Elaine Pagels Books
Elaine Pagels is an American historian of religion, best known for her work on the Gnostic Gospels and early Christian texts. She is a professor of religion at Princeton University and has received numerous awards for her contributions to religious scholarship.
Known for: Why Religion?: A Personal Story
Books by Elaine Pagels
Why Religion?: A Personal Story
In this deeply personal memoir, Elaine Pagels—renowned scholar of religion—reflects on her life and work, exploring how faith and spiritual traditions have shaped human experience. Through the lens of personal tragedy and scholarly inquiry, she examines why religion continues to endure and influence people’s lives in the modern world.
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Early Academic Journey
When I first entered graduate school at Harvard in the 1960s, I was animated by the exhilaration of discovery. I wanted to study the beginnings of Christianity, not to affirm what I already believed, but to understand how such a vast, varied movement began from a handful of passionate followers. Amo...
From Why Religion?: A Personal Story
Marriage and Family Life
Meeting Heinz Pagels was like encountering a spirit of inquiry that matched my own. He was a theoretical physicist, a man whose devotion to science was accompanied by an openness to metaphysical wonder. Together we built a marriage woven out of curiosity; our conversations crossed disciplines, explo...
From Why Religion?: A Personal Story
About Elaine Pagels
Elaine Pagels is an American historian of religion, best known for her work on the Gnostic Gospels and early Christian texts. She is a professor of religion at Princeton University and has received numerous awards for her contributions to religious scholarship.
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Elaine Pagels is an American historian of religion, best known for her work on the Gnostic Gospels and early Christian texts. She is a professor of religion at Princeton University and has received numerous awards for her contributions to religious scholarship.
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