The 2012 announcement of a papyrus fragment called the Gospel of Jesus' Wife caused a huge media sensation over the claim that Jesus did have a wife. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli examine what this fragment is, what it says, and whether it is an authentic, early Christian document.AI-powered
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Jimmy Akin's Mysterious World
The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife (Karen King, Walter Fritz, Forgery, Fraud, Hoax)
Feb 2, 2024
Karen King, an expert in early Christianity from Harvard Divinity School, and Walter Fritz, involved in the creation of the Gospel of Jesus' Wife fragment, discuss the controversy and authenticity of the fragment. They explore theories on Jesus having a wife, the implications for early Christianity, and the investigation into the fragment's provenance.
01:09:59
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Quick takeaways
- The Gospel of Jesus' Wife fragment, introduced by Karen King, was met with skepticism due to inconsistencies in penmanship and lack of supporting scientific evidence, suggesting potential forgery.
- Investigative journalist Ariel Sabar's research revealed the suspicious background of Walter Fritz, the owner of the fragment, implicating him in the forgery and raising doubts about the authenticity of the Gospel of Jesus' Wife.
Deep dives
Karen Lee King and the Gospel of Jesus' Wife
In this podcast episode, the Gospel of Jesus' wife is examined. The Harvard professor Karen Lee King, known for her work on Gnosticism, introduced the fragment of the Gospel of Jesus' wife to the world in 2012. The fragment, written in Coptic, contains eight lines, with the most controversial being Jesus saying 'my wife.' However, scholars present at the conference where King presented the fragment were skeptical of its authenticity and genre, suggesting it could be part of a Coptic homily rather than a gospel.
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