A powerful book for serious students. You'll discover the evidence firsthand, right from the pens of ancient authors.

The Mysteries (the term comes from the Greek word for "initiation") were a group of Pagan religions, dating from roughly 600 BC, that were distinct from the more familiar Pagan temple worship. The Gods of the Mystery religions had differing names and myths, but the faiths themselves had features in common: their Gods died and came back to life; they were personal religions entered into voluntarily via initiation ceremonies that reenacted the God's death and rebirth and were often described as giving salvation and even eternal life; they had ritual celebrations including food and drink that reenacted a holy meal established by the God; their teachings brought the faithful closer to an understanding of God.

Although you don't hear about them in Sunday School, mystery religions are an established part of modern religious scholarship. This book, complied by a mainstream scholar, is made up of a concise introduction to the Mysteries, followed by extended excerpts from ancient sources. You'll read about: the pagan god "incognito, disguised as a man"; pagan Gods dying and being reborn with the meaning that "the God is saved, and we shall have salvation."; initiation ceremonies described as "a voluntary death"; sacred meals; ceremonial washing; pagan miracles; the pagan god who changed water into wine; the pagan version of the great flood. And much more.

Not always easy reading, but a powerful book for serious students. Highly recommended.

This is one of my most cherished books in my home library. It has given me an understanding of the various Mystery Religions in the ancient Mediterranean World. Author Marvin Meyer has collected stories, verse, history, and magical tracts from an abundance of sources within the ancient world. Though my favorite is the Greek Mysteries of Demeter and Persephone, due to Meyer's work, I now have the context within which I can place their Mysteries. From the Mysteries of Dionysus and Isis and Osiris, to those of Judiasm and Christianity, and more, I have gained a sense of how the ancients might have related one type of Mystery to another. My deepest appreciation to this wonderful author.

Marvin Meyers has written a trenchant analysis of the Jacksonian period which constitutes a radical departure from the prior literature. He stakes his ground early by noting that "political democracy was the medium more than the achievement of the Jacksonian party". The work recalls astute observers of American society at that time such as Tocqueville, Leggett, Sedgewick and Rantoul. Here through their eyes we become witness to the paradoxical and nuanced nature of the Jacksonian "persuasion" (as opposed to ideology, for example). It is the first time that we are confronted with the notion of fear in American history, in which the Jacksonians view the ineluctability of the American experiment with a degree of circumspection. Meyers' work is also outstanding as a paradigm for understanding the thoughts and ideas of a given epoch: to understand those thinkers as they understood themselves.

Jesus Then & Now: Images Of Jesus In History And Christology edited by Marvin Meyer (Professor of Religious Studies at Chapman College) and Charles Hughes (Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Chapman College) is a singularly fascinating, college-level look at the artistic vision human beings have had of Jesus Christ throughout the ages. Jesus Then & Now does not limit itself to any era, or even to the religion of Christianity, for its also encompasses images and perceptions of Jesus in Judaism and Islam. Extensive annotation reflects the vast amount of scholarly research that has gone into this presentation of the myriad, often conflicting views of Jesus that have persisted through the ages. Jesus Then & Now is very highly recommended for both scholars and non-specialist general readers with a serious interest in the history of Christianity and evolving perspectives of Jesus Christ.

The Mind of the Founder: Sources of the Political Thought of James Madison by James Madison and Marvin Meyers editor, is a book on Madison's political thought through writings and papers.

This is excellent for students, scholars and general readers as it delves into Madison's thought as a political theorist, practicing politician, and major political thinker in his time. Madison political life went on for fifty years, from the time of the Revolution to the framing of the Constitution, and finially to the sectional crisis over slavery.

This book is divided into five major parts and each is subdivided into small like sections. The five major parts are: Anticipations: Revolutionary Years; Founding: The Critical Period; Opposition: The Federalist Era; Power: The Republican Regime; and lastly Reflections: The Elder Statesman.

