Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 22:44:31 To: tc-list@shemesh.scholar.emory.edu, tc-list@shemesh.scholar.emory.edu From: "Stephen C. Carlson" Subject: Re: Q and oral tradition At 09:04 8/19/97 -0400, Jim West wrote: >Q and Thomas are, properly speaking, independent sources. Properly speaking, scholars are divided on the question of whether Thomas is independent of or dependent upon the synoptics, although I detect some momentum in favor the position endorsed by Jim West. Compare John P. Meier, A MARGINAL JEW: Rethinking the Historical Jesus (New York: Doubleday, 1991) 1:124-39 with Stephen J. Patterson, THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS & JESUS (Sonoma, Calif.: Polebridge Press, 1993) 9-110 for extensive treatments of the issue by scholars on opposite sides. There is a third position, viz. that the synoptics are dependent on Thomas. For a recent proposal that Mark is dependent on Thomas, see Stevan L. Davies' recent articles in Neotestamentica [sorry, paper cites not available], which are reproduced by permission at Davies' Gospel of Thomas Homepage at: http://www.epix.net/~miser17/Thomas.html Stephen Carlson -- Stephen C. Carlson : Poetry speaks of aspirations, scarlson@mindspring.com : and songs chant the words. http://www.mindspring.com/~scarlson/ : -- Shujing 2.35