Bible and Beyond Discussions

Once a month, at 8:00–9:00 p.m., Eastern Time on Monday nights (generally the fourth of the month), Early Christian Texts hosts a presentation and discussion about one of the early Christian texts.  Dr. Shirley Paulson generally leads the sessions by first sharing a well-framed overview of the particular subject and after that providing time for all participants to ask questions or share their own insights.

There is no charge, but attendees are invited to donate or become a Bible and Beyond patron. You may attend any or all sessions — you are welcome any time.  We look forward to your participation.

Folks who need a brief introduction to these rather surprising and deeply moving texts are invited to watch the archival videos below, or, for those who would like a more in-depth introduction, we think you’ll enjoy the book, A New New Testament: A Bible for the Twenty-First Century Combining Traditional and Newly Discovered Texts, edited by Hal Taussig and published by Houghton, Mifflin, and Harcourt.  

Bible and Beyond Reflections

Read more about the Bible and Beyond Reflections events, open to our Patreon community members who provide monthly support at the $10 level or higher. Read more here.

Transitioning from Head to Heart

Following each one-hour discussion program, usually participants are invited to stay connected to the Zoom meeting and participate in a 20-minute period of spiritual reflection. Rev. Karen Hagen will guide us through a practice based on the subject covered in that month’s discussion. We expect the Head to Heart portion of the discussions to lead to deeper understanding and to help participants move beyond simply taking in information to finding personal inspiration and transformation. This practice is based on the concept that the divine has given us our whole self — thoughts, feelings, memories, intuition, body, and intellect — to use in discerning the divine presence. The divine is always seeking to be in more relationship.

Upcoming Discussion

(Please note:  The Zoom meeting is online approximately 10 minutes before and during the meetings.)

Is John the First Apocryphal Gospel?

Guest Scholar: Dr. Craig Evans
Host: Dr. Shirley Paulson

Monday, September 28, 2026 
8:00 pm Eastern (7:00 pm Central, 6:00 pm Mountain, 5:00 pm Pacific)
Facebook Event Page

Zoom Link – Click Here
If the link above doesn’t work, copy and paste this one into your browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82943341573?pwd=ZTM3clpPZC9LclV3MVBST1VrOGw4QT09

In a recent publication, a scholar argued that John is the first apocryphal gospel, that is, a fictional gospel that is later than the early New Testament gospels. He argued that almost all apocryphal gospels of the second, third, and fourth centuries resemble John, not the three Synoptic Gospels. The logic of this argument is deeply flawed. It’s not particularly difficult to see why writers of apocryphal gospels used John as a template, given John’s deep teaching, some of which is private. But the archaeological evidence suggests that there is nothing apocryphal about John. Unlike the apocryphal gospels, the Gospel of John reflects geographic, cultural, and archaeological realities as observed in other sources. Historians will do well to take the Gospel of John seriously as a source for investigating the Jesus of history.

Professor Craig A. Evans is the Distinguished Research Professor at the Bible Seminary in Katy, Texas, and Professor Emeritus at Houston Christian University. He is a New Testament scholar, prolific author, and popular teacher/speaker who is well-known for his contribution to work on the Gospels, the historical Jesus, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and archaeology of the New Testament. He regularly appears in documentaries, TV, and radio interviews. Author and editor of more than seventy books and hundreds of articles and reviews, Professor Evans has also lectured around the world.

Texts

Gospel of John 5:1-18; 9:1-41; 11:1-53

Bible and Beyond Reflections is a monthly online activity open to members of the Bible and Beyond Patreon community that donate at the Bible and Beyond Reader ($10.00) level and higher. Reflections is a Zoom event in which Shirley Paulson and participants dive into the most recent Bible and Beyond Discussion topic in more depth after the public discussion is over.

Bible and Beyond Reflections are usually held at 7pm Eastern, 6pm Central, 5pm Mountain, and 4pm Pacific on the Monday a week after the public Discussion event (though scheduling conflicts may require the normal dates be adjusted occasionally).

In short, Bible and Beyond Reflections is a small group discussion open to Patreon community members who donate $10.00 per month or more.

Join our community of Patreon supporters by clicking here.

Bible and Beyond Reflections participants click here to access the Reflections page.

Private Bible and Beyond Reflections participants click here to access your Reflections page.