PRAXIS--
This issue of PRAXIS addressesan important topic of concern for Christians, namely the recent surge in popular interest concerning ancient manuscripts Iike Tbe Gospelof Judas and contemporary rexts like TheDa Wnci Code,by author Dan Brown. Tlte Gospelof Judas is in fact a poorly preservedmanuscript, dated to the fourth century, and belongs to a large number of ancient texts known as "Gnostic" lirerature. The Gnostic heresy challenged the teachings of the Christian Church from its very beginnings. This heresy denied the divinity of Christ, and assertedabizarre and separatetheological system that strongiy opposed the dogmas and teachings of rhe Church.
7heDa Vinci Code,like the GospelofJuda.r,represenrs,in a wa1',a srrain of Gnostic literarure which has surfaced again in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries,recasting,in essence,some of the chaliengeswhich confronted the Christian Church as early as the secondcentury A.D. It is interestingin this light to take into accounr some of the negativereviewsfrom film critics regarding the cinematic version of 7heDa Wnci Codereleasedlast month, as well as its relatively lackiuster performance at the box office when compared to other popular films. It is furthermore interesting to observe the volume of sourcesof literature abounding within bookstores and websitesthat provide the public with the tools needed to "debunk" this conremporary tale of fiction. Perhaps these observationspoint to the realization that people are catching on to the historicai and theological fallacies contained in this work, and that the efforts of some uninformed people to fool the populace by labeling fantasy as fact constitute, at the end of the day, nothing lessthan an insult to our inteiligence as human beings.
The articles that follow in this issue of PRAXIS will provide readerswith an opportunity to learn why the resurfacing of Gnostic forms of thinking have suddenly reappearedin our modern times, and to piace them into their proper perspectiveconcerning the teachings of our Orthodox Christian faith. Accordingly, this issue of PRAXIS is geared not only toward our Orthodox Christian faithful, but to all Christians and indeed to all seekersof the authentic and incontrovertible Truth that is offered by the Lord JesusChrist, the very Son of God. May His wisdom serveas your guide as you read and learn from the articles in this informative issueof PRAXIS.
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I DEME,TzuOS Archbishop of America
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2006 Summer