknown, opens up a whole new area of research for Biblical scholars. And yet, the Gospel of Thomas was rejected by the early Christian Church, banished to oblivion, and eventually lost to memory. Nevertheless, despite this opposition, it survived its many years of utter exclusion. Since its remarkable 1945 discovery in a buried jar in Egypt, it has been the object of intense scrutiny in classrooms, churches, and in many scholarly works.
William G. Duffy's book is the first of its kind to thoroughly and systematically examine this gospel's "hidden" sayings in the light of non-dualism, the timeless worldview and philosophy of oneness. What is particularly unique about Duffy's work is the meticulous literary analysis he brings to this study. In his investigation of each saying, he has discovered phrase patterns and code words that other commentators have seemingly missed.
By pointing out the non-dual nature of the text, and with a sharp eye for linguistic clues, Duffy convincingly demonstrates that significant insights, as well as great depth and power, can be discovered in this "lost" but now found Gospel of Thomas. Consequently, readers will not only find this book to be intellectually groundbreaking but also spiritually compelling.