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The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans, and Heretics (1995) is a book by Elaine H. Pagels.

Abstract

"From the religious historian whose The Gnostic Gospels won both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award comes a dramatic interpretation of Satan and his role on the Christian tradition. With magisterial learning and the elan of a born storyteller, Pagels turns Satan's story into an audacious exploration of Christianity's shadow side, in which the gospel of love gives way to irrational hatreds that continue to haunt Christians and non-Christians alike."--Publisher description.

Editions

Published in New York, NY: Random House, 1995 (#2052).

Translations

• Satans Ursprung (1996 Pagels), book (German ed.)

• L'origine de Satan (1997 Pagels), book (French ed.)

• Akuma no kigen (2000 Pagels), book (Japanese ed.)

Table of contents

• The gospel of Mark and the Jewish war
• The social history of Satan : from the Hebrew Bible to the gospels
• Matthew's campaign against the Pharisees : deploying the devil
• Luke and John claim Israel's legacy : the split widens
• Satan's earthly kingdom : Christians against pagans
• The enemy within : demonizing the heretics

External links

• Google Books