Mystery and Secrecy in the Nag Hammadi Collection and Other Ancient Literature: Ideas and Practices

Liv Ingeborg Lied, Dr.Art. (2007) in the History of Religions, University of Bergen (Norway), is Associate Professor in Religious Studies at MF Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo. She has published on the Pseudepigrapha and their reception history. Christian H. Bull, is Ph.D-student in the History of Religions, University of Bergen (Norway). He has published on Hermetism.John D. Turner, Ph.D. (Duke, 1970) in Religion, is Cotner Professor of Religious Studies and C. J. Mach University Professor of Classics and History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, specializing in Biblical Studies, Gnosticism, and the History of Hellenistic/Graeco-Roman Religions.

"This substantial collection [...] focusing on Nag Hammadi and Gnosticism, [...] sources of Early Christianity, Hermetism, Greco-Roman religion, magic Manichaeism, and apocalypticism. [...] This volume will be of great use for scholars of ancient and early medieval esotericsm, as well as Gnosticism and ancient religions in general. Like all in the NHMS series, the volume is handsomely produced. Fine indices of ancient sources and keywords are provided." – Dylan M. Burns, in: Aries: Journal for the Study of Western Esotericism 14 (2014)"a fitting tribute to the scholarship of Einar Thomassen. As a collection the essays have an inner coherence, while allowing sufficient breadth to tease out meaningful connections. While this is a volume for specialists in the area of Nag Hammadi and cognate studies, for such scholars it provides a rich fare." – Paul Foster, in: The Expository Times 124/5 (February 2013)"To be recommended to those with an interest in mystery and secrecy in late antique religion." – Michael Kaler, York University, in: Studies in Religion 41/3"This book will be of interest to students of Gnosticism and Greco-Roman religions in general." – Birger A. Pearson, in: Religious Studies Review 38/3 (September 2012)

• 1. Mystery and Secrecy in the Nag Hammadi and Related Gnostic WritingsApril D. DeConick,From the Bowels of Hell to Draco: The Mysteries of the PeraticsJean-Daniel Dubois and Flavia Ruani,Interprétation d’une formule barbare chez les gnostiques valentiniens d’après le Contre les hérésies d’Irénée, I, 21,3Karen L. King, Mystery and Secrecy in The Secret Revelation of JohnAntti Marjanen, Sethian Books of the Nag Hammadi Library as Secret BooksLouis Painchaud, «Joseph le charpentier planta un jardin …» (EvPhil 73,8-9): Sens apparent et sens caché dans l’Évangile selon PhilippeAnne Pasquier, Invocation et glorification du Nom divin dans le Livre sacré du grand Esprit invisible ou Évangile égyptien (NHC III,2; NHC IV,2)Nils Arne Pedersen, The Term μυστήριον in Coptic-Manichaean TextsMadeleine Scopello, Secrets et révélation dans le codex TchacosJohn D. Turner, I Tell You a Mystery: From Hidden to Revealed in Sethian Revelation, Ritual, and Protology2. Mystery and Secrecy in Other Christian Practices, Text Traditions, and Material CultureDavid Brakke, Mystery and Secrecy in the Egyptian Desert: Esotericism and Evagrius of PontusIsmo Dunderberg, Secrecy in the Gospel of JohnDimitris J. Kyrtatas, Living in Tombs: The Secret of an Early Christian Mystical ExperienceHugo Lundhaug, Mystery and Authority in the Writings of ShenouteBirger A. Pearson, Mystery and Secrecy in PaulPaul-Hubert Poirier, Mystère et mystères dans les Actes de ThomasTuomas Rasimus, Revisiting the Ichthys: A Suggestion Concerning the Origins of Christological Fish Symbolism 3. Mystery and Secrecy in Non-Christian Practices, Text Traditions, and Material CultureJonas Bjørnebye, Secrecy and Initiation in the Mithraic Communities of Fourth Century RomeJan N. Bremmer, Initiation into the Eleusinian Mysteries: A “Thin” DescriptionChristian H. Bull, The Notion of Mysteries in the Formation of Hermetic TraditionLiv Ingeborg Lied, Those Who Know and Those Who Don’t: Mystery, Instruction, and Knowledge in 2 Baruch Marvin Meyer, The “Mithras Liturgy” as Mystery and MagicJørgen Podemann Sørensen, The Secret Hymn in Hermetic TextsRisto Uro, Cognitive and Evolutionary Approaches to Ancient Rituals: Reflections on Recent Theories and Their Relevance for the Historian of Religion