Philip Jenkins on The Gospel of Judas

The most important point is that all gospels are not created equal. Some have more historical credibility than others, more claim to provide an accurate and nearly contemporary picture of the time of Jesus and his first followers. Among the various competitors, the four canonical gospels have no serious rivals. All were in place in substantially their modern form by around 100 C.E., and all describe historical settings firmly rooted in the first century. By contrast, the vast majority of Gnostic gospels were composed after 150 C.E., and many as late as 250.

- link to article

At Ben Witherington's recommendation, I've begun reading Jenkins' book Hidden Gospels: How the Search for Jesus Lost its Way. Darrell Bock also recommends Hidden Gospels in his Breaking the Da Vinci Code.

ht: pontifications