This book has an excellent bibliography of selected readings about Madison and is documented through and verified from extensive cross referencing and from Madison's own writings. Reading Madison's writings makes you know Madison rather vicariously, but to know him better you would have to speak with him one on one.

I found this book fascinating and well worth the time as I read, you can almost feel the wheels turning in Madison's head as he plots and thinks through problems... too bad Madison wasn't a better leader... he would have surpassed Jefferson in import. But, as a political theorist, Jefferson depended on Madison.

Collaboratively and expertly edited by Marvin Meyer (Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies, Chapman University, Orange, California) and Kurt Bergel (Professor Emeritus, Chapman University and founder/co-director of the Chapman University Albert Schweitzer Institute), Reverence for Life: The Ethics Of Albert Schweitzer For The Twenty-First Century is an inherently impressive selection of profound essays by humanitarian Albert Schweitzer, enhanced with an eclectic variety of soul-searching commentaries on his thoughts and recommendations. Among Schweitzer's presented and scrutinized works are sermons, letters, as well as tidbits of his personal autobiography and deep philosophy. Reverence For Life is highly recommended as life-affirming, fundamental and thoughtfully constructed reading.

Secret Gospels: Essays On Thomas And The Secret Gospel Of Mark by Marvin Meyer (Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies, Chapman University, Orange, California) is a close and scholarly study of apocryphal texts - those ancient Christian writings which are not included in the canonical New Testament Gospels. These texts present accounts of Jesus' childhood, teenage years, and relationships with women left out in the canonical gospels, and this in-depth study of their meaning and symbolism offers a fascinating new dimension to Biblical reference shelves. Also very highly recommended for Christian Studies reading lists are Professor Meyer's earlier books: The Secret Teachings of Jesus: Four Gnostic Gospels and The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus.

In 1945 a couple of Egyptians digging in the Nile River valley found a sealed storage jar that contained a collection of fifty-two ancient manuscripts, most of which were devoted to the teachings of Gnosticism, early Christians who believed that matter is evil and that emancipation comes through "gnosis" (the Greek word for "knowledge"). The Gnostic inner quest for spiritual understanding put them at odds with the authority of the Church in the first, formative centuries of Christianity. It is not surprising that the Gnostic writings were suppressed by the early Church and were really only known to us through the writings of their opponents. The discovery of these manuscripts allows us to read what these early Christians were thinking and to judge for ourselves the value of their beliefs.

Marvin W. Meyer has provided new English translations of several of the most important and revealing of these early Christian texts. Of these, the Gospel of Thomas is the most interesting. Biblical scholars have long maintained that one of the source documents for the Gospels was a collection of sayings that was integrated with the Gospel of Mark to produce the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Gospel of Thomas is an example of such a collection, providing dozens of sayings attributed to Jesus. For example, Saying 75: "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: all came forth from me, and all attained to me. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Pick up a stone, and you will find me there." The words might be different, but certainly the idea is recognizable, which is true of the vast majority of 144 Sayings collected in the Gospel of Thomas. These sayings are not a radical depature from what we have in Scripture and at the very least we can accept them as being accurate representations of early Christian beliefs. Certainly they are more familiar than the other Gnostic writings Meyer has translated. You will have to judge for yourself how compatable they are with the New Testament. But I think they are definitely worth thinging about.

To my utter surprise, this book in question, i.e., The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus by Marvin Meyer (Translator) was so much better then I had ever expected. In fact, one can and should draw striking similarities between the Thomas's gospel and that of the book of Q. The similarities are very striking; in both version one is presented with a prophet (whom is not the son of God or divine in any way, shape or form and tells parables in order for people to understand the real nature of God) and this picture is so much more compelling to a person whom is a Unitarian Universalist by choice, will and credo. The picture of Thomas's Jesus is very compelling and some of the things that he says can be attributed more to the study, the craft and the art of ethics and morality then to purely religious thought, ideas and study. Overall, I thought that this book, i.e., The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus by Marvin Meyer (Translator) was extremely thought provoking, intellectually stimulating and was written with a sense of scholarly authority that is rarely seen in any book (regardless of subject which the book covers).

