In 1958, Bible scholar Morton Smith announced the discovery of a sensational manuscript-a second-century letter written by St. Clement of Alexandria, who quotes an unknown, longer version of the Gospel of Mark. When Smith published the letter in 1973, he set off a firestorm of controversy that has raged ever since. Is the text authentic, or a hoax? Is Smith's interpretation correct? Did Jesus really practice magic, or homosexuality? And if the letter is a forgery . . . why?
Through close examination of the "discovered" manuscript's text, Peter Jeffery unravels the answers to the mystery and tells the tragic tale of an estranged Episcopalian priest who forged an ancient gospel and fooled many of the best biblical scholars of his time. Jeffery shows convincingly that Smith's Secret Gospel is steeped in anachronisms and that its construction was influenced by Oscar Wilde's "Salome," twentieth-century misunderstandings of early Christian liturgy, and Smith's personal struggles with Christian sexual morality.

Comparative studies of medieval chant traditions in western Europe, Byzantium and the Slavic nations illuminate music, literacy and culture. Gregorian chant was the dominant liturgical music of the medieval period, from the time it was adopted by Charlemagne's court in the eighth century; but for centuries afterwards it competed with other musical traditions, local repertories from the great centres of Rome, Milan, Ravenna, Benevento, Toledo, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Kievan Rus, and comparative study of these chant traditions can tell us much about music, liturgy, literacy and culture a thousand years ago. This is the first book-length work to look at the issues in a global, comprehensive way, in the manner of the work of Kenneth Levy, the leading exponent of comparative chant studies. It covers the four most fruitful approaches for investigators: the creation and transmission of chant texts, based on the psalms and other sources, and their assemblage into liturgical books; the analysis and comparison of musical modes and scales; the usesof neumatic notation for writing down melodies, and the differences wrought by developmental changes and notational reforms over the centuries; and the use of case studies, in which the many variations in a specific text or melodyare traced over time and geographical distance. The book is therefore of profound importance for historians of medieval music or religion - Western, Byzantine, or Slavonic - and for anyone interested in issues of orality and writing in the transmission of culture. PETER JEFFERY is Professor of Music History, Princeton University. Contributors: JAMES W. McKINNON, MARGOT FASSLER, MICHEL HUGLO, NICOLAS SCHIDLOVSKY, KEITH FALCONER, PETER JEFFERY, DAVID G.HUGHES, SYSSE GUDRUN ENGBERG, CHARLES M. ATKINSON, MILOS VELIMIROVIC, JORGEN RAASTED+, RUTH STEINER, DIMITRIJE STEFANOVIC, ALEJANDRO PLANCHART.

Studying Gregorian chant presents many problems to the researcher because its most important stages of development were not recorded in writing. From the sixth to the tenth century, this form of music existed only in song as medieval musicians relied on their memories and voices to pass each verse from one generation to the next.
Peter Jeffery offers an innovative new approach for understanding how these melodies were created, memorized, performed, and modified. Drawing on a variety of disciplines, including anthropology and ethnomusicology, he identifies characteristics of Gregorian chant that closely resemble other oral traditions in non-Western cultures and demonstrates ways music historians can take into account the social, cultural, and anthropological contexts of chant's development.

Peter Jeffery has a special gift of saying a great deal in a few words. Once again he has hit the mark in this brand new title intended for young people. There are 52 very brief chapters covering a great variety of subjects from Kings and Presidents to athletes and animals. Young people (and the not so young) will find the author an able guide to lead them into lessons that will stick and stay. This can be given as a gift to young people, and also used in Family Worship by moms and dads. The first time I heard Peter Jeffery preach I was immediately struck with his uncanny ability to illustrate profound truth in simple words. It is a true honor for Solid Ground Christian Books to be asked to publish the latest book from the heart of a dear friend who loves Christ Jesus more than life.

The Second Edition of Regime Magazine is an impressive collection of poetry, fiction and performance writing that is Australian in essence, but international in outlook. Not only are we proud to publish new work by Australian writers such as Geoff Page, Ryan O'Neill, Shane McCauley, Kate Middleton, Andrew Burke and Roland Leach (and so many others), we include international voices such as Frederick Pollack, Karla Linn Merrifield, Paul Fauteux and Jonathan Greenhause.

The first edition of Regime Mazagine, a journal of poetry, short stories and performance writing. Bursting with new talent and old masters. New poems by Andrew Burke, Amanda Joy, Peter Jeffery and Richard James Allen. New short stories by Ari Mattes, Damon Lockwood, Petri Ivalo Sinda and Kailash Srinivasan. Screenplay for short and terrifying vampire film by Ruth Stubbings.

"I wish someone had given me a book like LIFE IN THE PSLAMS when I was a young Christian in my twenties. With the simple clarity and straight-forward honesty that reminds me of the great J. C. Ryle, Peter Jeffrey's devotional introduction to many of the psalms is a tonic for the heart and a primer on how to get good out of the Scripture. Peter aims to help the new Christian of any age and he almost always succeeds. I plan to purchase a copy and make sure that I use it for my devotional reading in the psalms and as a pastor, I will use it in my sermon preparation to remind me how to make practical application. And I will keep copies on hand to give away to young Christians reading the psalms." - Pastor Steve Martin

Liturgiam Authenticam, issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in 2001 has resulted in wide coverage in the Catholic press, largely lamenting its lack of historical accuracy and clarity in legislating the use of liturgical texts. Translating Tradition includes four essays by Peter Jeffery, Obl.S.B., that appeared in Worship in 2004. The articles comment on Liturgiam Authenticam, point out its inconsistencies, lack of being mindful of church tradition, and problematic directives. Essays are "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 1: The Latin Liturgical Traditions," "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 2: The Bible in the Roman Rite," "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 3: Languages and Cultures," and "A Chant Historian Reads Liturgiam Authenticam 4: Human and Angelic Tongues." The English translation text of Liturgiam Authenticam is published as an appendice to the book.