Ancient gospel or modern forgery the secret gospel of mark in debate. We would like to invite scholars and students who are interested to attend. Peter jefferys the secret gospel of mark unveiled is the latest addition to this ongoing discussion. The first passage from the secret gospel of mark is a brief story about jesus raising a rich young man from the dead. Further excavations from the morton smith archives allan j. May 22, 2019 the first passage from the secret gospel of mark is a brief story about jesus raising a rich young man from the dead. The final chapter of the gospel of john 21 is a sixthcentury forgery, one entirely devoted to describing jesus resurrection to his disciples. Review of recent symposium volume on the debate over. In 1958 morton smith discovered a fragment of a letter of clement of. Ancient gospel or modern forgery the secret gospel of. The manuscript itself is a late modern forgery, probably engineered by morton smith himself.
The trend of fictitious resurrection narratives continues. Few manuscript discoveries have created anything like the furor focused on the secret gospel of mark sgma furor well caught in the title of this book. Jeffery on secret mark the secret gospel of mark unveiled. O n 7 december 1975, a colloquy was held in berkeley, california, to consider the excerpts from a secret gospel of mark embedded within a recently published letter from clement of alexandria to a certain theodore. Thus far i have demonstrated that the secret gospel of mark lends no support to the contention that jesus was gay, or that he endorsed homosexuality in any way. Like stephen carlson a year ago, peter jeffery is able to show how obvious it is that morton smith fabricated clements letter to theodore. See the online book store morton smith, clement of alexandria and the secret gospel of mark, harvard university press, 1973. And others argue it is a forgery created by morton smith. Secret gospel of mark unveiled yale university press. Mark the evangelist, by bronzino, fresco 152528, in barbadori chapel, florence the secret gospel of mark is a putative noncanonical christian gospel known exclusively from the mar saba letter, which describes secret mark as an expanded version of the canonical gospel of mark with some episodes elucidated, written for an initiated elite.
More than fifty years after its discovery, the origins of this secret gospel of mark remain contentious. May 07, 2015 more than fifty years after its discovery, the origins of this secret gospel of mark remain contentious. The secret gospel is genuine, written by mark or by whoever wrote the canonical gospel, whether before or after he wrote the canonical version. Two books claim that the discovery of a previously unknown gospel of mark by morton smith was a hoax. If we recognize this character in the salome of the secret gospel, we can locate a stream of twentiethcentury thought in which the text fits perfectly. Imagined rituals of sex, death, and madness in a biblical forgery article january 2007 with 9 reads how we measure reads. Some consider it an authentic witness to an early form of mark, perhaps even predating canonical mark. Imagined rituals of sex, death, and madness in a biblical forgery jeffery, peter on. In 1958, morton smith found a letter of clement of alexandria at the mar saba monastary near the city of jerusalem. Morton smith and his secret gospel of mark taborblog. Proceedings from the 2011 york university christian apocrypha symposium. The secret gospel is an ancient forgery, written by an ancient author imitating mark.
The site includes the gnostic library, with the complete nag hammadi library and a large collection of. The secret gospel of mark how clements letter was found and studied. The site includes the gnostic library, with the complete nag hammadi library and a large collection of other primary gnostic scriptures and documents. Francis watson has attempted to move from suspicion of forgery to beyond reasonable doubt in a paper published recently in jts. All that needs to be said at this point is that for smith to have managed to accomplish this second forgery, and to accomplish it in such a way that scholars are still debating the matter hotly after 40 years, would be. The discovery and interpretation of a secret gospel of mark, by morton smith. In 1958, bible scholar morton smith announced the disco. Ancient gospel or modern forgery the secret gospel of mark in.
As i write, it is thirty years since the appearance of morton smiths twin volumes, clement of alexandria and a secret gospel of mark and the secret gospel. When smith published the letter in 1973, he set off a firestorm of controversy that has raged ever since. The secret gospel of mark or the mystic gospel of mark also the longer gospel of mark, is a putative longer and secret or mystic version of the gospel of mark. Apr 16, 2010 the secret gospel of mark is attracting more attention, from rather different perspectives cf. Proceedings from the 2011 york university christian apocrypha symposium burke, tony, foster, paul on. Jeffery, a princeton musicologist, approaches the secret gospel through the history of christian liturgy and sometimes less successfully through a. The scribes of the gospels of matthew and luke were dependent upon the mark writing as the source and framework for the compilation of. More recently, however, with the publication of attorney stephen carlsons the gospel hoax baylor university press, 2005, and peter jeffreys the secret gospel of mark unveiled yale university press, 2006, any number of scholars have joined the forgery bandwagon, so that the issue of whether morton smith might have forged the. This is a well written post arguing for authenticity.
In the end, he concludes the most likely explanaition is that sm is a brilliant forgery by smith. Secmk is authentic yuri kuchinsky toronto, canada says. Imagined rituals of sex, death, and madness in a biblical forgery, by peter jeffery. Dunn few manuscript discoveries have created anything like the furor focused on the secret gospel of mark sgma furor well caught in the title of this book. Clement of alexandria, who quotes an unknown, longer version of the gospel of mark. The secret gospel of mark is known only from the references in this letter. Part of a library of materials dealing with gnosis and gnosticism, both ancient and modern. Over fifty years ago, columbia university professor morton smith discovered a previously unknown letter from clement of alexandria, a secondcentury church father, which contained passages of a lost secret gospel of mark. Ancient gospel or modern forgery biblical archaeology society. Today it is called the gospel of mark, and the church admits that it was the first gospel written catholic encyclopedia, farley ed. The secret gospel of mark or the mystic gospel of mark, also the longer gospel of mark, is a putative longer and secret or mystic version of the gospel of mark.
