Nexus - 0502 - New Times Magazine-pages

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meaning and origin of that custom. Few people even think to Irenaeus of Lyon, Origen of Alexandria—they all mention these enquire about the ultimate symbolism of the chalice and wine other gospels. sacrament, believing that it comes simply from some gospel entry So why were the gospels of Mark and Luke selected if they relating to the Last Supper. Well, it's the significance of the per- were not Jesus’ own apostles? Because Mark and Luke actually etual blood of Jesus. How is the blood of Jesus, or anyone else were apostles of Jesus, and the early Church fathers knew this. In for that matter, perpetuated? It is perpetuated through family and those days before the New Testament was corrupted, they knew lineage. full well that Jesus survived the Crucifixion. In these early So why was it that the Church authorities elected to ignore the —_ gospels there was no story of Resurrection; this was added later. loodline significance of the Grail sacrament? They kept the sacrament. Why was it they went so far as to denounce Grail lore \ ) J hy were other apostolic gospels not selected? Because and Grail symbolism as heretical? there was a second, far more important criterion—the The fact is that every government and every church teaches the criterion by which, in truth, the gospel selection was form of history or dogma most conducive to its own vested inter- really made. And this was a wholly sexist regulation. It preclud- est. In this regard we're all conditioned to receiving a very selec- ed anything that upheld the status of women in Church or commu- tive form of teaching. We are taught what we're supposed to nity, society. now, and we are told what we're supposed to believe. But for Indeed, the Church's own apostolic constitutions were compiled the most part we learn both political and religious history by way on this basis. They state, "We do not permit our women to teach of national or clerical propaganda, and this often becomes in the Church, only to pray and to hear those who teach. Our absolute dogma, teachings which may not be challenged for fear master, when he sent us the twelve, did nowhere send out a of reprisals. woman; for the head of the woman is the man, and is it not rea- With regard to the Church's attitude towards the chalice and the sonable that the body should govern the head?". wine, it is blatantly apparent that the original symbolism had to be This was rubbish, but it was for this very reason that dozens of reinterpreted by the bishops because gospels were not selected—because it denoted that Jesus had offspring they made it quite clear that there and therefore that he must have unit- were very many active women in the ed with a woman. w ' a" 5 ministry of Jesus. Mary Magdalene, But it was not only sacraments and We re all familiar with the Martha, Helena Salome, Mary Jacob customary ritual that were reinterpret- gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke Cleophas, Joanna. These were not ed because of this: the very gospels > > only ministry disciples; they're themselves were corrupted to comply and John, but what about the recorded as priestesses in their own with the male-only establishment of other gospels? What about the right, running exemplary schools of the Church of Rome—much like a worship in the Nazarene tradition. modern film editor will adjust and Gospel of Philip, of Thomas, of In St Paul's Epistle to the Romans, select the tapes to achieve the desired Mary and of Mary Magdalene?" Paul makes specific mention of his result, the result of the vested interest own female helpers: Phoebe, for of the film-maker. example, whom he called a sister of We're all familiar with the gospels the Church; Julia; Priscilla, who laid of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, down her net for the cause. The New but what about the other gospels? What about the Gospel of Testament is alive with women disciples, but the Church ignored Philip, of Thomas, of Mary and of Mary Magdalene? What of all them all. When the Church's precepts of ecclesiastical discipline the numerous gospels and acts and epistles that were not approved were drawn up, they stated, "It is not permitted for a woman to by the Church councils when the New Testament was collated? speak in Church, nor to claim for herself any share in any mascu- Why were they excluded when the choices were made? line function". But the Church itself had decided that this was a There were actually two main criteria for selection of gospels masculine function. for the New Testament. These were determined at the Council of The Church was so frightened of women that it instituted a rule Carthage in the year 397. The first criterion was that the New of celibacy: a rule for its priests, a rule that became a /aw in Testament must be written in the names of Jesus' own apostles. 1138; a law that persists today. Well, this rule has never been Mark was not an apostle of Jesus, as far as we know; nor was quite what it appears on the surface, because, when one reads the Luke. They were colleagues of the later St Paul. Thomas, on the tule, when one studies history, one can see that it was never, ever other hand, was one of the original twelve, and yet the gospel in sexual activity as such that bothered the Church. The specific his name was excluded. Not only that, but along with numerous definition that made this rule possible was priestly intimacy with other gospels and texts it was destined and sentenced to be women. Why? Because women become wives and lovers. The destroyed. very nature of motherhood is a perpetuation of bloodlines. It was And so throughout the mediaeval world, Thomas and numerous this that bothered the Church: a taboo subject—motherhood, other unapproved books were buried and hidden in the fifth centu- bloodlines. This image had to be separated from the necessary ry. Only in recent times have some of these manuscripts been image of Jesus. unearthed, with the greatest find being at Nag Hammadi in Egypt But it wasn't as if the Bible had said any such thing. St Paul in 1945, 1,500 years after the burial of these documents. had said in his Epistle to Timothy that a bishop should be married Although these books weren't rediscovered until this present to one wife and that he should have children; that a man with century, they were used openly by the early Christians. Certain of experience in his own family household is actually far better qual- them, including the gospels mentioned, along with the Gospel of __ ified to take care of the Church. Even though the Roman Church Truth, the Gospel of the Egyptians and others, were actually men- authorities claimed to uphold the teaching of St Paul in particular, tioned in writings by early churchmen. Clement of Alexandria, they chose completely to disregard this explicit directive to suit Irenaeus of Lyon, Origen of Alexandria—they all mention these other gospels. So why were the gospels of Mark and Luke selected if they were not Jesus’ own apostles? Because Mark and Luke actually were apostles of Jesus, and the early Church fathers knew this. In those days before the New Testament was corrupted, they knew full well that Jesus survived the Crucifixion. In these early gospels there was no story of Resurrection; this was added later. gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but what about the other gospels? What about the Gospel of Philip, of Thomas, of Mary and of Mary Magdalene?" NEXUS - 23 "We're all familiar with the OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1996