by John M. Munter (Author)
The author proves for the first time-- in the face of all contemporary scholarship-- that the Gospel of Thomas can be seen to be designed out of whole cloth to be understood as one coherent and logical conversation from beginning to end to end. This has not been perceived by contemporary scholars because the received text is only the 'answer key'. The 'question key' part of the Socratic dialogue is missing Once proper questions are added in between each saying which flow as the natural responses to each saying that ALSO correspond to the content of the following saying then the understanding of the conversation thread throughout the mystery school document comes clear. Munter stays within scholarly parameters in positing that the Gospel of Thomas was produced in Syria in between the Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John, that Synoptic material was used to compose them, that the Greek versions are to be preferred over the Coptic, and that Saying 114 was not part of the original composition. He comes to many startling, funny, and original interpretations and implications of some sayings as well such as details in the life of Mary Magdalene, use of the psychomanteum meditation technique, and a scathing parody of Roman Christianity. His Introduction to 'The Integral Gospel of Thomas Made Easy' is a fresh evaluation of the production of the Roman Gospels and their dialogue with their Syrian cousins which resulted in a genre that Munter identifies as 'Bridal Chamber Christianity' which produced a number of other works such as the 'Gospel of Philip' and 'Dialogue of the Savior' birthed within the confines of the Parthian Empire.
Author Biography
John Munter received his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota, Duluth in 1972 and his M.Div degree from the University of Dubuque, Theological Seminary in 1988. He has had broad interests in world religious history and transformative spiritual modalities. Retired and living on a small hobby farm in Northern Minnesota he has been well known in some circles for climate change activism of organizing faith and ecology conferences and testifying in public hearings and before decision-makers for many decades on many issues.