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History and Fiction in the Acts of Thomas: The State of the Question

Department of Philosophy and Religion, Butler University, 4600 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA

The Acts of Thomas has not yet received as much attention as the Gospel associated with the same individual, and this is understandable. Current students of this early Christian work, however, are in danger of missing out on the discussions and differing perspectives long offered by scholars of the Indian church and Indian history on this work. This study suggests that, while the Acts of Thomas is almost certainly a work of novelistic fiction, this should not lead us to ignore the instances of confirmable historical information embedded therein, as in many other works of historical fiction. The Acts of Thomas merits renewed detailed study by historians interested in early Christianity both in Syria and in India.

Key Words: Acts of Thomas • India • Parthia • Gondophares • Syrian Christianity • Mar Thoma • history • fiction • encratite.

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