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APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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APOCRYPHAL NEW TESTAMENT:

a collection of writings which the EARLY CHURCH deemed uncanonical and rejected because they did not teach ORTHODOX doctrines. In recent years APOCRYPHAL LITERATURE, such as the Gospel of Thomas, has become popular among alternate religious GROUPS and has formed a basis for many NEW AGE BELIEFS. Many wild claims have been made about apocryphal writings but the truth is that most were written well into the second century A.D. and lack all HISTORICAL connection to the historical JESUS.