Abstract
This reading of the late antique Coptic apocryphal work the Apocryphon of John (Ap. John) as Bible fan fiction finds that Ap. John uses the same transformative techniques as fan fiction, but that the manner in which these transformations are legitimized depends on the Christian tradition Ap. John is part of. Several strategies for transforming canon are operative in Ap. John. Even when Genesis is subverted in Ap. John, the rewriting of canonical material is legitimized through strategies already established in other biblical texts. In this manner, Ap. John uses canon to subvert canon.
Highlights
[1.1] Monotheism and the belief that the one God is the creator of the universe are central tenets of Christianity
Known as The Secret Book of John)—a late antique work preserved in Coptic —challenges the understanding that the supreme God and the creator are identical:
Categories, and it provides opportunities to compare the transformative writing of an early Christian apocryphon with the transformative writing of today's fan fiction
Summary
Definitions of canon in fan fiction studies, such as Sheenagh Pugh's "the source material accepted as authentic...within the fandom, known by all readers in the same way that myth and folk tale were once commonly known" (2006, 26) and Kristina Busse's "collection of texts considered to be the authoritative source for fan creations" (2017, 101), show that even in this new context, the term retains meaning it developed in early Christianity. John ends with Christ telling John to write down the message he has been given and to share it with his "fellow spirits" (BG 75:15–77:5) How, is this a transformation of Genesis, and in which manner do Jenkins's strategies apply to the rewritten Genesis of Ap. John?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
