text: Elaine Pagels is a wonderful writer.  Her explanation into early Christianity is wonderful.  It is definitely worth the time to read this.  She delves into the politics of the early church, the Passion, the resurrection, as well as the clashes between Gnostic and Orthodox thinking.  Too often, we forget that what we call the canon is not the only writings available.  She just reminds us that there is this whole other world of writings that did not make it into the bible for one reason or another.  If you want to get an idea of who the Gnostics were, read this
  