The Unknown Jesus, Visions of Apocalypse, Prophets and Patriarchs.
'The Lost Bible' is an introduction to the "unofficial scriptures" - the sacred writings that were not incorporated in the Jewish and Christian Bibles. Highly accessible and beautifully illustrated, it presents a selection of works that are rich in character, incident and spiritual depth.
In the centuries around the beginning of the Common Era, the Jewish people drew faith and inspiration from hundreds of sacred writings, not just those that make up the Hebrew Bible we know today. Many of the writings included in 'The Lost Bible' claim to be the very words written by famous prophets, kings and patriarchs - even Adam himself. In spite of their exclusion from the Jewish canon, they continued to inspire and influence the great Jewish teachers and were a rich source of popular legends and traditions.
These often powerful and beautiful works were also important to the founders of the Church - including the writers of the New Testament. Early Christianity itself produced a wealth of sacred writings which, although excluded from the Christian canon, were popular among believers and important in spreading faith.
They are a treasury of legends that include strange miracles of the boy Jesus and the adventures of the apostles among magicians, emperors and talking animals. 'The Lost Bible' presents extracts from many of these writings alongside works of mystic power produced by the Gnostics and other "heretics".
With deft and profound scholarship, Professor Roy Porter presents the general reader with an anthology of extraordinary ancient books, assessing their context, character and importance. For each work in the selection an enlightening commentary is accompanied by a translated extract in clear and up-to-date language. Among the superb illustrations are many works of art directly inspired by the legends and traditions found in these largely forgotten texts.