The discussion of the secret gospel has involved a generation of scholars of the new testament and early christianity. He tells the fascinating story of sm and explains why there is so much disagreement about its authenticity. Although this book, carefully crafted by burke, cannot be said to have brought closure on the issue, it has laid to rest many of the specious and. The discovery and interpretation of the secret gospel according to mark. The letter had been discovered by morton smith at the mar saba monastery, near jerusalem, in 1958, but it was published for the first time only in 1973in the double context. Ancient gospel or modern forgery the secret gospel of mark.
A debate over the authenticity of this document continues to this day. Is the secret gospel of mark a modern forgery based on a cheesy christian novel. The following is based on the assumption that a letter which was apparently written by clement of alexandria circa 1502 ce, is valid and accurate. Morton smith found letter on end pages of ancient book, letter from clement of alexandria to theodore, letter refers to secret gospel of mark, quotes two paragraphs, jesus was mystic, performed initiation rites, scholars are divided, some say forgery, others say authentic, no actual copy exists. Life after death experience nde with steve gardipee, vietnam war story one of the best ndes duration. Marks first gospel was intended to be useful only to catechumens i. The secret gospel of mark revisited by common consent, a.
In 1958, bible scholar morton smith announced the discovery of a sensational manuscripta secondcentury letter written by st. It is also the thirtieth anniversary of the paperback publication of irving wallaces novel the word, already a. Baylor university press 2005 in 1958 an obscure us scholar named morton smith claimed that he had discovered an otherwise unknown letter by clement of alexandria in a volume at the monastery of mar saba. Arriving in alexandria with his own and peters notes, mark incorporated them into a longer, more spiritual gospel for the benefit of those progressing in gnosis. The entire clementine epistle is an ancient, medieval, or early modern forgery. Apr 05, 2019 more recently, however, with the publication of attorney stephen carlsons the gospel hoax baylor university press, 2005, and peter jeffreys the secret gospel of mark unveiled yale university press, 2006, any number of scholars have joined the forgery bandwagon, so that the issue of whether morton smith might have forged the. The secret gospel of mark is attracting more attention, from rather different perspectives cf. The secret evangelist has intentionally conflated the salome of canonical mark with another new testament character, whom later tradition has identified as an archetypal temptress and named salome.
Morton smith may 28, 1915 july 11, 1991 was an american professor of ancient history at columbia university. This website by wieland willker contains smiths complete english translation of the manuscript, his original photos of it, the greek text, and plenty of background material. In 1958 an obscure us scholar named morton smith claimed that he had discovered an otherwise unknown letter by clement of alexandria in a volume at the monastery of mar saba, a few miles from jerusalem. In 1973, morton smith of columbia university published a manuscript consisting of three pages inscribed in an 18th century hand in the blank. Undaunted, however, the church accepted the forgery into its dogma and made it the basis of christianity. Ancient gospel or modern forgery biblical archaeology. The secret gospel of mark or the mystic gospel of mark greek. This letter, in turn, is preserved only in photographs of a greek handwritten copy seemingly transcribed in the eighteenth century into the endpapers of a seventeenthcentury printed editi. This fragment contained two very brief excerpts from a text clement called the secret gospel of mark. Review of recent symposium volume on the debate over secret. Mar 31, 2007 debate on a secret mark gospel resumes.
Some claim it is a medieval or premodern forgery created by a monastic scribe. The secret mark that clement quoted was probably a heretical text written long after the four canonical gospels, and actually constructed from bits and pieces of them. Pantuck clements mysteries and morton smiths magic peter jeffery behind the seven veils, i. The secret gospel of mark in debate tony burke and phil harland have been busy arranging a special colloquium on the secret gospel of mark at york university to be held friday, april 29, 2011. For the general public, he wrote, the secret gospel. Jefferys bookargued with enormous erudition, careful judgment, sensitivity, and balancesets the discussion on an entirely. Some maintain it is a forgery produced in the 18th century. Dissertation research in new testament exegetics proves that the letter by clement of alexandria to theodore, a suspected forgery, is in fact. Oct 14, 2009 over fifty years ago, columbia university professor morton smith discovered a previously unknown letter from clement of alexandria, a secondcentury church father, which contained passages of a lost secret gospel of mark.
The first passage, clement says, was inserted between mark 10. Price, second thoughts on the secret gospel available online access date 28 feb 2009 peter jeffery, the secret gospel of mark unveiled. Catholic church admits to forgery the sabbath covenant. No consensus has been reached by theologians on the letters legitimacy. The letter includes two excerpts from the secret gospel. Imagined rituals of sex, death, and madness in a biblical forgery.
One of the most controversial manuscript discoveries of the twentieth century was a fragment of a previously unknown letter of clement of alexandria end of the second century to an otherwise unknown theodore. Perhaps the real value of the secret gospel of mark for the historian of christian origins is its confirmation of the instability of gospel texts during the period between 70 c. These debates have centered not just on the importance of the secret gospel, but also on questions of authenticity. The secret gospel of markhow clements letter was found and studied. The origin and falsification of the secret gospel of mark i. The discovery and interpretation of the secret gospel according to mark, harper and row, 1973 this book is out of print, but can usually be purchased in used condition. He is best known for his reported discovery of the mar saba letter, a letter attributed to clement of alexandria containing excerpts from a secret gospel of mark, during a visit to the monastery at mar saba in 1958. Is the gospel a forgery, and if so, was this forgery perpetrated by morton smith himself. Jefferys bookargued with enormous erudition, careful judgment, sensitivity, and balancesets the discussion on an entirely new footing. The youth is told to have started to love jesus and invited him to his home.
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