In his new translation of the Tractatus Tripartitus, Peter Nagel does a detailed study of the previous editions and translations. He has done a thorough analysis of the paleographic characteristics and the dialectic features as well as of the lexical expressions and the syntax of the Coptic text, which can be traced back to the original Greek text which was lost. This analysis resulted in an interpretation of the text which differs from the previous translations in numerous places. The author justifies the new version in the introduction, the annotations and in the philological and grammatical remarks. This new translation also conveys the mentality and the method of argumentation in the Tractatus Tripartitus to those interested who cannot read or understand Coptic and enables the reader to gain a deeper insight into the history of Valentinian gnosis and its reaction to early Catholic theology.
In his new translation of the Tractatus Tripartitus, Peter Nagel does a detailed study of the previous editions and translations. He has done a thorough analysis of the paleographic characteristics and the dialectic features as well as of the lexical expressions and the syntax of the Coptic text, which can be traced back to the original Greek text which was lost. This analysis resulted in an interpretation of the text which differs from the previous translations in numerous places. The author justifies the new version in the introduction, the annotations and in the philological and grammatical remarks. This new translation also conveys the mentality and the method of argumentation in the Tractatus Tripartitus to those interested who cannot read or understand Coptic and enables the reader to gain a deeper insight into the history of Valentinian gnosis and its reaction to early Catholic theology.
P Nagel
Geboren 1938; 1956-61 Studium der ev. Theologie, Koptologie und Religionsgeschichte in Leipzig; 1961-77 wiss. Assistent und Lehrbeauftragter an der Universität Halle-Wittenberg; 1961 Promotion zum Dr. theol., 1965 zum Dr. phil.; 1967 Habilitation; 1977-80 Dozent, 1980-92 Professor für Koptologie in Halle; seit 1993 Professor für Sprachen, Literaturen und Kirchengeschichte des Christlichen Orients an der Universität Bonn.
Nag Hammadi, Schrift Nag Hammadi Schrift Tractatus Tripartitus