Elaine Pagels is a religious scholar known for her extensive work on early Christianity, the Gnostic Gospels, and religious history. Her breakthrough book, "The Gnostic Gospels," analyzes the early Christian texts discovered in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945 and challenges conventional understandings of Christian history and theology. Pagels' scholarship has brought her acclaim for its accessible exploration of subjects that bridge the gap between academic religious study and public interest, and her books, including "Beyond Belief" and "Why Religion?," continue to influence the discourse around religious history and diversity of belief.