Pagels argues that the gospels of Mark, Luke, and Matthew should be read as “wartime literature.” What does this framing suggest, beyond the need for secrecy that Pagels discusses?

The meaning of the “Kingdom of God” evolves significantly across the texts Pagels examines. Compare and contrast the apocalyptic kingdom in Mark, the ethical kingdom in Matthew, the internalized kingdom in the Gospel of Thomas, and the otherworldly kingdom in John. What does this theological evolution reveal about the changing needs and priorities of different early Christian communities?

One undercurrent of Pagels’s argument is the shift that transformed Christianity from a religion of the oppressed to a religion of the oppressor. What factors—historical, cultural, ideological, etc.—does Pagels suggest account for this shift, and how might those factors have interacted with one another?

Throughout Miracles and Wonder, Pagels juxtaposes canonical gospels with non-canonical texts like the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Truth. Analyze the function of these “heretical” texts within Pagels’s own argument. Are they presented simply as historical alternatives, or do they serve a more active rhetorical purpose in her critique of orthodox creed and canon?

Pagels argues that the eventual orthodox preference for a narrative of Jesus’s bodily resurrection served to consolidate institutional power. How does this argument map onto Pagels’s broader depiction of the dichotomy between body and spirit?

Miracles and Wonder largely employs a chronological approach to Jesus’s life, progressing from accounts of his birth to his death and resurrection. How does this structure facilitate Pagels’s arguments, particularly given her claim that the gospels should not be understood as simple biography?

What is the significance of the text’s title? Why does Pagels choose to spotlight Jesus’s miracles in a work that encompasses the totality of his life?

What does the text suggest about the role of women in early Christianity? To what extent does Pagels present a feminist account of Christian history?