This study investigates the variety of origin stories contained within the well-known birth narratives at the beginning of Matthew and Luke, interprets the beginnings of the gospels of Mark and John, and discovers the appeal of the lesser-known Proto-Gospel of James and the Infancy Gospel of Thomas as explained in Paul Foster’s The Apocryphal Gospels: A Very Short Introduction. Each writing defines Jesus’ Christology and exposes the values of the communities that collected and preserved these stories.

Week 2: – View video
“The Stories Less Told: How the Non-Canonical Writings Fill in the Gaps about Mary”—The Proto-Gospel of James

Week 3: — View video
“In the Beginning”: How the Canonical Writers Each Began Jesus’ Story Differently—Paying Attention to Mark and Matthew

Week 4: – View video
“In the Beginning”: How the Canonical Writers Each Began Jesus’ Story Differently—Paying Attention to Luke and John

Jesus’ Birth and Childhood Stories Study Guide

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