Metalogos The Gospels of Thomas & Philip & Truth

movements of the early centuries AD, and
so was at first unfortunately considered a
convenient category in which to place all of
the diverse Nag Hammadi writings.
Subsequent investigation has shown,
however, that neither Thomas nor Philip nor
the Gospel of Truth can correctly be labeled
gnostic, as they each explicitly affirm the
reality of our physical incarnations in their
historic ambiance (including, most notably,
the crucifixion): ‘Gnosticism’— whether
Oriental, Platonic, Mystery-Religion or
Theosophical— by definition considers the
perceptible universe (including our own
incarnate lives as well as all human history,
Biblical or otherwise) to be inherently
illusory and hence malignant. The
unequivocal Old Testament view, on the
other hand— which Christ in the canonical
Gospels most certainly accepted— was that
the entire realm of the five senses is neither
unreal nor evil, but rather divinely created
and good: so, among countless examples,
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