The Hidden Passion - A Novel of the Gnostic Christ Based on the Nag Hammadi Texts [Paperback]

L. Caruana (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2007

This is the tale of the Gnostic Christ, based on the ancient sources. In a compelling narrative, L. Caruana seamlessly weaves over 1500 sayings from the Nag Hammadi texts to recount The Hidden Passion of the Gnostic savior.
Wandering round Galilee, increasingly hailed as the Messiah of the Five Seals, the Gnostic savior preaches divine awakening through compassion. But he must still contend with Judas, his dark twin, and Magdalene, his promised bride. At once earthly and spiritual, the Nazarene's love for these two is finally transfigured into a higher, hidden passion.
Each page of this novel rings with the authentic message of the lost gospels. By combining numerous narrative fragments from the Nag Hammadi texts, The Hidden Passion makes the Gnostic Gospels come alive!
Complete with a map, diagram and glossary, this novel elucidates the Gnostic worldview in an eloquent , engaging narrative.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

L. Caruana is an artist and writer living in Paris. He holds a Philosophy degree in Hermeneutics (the study of Biblical Interpretation) and is the author of Enter Through the Image: The Ancient Image-Language of Myth, Art and Dreams, also published by Recluse Publishing.
From his studio in the Bastille quarter, he edits The Visionary Revue while exhibiting his works across Europe.

Product Details

• Paperback: 447 pages
• Publisher: Recluse Publishing (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978263707
• ISBN-13: 978-0978263706
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,095,038 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful surprise, December 3, 2009

By 

Jesse H. Gross "Jesse144" (Missoula, MT) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Hidden Passion - A Novel of the Gnostic Christ Based on the Nag Hammadi Texts (Paperback)

I have to say that this book is a work of genius. Mr. Caruana did an unbelievable amount of research to pull this story off in such a magnificent manner. I am always suspect of authors who write on gnosticism, as it is often times merely a cover for their new age or feminist agenda. However, this book is none of that. It goes strait to the heart of gnosticism. Mr. Caruana weaves a truely beatiful tale of Christ and the disciples around the texts of the Nag Hamadi Library. The charachter development and use of visionary sequences displays a true depth of understanding by the author of the gnostic gospels and the communities from which they came.

This is a book which should be read at least twice by someone who is interested in the subject. Once before they read the Nag Hamadi Library as an itroduction to the material, and at least once after so the reader may appreciate the material even more.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Of Gnostic Novels, February 18, 2009

By 

Benjamin D. Steele "marmalade" (Iowa City, IA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Hidden Passion - A Novel of the Gnostic Christ Based on the Nag Hammadi Texts (Paperback)

I've checked out other novels supposedly based on Gnosticism. They never seem worth reading. Many writers about Gnosticism have idiosyncratic agendas, trying to project their own ideas back onto an ancient religion.

I took a chance on this book and have been more than satisfied. He is a good writer and I feel he gets at the heart of Gnosticism. I really appreciate that he quotes so thoroughly from Gnostic texts and brings those quotes alive with his storytelling.

I've found it very difficult to get into many of the Gnostic scriptures. Much of the meaning has been lost to the past, but there is a core message to Gnosticism that can still be understood even now. I've been reading this book while referencing the texts he quotes. It gives a deeper experience to both the novel and the Gnostic texts.

I think even someone who hadn't read any Gnostic texts could still enjoy this book. I suspect this might even be a good introduction to Gnosticism. It's certainly more accessible than many of the scholarly books on the subject. Anyways, it's an entertaining story... as long as you don't mind thinking deeply about heretical ideas.

This book isn't the easiest to review. In certain ways, it has some similarities to other novels even though the technique of stringing direct quotes together with narrative is inventive. He writes about this technique in his Preface. He was forced to use short quotes because of copyright laws. I was shocked that one isn't allowed to freely quote ancient scripture. What has become of the world!?! With appropriate irony, the author says: "If Matthew and Luke were to publish their gospels today, Mark would surely sue them for copyright violation..."

Anywho, let me mention the similar novels that come to my mind.

The obvious comparison is the novel The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis. The similarity is that Jesus doesn't immediately realize the role he is to play. I like this way of portraying Jesus because it makes him more human and hence more real.

The other novel I'm reminded of is Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. The relationship between Siddhartha and his friend Govinda is somewhat like that between Jesus and Judas in this novel. The relationship serves the purpose of showing divergent paths as alternative choices.