Gospel

:For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music.

Non-canonical gospels

:Main article: New Testament apocrypha.

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In addition to the four canonical gospels there have been other gospels that were not accepted into the canon. Some of these works appear to be later compositions than the canonical gospels, and as such were only ever accepted by small portions of the early Christian community. Some of the content of these non-canonical gospels (as much as it deviates from accepted theological norms) is considered heretical by the leadership of mainstream churches, including the Vatican.

Related Topics:
Heretical - Vatican

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The two earliest non-canonical gospels are the sayings Gospel of Thomas and the narrative Gospel of Peter.

Related Topics:
Gospel of Thomas - Gospel of Peter

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A genre of "Infancy gospels" (Greek: protoevangelion) arose in the 2nd century, such as the Gospel of James, which introduces the concept of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (not to be confused with the sayings Gospel of Thomas), both of which related many miraculous incidents from the life of Mary and the childhood of Jesus that are not included in the canonical gospels, but which have passed into Christian lore.

Related Topics:
Infancy gospel - Gospel of James - Perpetual Virginity - Infancy Gospel of Thomas

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Another genre that has been suppressed is that of gospel harmonies, in which the apparent discrepancies in the canonical four gospels were selectively recast to present a harmoniously consistent narrative text. Very few fragments of harmonies survived. The Diatessaron was such a harmonization, compiled by Tatian around AD 175. It was popular for at least two centuries in Syria, but eventually it fell into disuse, and no copies of it have survived, except indirectly in some medieval Gospel harmonies that can be considered its descendants.

Related Topics:
Diatessaron - Tatian - 175 - Syria

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Marcion of Sinope, c. AD 150, produced his own edition of the Gospel of Luke in accordance with his dualistic belief in two different gods, the compassionate God of Christ and the cruel God of the Old Testament. Specifically, he removed those parts of Luke that he considered too "Jewish". He also rejected all other gospels.

Related Topics:
Marcion of Sinope - 150

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The existence of private knowledge, briefly referred to in the canon, is part of the contention surrounding the Secret Gospel of Mark.

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