The Protoevangelium of James

[Teeliumtrozzle]

I heard about a book left out of the Bible- the Protoevangelium of James.Why was it left out?Is it not true?Even if it isn’t true, it would certainly be a really interesting fanfic.Where can you get it?I would like to read it and it doesnt seem to be availible anywhere.

 

[ChadS]

I heard about a book left out of the Bible- the Protoevangelium of James.Why was it left out?Is it not true?Even if it isn’t true, it would certainly be a really interesting fanfic.Where can you get it?I would like to read it and it doesnt seem to be availible anywhere.

The Protoevangelium of James was written around the year 150. It was left out of the canonical list of inspired books because it was determined not to have been inspired. While it may not be entirely “true” or “false,” the early Church, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, determined that it is not the Word of God or of a similar character or nature as say the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

If you would like to read it you can find it here: newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm

ChadS

 

[Teeliumtrozzle]

Wow, thanks!

 

[DL82]

I heard about a book left out of the Bible- the Protoevangelium of James.Why was it left out?Is it not true?Even if it isn’t true, it would certainly be a really interesting fanfic.

I like the idea of calling the non-canonical early Christian writings “fan fiction” - it explains what this kind of work’s place in the scheme of Christian history is in plain modern terms.

 

[Pani_Rose]

The ProtoEvangelium of St. James, is used for a great deal of understanding by the Eastern Catholic Churchs of Christ’s life as a child and his family. It is not considered fiction, but it is considered written by St. James the Apostle. It would be considered if anything an ‘biography/autobigraphy’, which ever is the one written by someone else. From the ProtoEvangelium we know the Sts Ann and Joachem were Mary’s parents. Without we would have no knowledge. So, yes, it is very much a part of the Western Church and understanding also.

In fact the Divine Liturgy we celbrate originated from the Liturgy of St. James the Apostle. That Liturgy is still celebrated today in it’s entirety and original form in the monasterys. Many also sing it in the original Aramaic.

What St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great did, was to add the hymns to it and prayers that the people had developed. See in the Early Church, as in the Hagi Sophia for example, the priest and people would walk through the streets of town on their way to the Church, and as they did more and more people gathered, singing these same hymns over and over again. So they became part of the liturgy. So Chrysostom and Basil just reorganized St. James Liturgy, added their prayers and the hymns to it. So today, 2000+ years later, we are still singing the very same Liturgy that St. James wrote without compromise.

The Liturgy of St. James the Apostle
newadvent.org/fathers/0717.htm

 

[Rolltide]

I heard about a book left out of the Bible- the Protoevangelium of James.Why was it left out?Is it not true?Even if it isn’t true, it would certainly be a really interesting fanfic.Where can you get it?I would like to read it and it doesnt seem to be availible anywhere.

Are you aware that there are actually a substantial number of early Christian works, of varying value, that didn’t make it into the Bible? Some contain historical information, some are completely made up stories long after the fact (the Infancy Gospel of Thomas comes to mind, about what happened between Jesus’ birth and when he taught in the temple at age 12), and others are writings by the Gnostics, an early heretical sect. Try this link for a whole BUNCH of them:

earlychristianwritings.com/

 

[LilyM]

Are you aware that there are actually a substantial number of early Christian works, of varying value, that didn’t make it into the Bible? Some contain historical information, some are completely made up stories long after the fact (the Infancy Gospel of Thomas comes to mind, about what happened between Jesus’ birth and when he taught in the temple at age 12), and others are writings by the Gnostics, an early heretical sect. Try this link for a whole BUNCH of them:

earlychristianwritings.com/

Loads of 'em. And this proliferation of apocryphal gospels and other works is the reason the Church had to define the canon of Scripture in the first place.

They restricted this, among other things, to works that were definitely written during the time of the Apostles (first century).