Infancy Gospel of James

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Infancy Gospel of James
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The NativityAustrian, ca. 1400, artist unknown
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Nativity, Giotto, ca. 1300, Italian
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Byzantine icon of the Nativity, date unknown
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Text

• Written ca. 150
• Shows how Christian imagination and values are
  developing
• fills out Lukes story of Jesus birth
• Most of story focuses on Mary increasing
  curiosity about her and devotion to her, not
  really addressed in Luke
• Very strong focus on purity (virginity)

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Virginity

• Why so popular for early Christians?
• Countercultural to Roman Empire, in which women
  were expected to marry and have children
• Christians saw the ideal of virginity in Mary,
  not so much Jesus
• Primarily about women, but men also became very
  dedicated to ideals of purity (very
  countercultural to the double standard of Rome)

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What did virginity mean?

• Lukes gospel
• Mary was a young woman and she could not have
  conceived naturally
• James infancy gospel
• Mary was exceptionally pure in body and spirit
• She kept her bodily integrity in giving birth
  (physical definition of virginity)
• 2nd century Christians virginity became a way of
  discipleship
• Radical way of life for women and men
• Perhaps signified not mixing with the world,
  focusing only on God

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Infancy Gospel

• How is Marys character developed?
• In infancy
• In young adulthood
• What does the gospel contribute to 2nd century
  views of Jesus?
• What else can we learn about what was important
  to the audience of this gospel?

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Differences between Luke and James

• Focus on Jesus birth
• Mary a young virgin, poor and humble
• Joseph engaged to Mary
• Mary gave birth near a manger, not at the inn
• Virginity implies miraculous conception (134,
  How can this be, since I am a virgin?)

• Focus on Marys birth, some on Jesus
• Mary from a wealthy family, very pure and
  exceptional, connected to the Temple
• Joseph an old man with sons, not engaged or
  married to Mary
• Gave birth in a cave
• Virginity implies physical integrity after birth
  (116, Will I also give birth the way women
  usually do?)

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Contrast Infancy Gospel of Thomas

• Tells story of Jesus childhood (ages 5-12)
• Jesus is powerful but not emotionally mature yet
• Has power to create life, strike dead, and raise
  again
• Can lose his temper and use powers
  inappropriately
• By end of gospel (age 12), he has matured so that
  his maturity matches his powers

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For next time

• Gospel of Thomas
• Most famous non-biblical gospel
• Gnostic
• Featured in DaVinci Code
• Very different image of Jesus
• What sounds like Lukes Jesus?
• What sounds different?
• How does he treat people, including his
  disciples?
• What is missing from this story of Jesus life?