References in Popular Culture
The gnostic gospels received widespread attention after they were referred to in the 2003 best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code, which uses them as part of its backstory. The novel's use of artistic license in describing the gospels stirred up considerable debate over the accuracy of its depiction. As a result of public interest triggered by the novel and film, numerous books and video documentaries about the gospels themselves were produced which resulted in the gnostic gospels becoming well known in popular culture.
The 1999 film Stigmata uses the discovery of an as-yet unknown gnostic gospel as the basis for the story. The end of the film also makes references to the Catholic Church's denunciations of such texts as being heretical.
Season 4, Episode 13 of Gilmore Girls is titled "Nag Hammadi Is Where They Found the Gnostic Gospels."
The 2008 novel, Change of Heart, by Jodi Picoult, also makes several in-depth references to the gnostic gospels - and to the Gospel of Thomas in particular.
Grant Morrison's writing been heavily influenced by the Gnostic texts, most evident in The Invisibles.
Read more about this topic: Gnostic Gospels
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