What Is a Gospel?

by Francis Watson

When Christians speak of “the gospels” they’re usually referring to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Other ancient writings about the life of Jesus are generally considered noncanonical or heretical. But what if these other gospel writings—including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Judas, and the Protevangelium of James—aren’t fundamentally different from the four canonical gospels? 

In this follow-up to Gospel A Canonical Perspective, noted biblical scholar Francis Watson makes the case that viewing early gospel literature as a unified genre—sharing significant similarities in sources, content, and goals—allows us to discern important interrelated aspects that are lost amid the usual categories. Watson’s critical approach enables modern readers of the Bible to break free of fraught scholarly assumptions in order to better understand early Christian identity formation and beliefs.

Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2022

Reviews

[Tim Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful for those who want to make sense of 1st and 2nd and early Christian writings / and wonder how to define "GOSPEL" -- a bit academic and drawn out but worth reading for those with a Master's Degree level understanding of Theology / Ancient Literature / Religious studies / comparative religion. 4* out of 5