The Gospel of Thomas was found in 1945 along with the Nag Hammadi Library near the town of Nag Hammadi in Egypt. It's text dates back some 1600 years. The gospel contains many sayings which are found in the New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John). However, it also includes many sayings never found before. Unlike the other gospels, "The Gospel of Thomas" has no story line but instead focuses on the specific sayings of Jesus Christ. There are 114 sayings, spoken by Jesus and recorded by Judas Thomas the twin. Many have come to know this man as Thomas the disciple or "doubting Thomas". Either way the fact that it was written by one of the twelve disiples adds credibility to the text. As far as the translation goes; in the preface, Marvin Meyer explains his careful use of coptic text to translate the document. Nothing is added, nor is anything taken out. What a relief for christians seeking the truth! I highly recommend this book, however, I would advise skipping the reading by Harold Bloom.

it was ok, but i am not very sure on how to cast the spells. it has a good, but confusing, background. the spells are good, but I am not sure if all i say is the words given or if there is something i should knwo, not given in the book. i expected different.

In an environment where 'what we do is religion and what they do is magic' attitude, these compilers prefer to speak of 'ritual' as a less value-ridden word and since the spells relate to that sphere of life we call 'religion' the sub-title may be a more appropriate description. There are 135, dating from the first 1000 years of Christianity, in English, with notes and written originally on papyrus, parchment, rag paper, pottery or bone. There are love spells, healing spells, sexual spells, protective spells, spells to drive out demons, spells for a good singing voice or to silence a dog, and curses. A book for specialists.

With so much interest in things magical (from card games to Harry Potter) and mystical (from Celtic chants to Zen monastic biographies) I have been surprised that this book is not better known, and yet it remains, despite a prestigious university press pedigree (Princeton University Press) and marketing by one of the powerhouses of publishing (HarperCollins, their HarperSanFrancisco division here) a relatively unknown text. Not perhaps coincidentally, many of the texts contained herein were, for most of Christian history, relatively unknown. Indeed, it is virtually unknown that, in many parts of Christendom, magic was not only tolerated, but expected of the priestly class; miracles, after all, often seem magical events, much to the chagrin of rational theologians who try to explain them metaphorically, symbolically, or any way other than as Houdini-esque happenings.

In particular, the Coptic Christians, who were concentrated mostly in Egypt, spreading (as all Christians were wont to do) throughout the Roman and non-Roman world from a centre not too far from Alexandria, one of the major cities of the world of the time. The Coptics never really died out, but always remained a strange Christian aberration from orthodoxy on the fringes of East and West. The texts contained in 'Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power', by Marvin Meyer and Richard Smith, come from these people.

These texts contain the whole slate of magical utterances -- rites, spells, amulets, curses, recipes. The magical practices contained herein include a spell for protection against headless powers, an invocation to a thundering power to perform every wish (shades of the 'Prayer of Jabez' here), an amulet to protect against the mischief of evil spirits, and even an erotic spell for a ma to obtain a male lover (lest we think that modern controversies in the church have no historical bases or parallels).

Lest we think that the magical period of Christianity was only in the remotest of history, this collection includes texts as early as the first century after the time of Jesus to the twelfth century -- more than half the span of Christian history. Almost all texts are from Egypt, centre of the Coptic and Gnostic communities.

The users of these texts, the authors contend, had the same disdain for 'magic' as traditional Christians have for 'magic' today -- magic is usually assumed to be alien, evil, something dark and probably demonic. Yet, these texts were used in much the same way, with an intention rooted in Christianity that somehow would serve to make the practice acceptable, even holy.

Within this text are 135 Coptic texts. They originated in Old Coptic, Greek, and Gnotic texts. This volume combines them in three sections.

Ritual Power in Egypt
These texts come from various sources, manuscripts held in museums all over the world, including the Great Magical Papyrus of Paris, texts from Cairo, Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam, Florence, and Oslo, and of course, the Nag Hammadi collection.

