The Gospel of Philip

December 15, 2004
The Gospel of Philip is one of the now-legendary early Christian documents that in 1945 was discovered in the sands of Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt. Considered apocryphal because it was not included in the official Christian canon, this gospel offers a perspective that translator Leloup (The Gospel of Mary Magdalene ) describes as more mystical, imagining, and feminine. Unlike the four canonical accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, this ancient text relates very few words or deeds of Jesus but rather contains mostly summarizing statements of a distinctly Gnostic flavor. A notable exception to the philosophic tone is the famous description of Jesus' relationship with Mary Magdalene: "the Teacher loved her (Miriam) more than all the disciples; he often kissed her on the mouth." Leloup, who admits that "to translate is always to interpret," emphasizes the hermeneutical and mystical, especially as it relates to the "holy of holies"--the sexual union of male and female. The original Coptic faces the English translation, which is laid out in poetic form, creating a handsome text. Despite recent interest in Mary Magdalene, this work is scholarly and of interest only to academic libraries.--Sheila Peiffer, Acad. of the Holy Names, Albany, NY

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2004
The Gnostic Gospel of Philip, discovered in 1947 at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, is best known for a verse that portrays Jesus kissing Mary Magdalene on the lips. Although this is the most visual image in that gospel, the underlying message, about the sacredness of the marital union, was also controversial in early Christianity, as it established closer links to Judaism and the belief in a space of holiness that can occur in the physical act of love. Leloup, who has also written on the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, here translates Philip's gospel from the Coptic (Joseph Rowe translates Leloup's French into English) and offers a rather brief analysis of the text (he promises more in a future book). Still, what he does cover--ways to look at conception, birth, and the relationship between man, woman, and God--is well thought out and understandable to the lay reader. Most of the book is taken up with actual translation and visuals of the Coptic original from which Leloup worked.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)