Regarding:
"I would love to see some passages from "alternative gospels," ...I'd be interested to know what other qualities they share."
That would be quite a study! LOTS of work in that...
The Great Dialogue
Regarding:
"I would love to see some passages from "alternative gospels," ...I'd be interested to know what other qualities they share."
Comments
Might help to know what we are dismissing out of hand.
Jesus said "Love your brother as you love your own soul. Protect him as you protect the pupil of your eye."
Jesus said "If two can make peace between themselves in a single house, they can say to am mountain 'Move!' and it will move."
Jesus said "Be one of those who is just passing through." (My paraphrase of saying 42)
On pg 56 the authors explain the brevity of the Gospel according to Thomas:
"The Gospel of Thomas is a sayings list containing no stories of miracles, no virgin birth narrative, no discussion of Jesus' crucifixion, no mention of the resurrection. "
This suggests to me precisely why it was left out of the canon.