The Apocalypse of Peter
The Apocalypse of Peter is presented as a discussion between Peter and Jesus after his Resurrection, in which Peter is given visions of both heaven and hell. Its authorship is unknown. It refers to another work which was known to have appeared around the year 100 AD, so it had to have been written later than that, making its author the Apostle for which it is named impossible since it is known that Peter died in Rome under the reign of Emperor Nero. It was known to be widely read in the Christian communities in Rome and elsewhere.
Heaven is presented in the book as a place where all residents are possessed of skin which is pure white, clothed in brilliant light. The ground upon which they walk (there is no mention of wings for former resident of earth) is covered with flowers and trees which are always in bloom, spices and oils – rare and expensive in the second century – are plentiful. Halos are of flowers and light. Everyone is both peaceful and beautiful of countenance, and there is nothing but blissful existence. Song is everywhere.
According to Peter, the torments of the damned as later described by Dante in his Inferno, are in some instances much worse. Adulterous women are hanged by the hair above boiling muck. Homosexual men are forced to climb a cliff to be flung off and then climb it again in an unending circle. Those who committed blasphemy in life hang by the tongue after death. But unlike other similar literature, the torments of hell are not eternal, eventually, the prayers of the heavenly redeem the souls of the damned and they too will be welcomed in heaven.
The book was widely read and considered by many to be part of the Christian Canon during the second and third century, although there is evidence that it was not used within the churches during worship, rather read as additional literature outside of formal worship. The Muratorian fragment, the earliest known list of the books which comprised the New Testament, does include the Apocalypse of Peter, but in a manner which indicates it was known and read, but not during formal worship. Interestingly it makes similar comments about the Apocalypse of John, today is known as the Book of Revelations.
The book was included as part of the New Testament at least through the end of the second century and probably through the third. More than one hundred manuscripts of another work which translates from Arabic as The Apocalypse of Peter are known to exist written in Arabic. It is possible that the manuscript was referenced by Nostradamus while formulating some of his prognostications. Why the book was rejected for the Bible while the Revelation of St. John was accepted is likely because of the question of authorship, because the book was influential on early Church leaders.