The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew is one of the most important witnesses in Western Europe to apocryphal stories about the lives of Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and Mary’s parents, Anna and Joachim. This apocryphon was also used as the basis for another, the Nativity of Mary, which gained equal popularity. As bestsellers of medieval Christianity, these Latin apocrypha are major witnesses to the explosion of extra-biblical literature in the Western Middle Ages. Despite their apocryphal status, the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and Nativity of Mary proved influential throughout the Middle Ages and into the early modern period, as their popularity and influences may be traced in Christian literature, visual arts, liturgy, and theological perspectives still revered by Roman Catholic theologians. These apocrypha also remain significant works for considering the history of monasticism and the cult of the Virgin Mary. This book draws upon a range of manuscript sources to present comprehensive English translations of the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and Nativity of Mary with full introductions and commentaries, as well as translations of related works with accompanying commentaries.
The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and the Nativity of Mary is volume 8 in the series Early Christian Apocrypha, offered as part of the Westar Tools and Translations series in cooperation with the North American Society for the Study of Christian Apocrypha (NASSCAL). The Early Christian Apocrypha series features fresh new translations of major apocryphal texts that survive from the early period of the Christian church. These non-canonical writings are crucial for determining the complex history of Christian origins. The series continues the work of Julian V. Hills, who edited the first six volumes of the series for Polebridge Press.
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ENDORSEMENTS AND REVIEWS
“Brandon Hawk’s book offers a fascinating insight into the mercurial life of the apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew. Its informative introductions, lucid translations, and very useful notes reveal the richness and ever-changing character of this medieval bestseller. A must-read for anyone interested in ancient or medieval Christianity.” ~ Zbigniew Izydorczyk, Professor, University of Winnipeg
“In The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and the Nativity of Mary, Brandon Hawk provides authoritative translations—copiously and expertly annotated—of two major Latin apocryphal texts about the life of Mary and the infancy of Christ. Hawk’s lucid introductions not only judiciously synthesize previous scholarship on each text, but also make original contributions concerning their sources, origins, and transmission as well as their influence in the Middle Ages and beyond.” ~ Charles D. Wright, Emeritus Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign