The Gospel of Judas

Was Judas really a villain, or were his actions foreordained as part of God’s plan of salvation? Although the Apostle Judas Iscariot is arguably the world’s most famous traitor, since antiquity, some Christians have believed that because Jesus needed to be betrayed in order to be crucified and resurrected, Judas’ role was crucial and, in a sense, selfless and heroic. This appears to be the perspective reflected in the Gnostic Gospel of Judas. Although mentioned by Irenaeus, this text remained lost for many centuries, until a single damaged manuscript was found in Egypt in the 1970s. John Hamer of Toronto Centre Place will review the history and contents of the gospel and consider its treatment of Judas within the context of Gnosticism and wider Christian thought about Jesus’ betrayer. Questions we will consider include: Since Paul never mentions Judas, is the betrayer best understood as a historical figure, a literary device, or both? If Judas is a literary device, does he represent the archetype of evil, or the archetype of a tragic hero who sacrifices his life and even his reputation for the sake of humanity? Are modern movie portrayals of Judas as a confused zealot useful, or do they tell us more about modern expectations than ancient history? Join the livestream to participate in the discussion and to ask questions of our lecturer during the Q&A. This lecture is part of our series exploring Christianity and the Bible from an academic perspective through history, mythology, archaeology, theology, and biblical studies. In this presentation we focus on the Gospel of Judas, the Apostle Judas Iscariot, apocryphal scripture, Gnosticism, and Gnostic gospels. 📚 Browse our catalogue of free lectures at https://www.centreplace.ca/lectures Your generous support allows us to offer these lectures at no cost. Please consider making a donation (tax deductible in the US and Canada): ❤️ https://www.centreplace.ca/donate ️ #Gnosticism #GnosticGospels #GospelOfJudas