Some Comments on the So-called Gospel of Judas, in: Al-Nahar, Friday 21/4/2006.

Like Judas, like the Media

The Exploitation of Gospel Facts to Create News Headlines

 

The National Geographic Channel is broadcasting twice a week during this month of April a documentary titled “The Gospel of Judas.” The subject of this documentary is widely discussed nowadays in magazines and international newspapers. It questions the historicity of the New Testament and the value of Christian Education as it is imparted by the Church. Conspicuously, the broadcasting timing of this documentary falls in the midst of the Holy Easter festivities, a time during which believers endeavor to strengthen their faith. This documentary however questions the most important Christian beliefs and traditions. Instead of speaking about the person of Jesus Christ as in the cases of Dan Brown’s book and Mel Gibson’s movie, the focus this time is on the person of Judas or what’s called “The Gospel of Judas.” What are the origins of this document? Where was it written, and when?  What are its content and its impact on Christians? We will deal with these issues while presenting the most important theories upon which the documentary’s producers based their claims.

 

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