Other interesting texts in this section spells for seeking vengeance, spells for ascending through the heavens, spells to drive out demons and various amulets and prayers.

Coptic Texts of Ritual Power
Most of these texts are individual constructs; i.e., spells or curses from a particular person to a particular person or need. However, many are templates, with placeholders or blanks to be filled in later. Often these (perhaps a precursor to indulgences later) were for sale. There are spells to help a woman conceive, and spells to help a woman avoid pregnancy. There are several spells and charms to woo a woman; there are several curses directed at barreness and impotence. Life was harsh!

Coptic Handbooks of Ritual Power
This section consists of masters and collections, like the cookbook from Cairo, and the hoards, portfolios and books of spells held at other major museums. 'In a world where ritual dominated the resolution of most crises in life, these handbooks seem to have been a prized component of private collections and the mainstay of temple libraries ' Many of these collections were loose-leaf collections, and sometimes short on Christian imagery. 'While this neglect of Christian traditions might suggest that the handbooks' owners worked independently from the monasteries, it may also reflect the type of language and symbolism that worked in the villages beyond the monasteries.'

Unlike our sense of magic as being something devious or sneaky, in fact magic has more often intended to be useful and practical. Thus, these rituals were meant to invoke power and meaning into the lives of those using it .

Addendum
A joy of a book will have a bibliography, an index, and appendices that give further guidance. This book magically has much here to commend it. It does lack an index, which is less critical here than in many texts, but one would hope that a future edition would have one.

The appendix contains previously unpublished Coptic texts from the Beinecke Library at Yale. These are annotated but not translated, so brush up your ancient languages for this one. Thirty pages of textual notes expand the translations in the earlier sections. A good glossary is provided, which is useful for this and other Coptic and Gnostic texts. The bibliography is a gem, and one could devote years to follow-up research based on the hundreds of items contained herein.

The book is not lavishly illustrated, but it does have original drawings, a few photographic representations, and original language sections that enhance the readability. This is a book which is both scholarly and fun, interesting and educational. Mysterious combination, indeed!

this was truely a great book and i enjoyed reading it, however i desired more interpretation on "the secret sayings of the living Jesus." i thought the authors would elaborate in depth the sayings they've discovered, but rather they were just presented. I'd recommend buying the book, that is for sure, but you should research the gospel of Thomas deeply before you undertake the reading.

This is in response to anyone who might think it's a bad idea to give any credence to the Gnostic Gospels or any text arising out of the early centuries during the start of the Christian church and the man they call Jesus. I've spent many a good year pondering over various sections of the bible trying to figure out how to make it all make sense and please everybody in every church at the same time. And I found out I had so much to wake up to. Further, my life basically drifted farther and farther from anything sensible. And all because I was conditioned to believe that in order to serve God I had to make everyone else happy. Well, to make a long story short, I would be in time, most fortunate to find out (or come to believe) that God is just not like that. That the last thing he wants for me is to think I got to make everyone else happy in order for God to be happy with me, or to simply to be loved. As for those religious zealots who feel that they have something to prove or on the other hand nothing to prove, I won't be wasting my time arguing. But I have found this to be true, that the very same book you quote tells me the first rule of knowledge is to "acquire knowledge" and "with all your acquiring, obtain understanding". Well, as a result of that, un-biased, directive, I can safely say that the study of history of the time reveals that the bible, especially the new testament, may not be as bullet proof as we have been led to believe. As a matter of fact, when we study the events that led up to its formation we find that indeed; the book was formed on the complete and unconditional directive of the Roman Emperor! And being Emperor, we have reason to believe he was much more interested in the Bibles ability to keep an empire together than the salvation of lost souls or a relationship with God. Now then, when was the last time you heard that preached from the pulpit? Now I'm not attacking the proclaimed "word of God" but let me tell you, how refreshing it is to be set free from the same crowd of bureaucrats today that existed in those times who show by their very actions that they couldn't care less if I was living or dead (sounding bitter, my apologies, but this is my life and I will take respondsibility for my actions, not someone elses). Well I could say more, but given the limited space and the sensitive nature of the subject involved, I can only recommend that you yourself, out of your own interest, find out for yourself but way of many points of view and by way of studying the actions, the causes and effects of the people of those times and judge for yourself, what works and what doesn't.

