The Gospel of Thomas Goes Public

This course, the first course in the Nag Hammadi series, updated and remastered in 2022, digs into the Gospel of Thomas.

Presenters Dr. Shirley Paulson and her co-instructor, Dr. Hal Taussig, explain the complex but extremely important relationship between the recently discovered Gospel of Thomas and the Bible, while helping you gain confidence in your own ability to interpret and make use of it.

The Gospel of Thomas is a source of inspiration and an essential resource for Bible students, Christians, and anyone interested in the history of the earliest centuries of the Christ movements. If you’re looking for cutting edge and outside the box study of a famous ancient document, you’ll definitely want to get going with this course.

Sign up now for the Early Christian Texts online course, The Gospel of Thomas Goes Public.

Purchase access through Udemy.

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This course can also be presented as a private Bible and Beyond Presentation or an Online Hybrid Course with online learning and a series of live discussions. Great for small groups or organizations of various sizes.

Learn about other courses offered by Early Christian Texts here.

New courses are always in development, and suggestions for course topics are welcome. What would you like to learn? Contact us and let us know.

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“The Gospel of Thomas Goes Public” Selected Reviews

Live Online Hybrid Course Reviews

I love having to dig deeper into exploring where my thought needs to be pruned. I think these discussions between Shirley and Hal help to guide us thinking more out of the box. Why should that seem so difficult at times? — Sher

Very helpful lectures which combine study of the numbered sayings with very interesting and important information about the background and relationship to the other Gospels as well as the influential bishops and others involved in the development of the New Testament and issues about it. — Carol Petersen

This course is a good match for my style of learning. The lectures move at a good clip to keep me engaged. And I enjoy the pauses to allow for the student to look into his/her resources to do some comparative study. — Marie

My heart is filled with so much gratitude for you, your enthusiasm+ bringing this cohort of female theologians together. To me,
Thomas represents an interior search towards unification w/Universal Divinity….or perhaps the female Sophia….. — Beth

I’m experiencing your course as a rich resource for liturgies, Shirley. Your teachings are clear and well organized. I see how the Gospel of Thomas is a rich invitation to deepen and broaden what we Scripture lovers have already heard with endless reverberation. — Elaine

Online Only (Udemy) Course Reviews

I loved this course. The teacher is easy to listen to and I enjoyed the interjections from Hal Taussig. And I have loved the material for some years and was glad to have some more ideas and better information to go with my own musings. I look forward to more courses and connecting via the web and Facebook. Thank you – I will be recommending the course to those who went through the Gospel of Thomas with me a few years ago (and others who did not!) as you have clarified some of our confusion and shown we were not so far off on others. — Janet

I’ve read some books about the Nag Hammadi series, and I took an online course on Thomas several years ago. I signed up for this class as a review, but it exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed its fresh format. I liked the interactive approach where we could take quizzes and share our thoughts if we wanted. I also appreciated learning about early church history. It was a perfect blend of lecture and independent thinking, and I look forward to more classes about Nag Hammadi. — Colleen

I really appreciate the bite-size modules of course material with their descriptive headings. Makes it easier to stop and start as needed. — Geri 

Yes, it’s challenging me and giving me much inspiration. Thank you so much. — Wendy

It is such interesting content – the lectures are easy to understand and follow. It’s a great pace for me. — Rindy