The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles
Encyclopedia
The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, also known as the Sonnini Manuscript, is a short text purporting to be the translation of a manuscript containing the 29th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles
, detailing St. Paul's
journey to Britain, where he preached to a tribe of Israelites
on Ludgate Hill
, the site of St Paul's Cathedral
. (The canonical book of Acts ends rather abruptly with Paul kept under house arrest in chapter 28, which has led to various theories about the history of the text.)
Sonnini de Manoncourt Voyage en Grèce et en Turquie and purchased at the sale of the library and effects of Sir John Newport, Bart., MP (1756-1843) in Ireland, whose family arms were engraved on the cover of the book, and in whose possession it had been for more than thirty years. The Sultan of Turkey granted Sonnini permission to travel in all parts of the Ottoman dominions and he supposedly discovered the text from a "Greek manuscript discovered in the archives at Constantinople
and presented to him by the Sultan Abdoul Achmet.
The text first made its first appearance in London
in 1871 and was printed as a six page pamphlet by Geo. J. Stevenson entitled: The long lost chapter of the Acts of the Apostles: containing an account of the Apostle Paul's journey into Spain and Britain, and other interesting events. Stevenson listed the following reasons in favour of the text's genuineness:
However no trace of the original (Greek) manuscript has been found, and from internal evidence, mainstream philology considers it to most likely be a fraud, thus it is classed among the modern apocrypha.
As of 2005, it is available in a 1982 edition by E. Raymond Capt (ISBN 0-934666-09-1) from Artisan Publishers, Muskogee, which is a publisher specializing in evangelical
fringe subjects. More recently the British-Israel-World Federation have printed the text in PDF, with added notes.
.
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
, detailing St. Paul's
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
journey to Britain, where he preached to a tribe of Israelites
Ten Lost Tribes
The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to those tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and which disappeared from Biblical and all other historical accounts after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BC by ancient Assyria...
on Ludgate Hill
Ludgate Hill
Ludgate Hill is a hill in the City of London, near the old Ludgate, a gate to the City that was taken down, with its attached gaol, in 1780. Ludgate Hill is the site of St Paul's Cathedral, traditionally said to have been the site of a Roman temple of the goddess Diana. It is one of the three...
, the site of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
. (The canonical book of Acts ends rather abruptly with Paul kept under house arrest in chapter 28, which has led to various theories about the history of the text.)
History
The text was found interleaved in a copy of the French naturalistNatural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
Sonnini de Manoncourt Voyage en Grèce et en Turquie and purchased at the sale of the library and effects of Sir John Newport, Bart., MP (1756-1843) in Ireland, whose family arms were engraved on the cover of the book, and in whose possession it had been for more than thirty years. The Sultan of Turkey granted Sonnini permission to travel in all parts of the Ottoman dominions and he supposedly discovered the text from a "Greek manuscript discovered in the archives at Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and presented to him by the Sultan Abdoul Achmet.
The text first made its first appearance in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1871 and was printed as a six page pamphlet by Geo. J. Stevenson entitled: The long lost chapter of the Acts of the Apostles: containing an account of the Apostle Paul's journey into Spain and Britain, and other interesting events. Stevenson listed the following reasons in favour of the text's genuineness:
- (a) It has all the appearance of being of ancient date.
- (b) It is written in Greek, and in the style of the Acts.
- (c) The places and peoples mentioned are called by their ancient or Roman names.
- (d) Its tone is dignified and spiritual.
- (e) Its scriptural brevity.
- (f) The remarkable character of its prophetic expressions.
- (g) Its being preserved in the Archives of Constantinople.
- (h) Its pure gospel character and generous conception of the Divine purpose and plan.
However no trace of the original (Greek) manuscript has been found, and from internal evidence, mainstream philology considers it to most likely be a fraud, thus it is classed among the modern apocrypha.
As of 2005, it is available in a 1982 edition by E. Raymond Capt (ISBN 0-934666-09-1) from Artisan Publishers, Muskogee, which is a publisher specializing in evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
fringe subjects. More recently the British-Israel-World Federation have printed the text in PDF, with added notes.
Purpose
The text supports Anglo-Israelism and is found often cited by British Israelites or proponents of Christian IdentityChristian Identity
Christian Identity is a label applied to a wide variety of loosely affiliated believers and churches with a racialized theology. Many promote a Eurocentric interpretation of Christianity.According to Chester L...
.
External links
- "Strange New Gospels" by Edgar Godspeed