LETTERATA
Original Manuscript of the Gospel of Thomas (2006)
In 2006, as part of a master's thesis in Humanities, I completed a handwritten manuscript of the Gospel of Thomas. It contains about 5,300 words, forty-five gold illuminations and sixty-five illustrations (left). The translation from the original Coptic is by Dr. Marvin Meyer of Chapman University. Dr. Meyer worked with the original manuscript found in 1945 near Nag Hammadi in Egypt (bottom left). This ancient copy of the Gospel of Thomas is the last known handwritten version and dates to around 350 C.E.
My manuscript of the Gospel has six sets of sewn pages or gatherings, with four folded sheets per set. This combination yields sixteen pages per gathering. In giving the text a meaningful iconography, the six gatherings correspond to the first six days of creation from Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles.
In Thomas's Gospel, disciples are told that they merely have to remember the one in whose image all were created in order to be atoned. In other words, "at-one-ment" is remembering that all are part and parcel of the Divine. Thomas's name in fact is a way of remembering this concept. He is not "Doubting Thomas", but Thomas the Twin: the Greek versions of his name, Toma and Didimus, both mean "the twin" (right). To be the twin of Jesus is to take on his words and spiritual essence. According to Thomas, Jesus's essence is intrinsic to everyone from the beginning of time.
In Thomas's Gospel, disciples are told that they merely have to remember the one in whose image all were created in order to be atoned. In other words, "at-one-ment" is remembering that all are part and parcel of the Divine. Thomas's name in fact is a way of remembering this concept. He is not "Doubting Thomas", but Thomas the Twin: the Greek versions of his name, Toma and Didimus, both mean "the twin" (right). To be the twin of Jesus is to take on his words and spiritual essence. According to Thomas, Jesus's essence is intrinsic to everyone from the beginning of time.
The wholeness and unity of all based on this essence is signified by the blending of six colors in each of the six gatherings, which range from purple through red, the visible spectrum of light. All light is unified in one single brightness in the sun,
and is symbolized in the manuscript by the 23K gold illuminations of selected Coptic letterforms (left).
The Coptic letterforms used in the manuscript are of my own design (bottom center), and are modeled after manuscripts from Yale University Library and the University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries. I used calligraphic materials traditionally used by scribes for over 2,000 years, including Japanese stick inks, quills and metal nibs, fine handmade paper from Twinrocker Handmade Paper, and linen thread and bee's wax for book construction (bottom right).
and is symbolized in the manuscript by the 23K gold illuminations of selected Coptic letterforms (left).
The Coptic letterforms used in the manuscript are of my own design (bottom center), and are modeled after manuscripts from Yale University Library and the University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries. I used calligraphic materials traditionally used by scribes for over 2,000 years, including Japanese stick inks, quills and metal nibs, fine handmade paper from Twinrocker Handmade Paper, and linen thread and bee's wax for book construction (bottom right).
Dr. Marvin Meyer, Translator of the Gospel of Thomas
Dr. Marvin Meyer is Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies and Co-Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at Chapman University, and is the author of the translation used in the Gospel of Thomas. He derived his translation from the manuscript found at Nag Hammadi and from other first and second century Coptic language documents. He is a leader in the field of Early Christian Studies and frequently travels abroad to continue his research and study. Dr. Meyer has published many texts and articles, and he works with several national producers for television and video presentations. His television documentary appearances (including a most recent one on the theology of hell) have appeared on the National Geographic and Discovery channels. His latest translations have been of the Gospel of Mary Magdalene with accompanying analysis, and of the Gospel of Judas, the most recently discovered document in Early Christian Studies.
Nag Hammadi Manuscript
Coptic Letterforms Designed by Carol
Traditional Calligraphic Materials
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