Go in peace and God's blessings. (Thomas 113)

In 1945 a couple of Egyptians digging in the Nile River valley found a sealed storage jar that contained a collection of fifty-two ancient manuscripts, most of which were devoted to the teachings of Gnosticism, early Christians who believed that matter is evil and that emancipation comes through "gnosis" (the Greek word for "knowledge"). The Gnostic inner quest for spiritual understanding put them at odds with the authority of the Church in the first, formative centuries of Christianity. It is not surprising that the Gnostic writings were suppressed by the early Church and were really only known to us through the writings of their opponents. The discovery of these manuscripts allows us to read what these early Christians were thinking and to judge for ourselves the value of their beliefs.

Marvin W. Meyer provides new English translations of four of the most important and revealing of these early Christian texts: the Secret Book of James, the Gospel of Thomas, the Book of Thomas, and the Secret Book of John. The Gospel of Thomas includes dozens of sayings of Jesus, such as Saying 75: "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: all came forth from me, and all attained to me. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Pick up a stone, and you will find me there." The Secret Book of John talks about the four principle demons of pleasure, desire, grief and fear. These are only two choice examples, but I think they provide an indication of what you will find in these writings. Meyer also includes detailed notes that offer specific textual comparisons between the Gnostic writings and the Gospels. These are primary documents from early Christians and should be appreciated as such. Whether in the end you consider these teachings to be sadly "lost" or rightfully "abandoned," they will definitely get you to thinking about what people believe and why. "The Secret Teachings of Jesus" is (are?) well worth reading.

Final note: The cover art is of a mosaic of Christ in Glory from the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. So often book covers add nothing to the value of the book, but this is a beautiful and totally appropriate work of art for this book.

Ancient Gnostic texts reveal a long-forgotten form of relationship with between humanity and the divine, and a surprisingly unique perception of the divinity among these circles.

This book presents the latest translations of four texts from the Nag Hammadi library of Gnostic texts. The four texts chosen are classic Gnostic scriptures of particular importance to early Christianity. They are, "The Secret Book of James" (written by Jesus' brother), "The Gospel of Thomas" (the most prominent classic of Gnostic Christian spirituality, by Jesus' twin, Judas Thomas), "The Book of Thomas", and "The Secret Book of John" (by Jesus' disciple, John the fisherman).

Amazingly, each of these four authentic texts are specifically identified by the mysterious ancient authors, in the first verses, as containing secret information from Jesus Christ himself! These texts in particular make an essential contribution to our understanding of Gnosticism and its role in early stages of the development of Christianity, seeming to shed welcome new light on some previously uncertain aspects of the Christian religion.

We should be extremely grateful for the opportunity to read these fascinating documents, which were until recently all but lost forever. The Gnostic movement was systematically oppressed, and its legacy systematically destroyed, long ago by its powerful opponents. The Gnostics were triumphant in this epic story, because, in their wisdom, they deliberately sealed away their sacred knowledge to be re-discovered at a time in the distant future when they would be respected and appreciated. The Nag Hammadi library comprises 52 documents in 13 books, most of which were entirely unknown to until the Nag Hammadi artefacts were discovered.

In this book an informative introduction, including the intriguing story behind the texts, prepares a clear passage for the reader's journey into this repository of ancient wisdom. The notes at the end of the book provide a concise commentary, with useful explanation and reference to other scriptures including the Bible, to complete the reader's learning experience. The relatively thin size of this volume makes it highly accessible - most people could easily read the whole book in a single weekend!

If you have the slightest interest in history or religion - especially Gnosticism or Christianity, then you will certainly enjoy this book.

The texts in this book really are an amazing and important part of human history, and everyone should at least have a look at them.