The Acts of Thomas: Brief Arguments (O Thomas, Where Did You Go?)

This paper examines the Northern Thomas Tradition through an exploration of the Acts of Thomas and its account of the apostle Thomas's association with King Gondophares. It considers the historical background of the narrative, the composition, language, dating, circulation, and reception of the Acts of Thomas, and the independent historical evidence for Gondophares, particularly numismatic and epigraphic sources. By examining the relationship between early Christian literature and the historical geography of northwestern India, the paper seeks to reassess the significance of the Northern Thomas Tradition, which has received comparatively less attention than the South Indian tradition. It does not claim to establish conclusively that Thomas travelled to North India; rather, it evaluates the available literary and historical evidence and identifies questions that require further investigation. This paper is the first contribution to the research series O Thomas, Where Did You Go?