Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Opabinia · 05-23-2007, 03:01 AM

Yesterday I came across this site:

The Protoevangelium of James

Even though I was raised as a Roman Catholic I never heard about Mary being raised as a special child. Is that belief wide accepted among Christians or is it a new thing?

RED DAVE · 05-23-2007, 03:37 AM

The Gospel of James, also sometimes known as the Infancy Gospel of James or the Protoevangelium of James

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pro...elium_of_James

Quote:

The document presents itself as written by James: "I, James, wrote this history in Jerusalem." Thus the purported author is James the Just, whom the text claims is a son of Joseph from a prior marriage, and thus a step-brother of Jesus.

Scholars have established that, based on the style of the language, and the fact that the author is apparently not aware of contemporary Jewish customs while James the Just certainly was, the work is pseudepigraphical (written by someone other than the person it claims to be written by). ... As for its estimated date, the consensus is that it was actually composed some time in the 2nd century AD. The first mention of it is by Origen in the early third century, who says the text, like that of a "Gospel of Peter", was of dubious, recent appearance and shared with that book the claim that the 'brethren of the Lord' were sons of Joseph by a former wife [.

RED DAVE

Toto · 05-23-2007, 11:51 AM

This is one of those gospels that didn't make the cut, not new at all. Christians have never believed this as a matter of doctrine, and I can't think of any serious student of history who thinks that it has any historical worth.

windsofchange · 05-23-2007, 12:02 PM

Yet interestingly enough, the Catholic Church does seem to reference it indirectly, for example in their traditions (small "t" tradition, not official doctrine) that Mary was raised in the Temple; her parents' names being Joachim and Anna; Joseph being a widower with children; etc.

05-23-2007, 03:01 AM	#1
Opabinia Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: not here Posts: 15	Mary's early history Yesterday I came across this site: The Protoevangelium of James Even though I was raised as a Roman Catholic I never heard about Mary being raised as a special child. Is that belief wide accepted among Christians or is it a new thing?

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05-23-2007, 11:51 AM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	This is one of those gospels that didn't make the cut, not new at all. Christians have never believed this as a matter of doctrine, and I can't think of any serious student of history who thinks that it has any historical worth.

05-23-2007, 12:02 PM	#4
windsofchange Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: The achingly beautiful San Fernando Valley Posts: 2,206	Yet interestingly enough, the Catholic Church does seem to reference it indirectly, for example in their traditions (small "t" tradition, not official doctrine) that Mary was raised in the Temple; her parents' names being Joachim and Anna; Joseph being a widower with children; etc.

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