Doubting Pagels.

• Author: James, Andrew L.J.
• Position: Letter to the Editor

Elizabeth DiNovella, in "The Gibson God" (May issue), reviews Elaine Pagels's Beyond Belief and two books by Mel Gibson's father, Hutton Gibson.

As I am likely the only Orthodox priest who subscribes to The Progressive, and among the few who have actually read Beyond Belief, permit me these observations:

Hutton Gibson--and his son Mel--condemn everyone to Hell who is outside the Roman Church. Paradoxically, they, themselves, are outside the Roman Church. What does this teach us?

Pagels's book Beyond Belief has had such fulsome praise, I've wondered if the reviewers read the book at all, or even the same book...