Gospel of Philip



The Gospel of Philip is a gnostic text lost to generations of Christians from the 2nd century CE when it was likely written, to the 20th century when it was rediscovered.

What it is
Philip had been rumored in Christian scholarship since roughly the 3rd century as "that book", which, along with the Gospel of Judas, pretty much put to shambles the Pauline views of Christianity.

A mostly complete scroll of the Gospel was found in the Nag Hammadi texts, uncovered in 1945. And no, Philip didn't write it, his name was just more famous than Joe the Scribe.

Why it matters

 * Because Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
 * Philip reinforces that Jesus was human, that he never died and rose, just lived a nice healthy life till he was captured around 30 years of age and killed by those who wanted to shut him up. Then, you know, he stayed shut up, except as referenced by his students.
 * Philip talks of Mary and Jesus' having been lovers, which might have been a translation error for "married". Neither one is exactly a good thing for modern Christianity to deal with.
 * Because humans are blessed without priests, and the Church is irrelevant.
 * Because sex is pure and good, not dirty. Sex is a gift that should be celebrated, not hidden away for procreation only.
 * Because Jesus is a bad and angry mofo: "Jesus came to crucify the world."

Why it can't matter
Because people in power don't like it when the God they worship (and get fellow money-donors to worship) says, "You priests and church are not needed."