noun
- writings or texts falsely attributed to biblical or ancient authors; apocryphal religious documents of uncertain or spurious authorship.
Usage: plural form; singular is pseudepigraphon or pseudepigraph; primarily used in religious studies and biblical scholarship; often capitalized when referring to specific collections
Examples
- Scholars debate whether certain pseudepigrapha were intentionally deceptive or simply attributed incorrectly over time.
- The library contained numerous pseudepigrapha attributed to the apostles but written centuries after their deaths.
- Religious historians study pseudepigrapha to understand beliefs and practices of early Christian communities.
- Many pseudepigrapha provide valuable insights into Jewish thought during the Second Temple period.
- The discovery of these pseudepigrapha among the Dead Sea Scrolls surprised researchers.
- Students of theology must learn to distinguish between canonical texts and pseudepigrapha.