Gnostic Philosophy??

yagnyavalkya

Of late I have been reading a lot of literature on Christianity especially on the historicity of Christ, the synoptics, the newly discovered writing ( St. Thomas’s gospel Judas’s gospel , Mary Magdalene’s gospel and the specially the Nag Hammadi text) and other early Christian writings (Irenaeus of Lyons , Clement of Alexandria) The apologists and the refuters and of course the rationalists.
The Gnostic philosophy has captured my imagination!
In fact I am in the process of writing a review on the historicity of Christ for a peer review high impact journal in the area. I would like very much to get you views general and specific in this area. Did Christ belong the The Eseenes, that very conservative sect of Jews who lived in the desert! One of mail topic of research has been the extrabiblical references to Jesus in annotated History.

Bikerman

A peer review journal which accepts articles on the life of Jesus? I didn't know there was such a beast. Which journal are you referring to?

yagnyavalkya

Actually it is not life of Jesus you must have misread it is actually on the historicity of Jesus I guess you can understand the life and historicity are not exactly the same
There are in fact many!

1. Religion ( http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/622940/description#description)
the best in the area!
check URL for aim and scope of the journal
2. Journal for Christian Theological Research Unfortunately for me
The Journal for Christian Theological Research is currently suspending publication. We will not be accepting articles for 2008. The future of the Journal is under review by the executive committee of the CTRF until a final decision is reached in November (http://www.luthersem.edu/ctrf/JCTR/default.htm)
2. The Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory ( http://www.jcrt.org/) not a bad one to submit an article on the historicity of Jesus
3. The Journal of Religion (http://www.jstor.org/journals/00224189.html)
4. Reviews in Religion & Theology (http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1350-7303&site=1)
5.HISTORY OF EUROPEAN IDEAS (http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/605/description#description)
6.Journal of Religious History (http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/605/description#description)
and many more the above ones are good in terms of impact factor and audience

Actually cant say these will accept my review although I am contact with the editors and at least tow of them have asked me to submit the first draft
in this context I wish to ask if any of here would be interested to read through improve upon and co author the review article which is underway preparation

Bikerman

Well, good luck.
I'm not personally interested in publishing on this matter - I think there is some information in the public domain on this matter;
http://sonic.net/sentinel/naij3.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_Jesus
As far as I know the only contemporaneous mention (apart from the NT) in the historical record is a brief passage in Josephus, and there is much doubt about the passage concerned - many think it was a later addition by Eusabius.

Indi

Yes, that's the part i'm curious about, too. ^_^; As far as extra-Biblical references go, i can name three or four - all very weak at best. Besides Josephus, don't forget Tacitus.