Elaine Pagels is an American religious scholar and author, best known for her work on early Christianity and Gnosticism. She gained prominence with her book, *The Gnostic Gospels*, published in 1979, which explores the early Christian texts discovered at Nag Hammadi in 1945. Pagels' research has significantly influenced the understanding of the diversity of early Christian beliefs. In addition to her scholarly work, Pagels has served as a professor at Princeton University, where she teaches the history of religion. Her contributions have sparked discussions about the nature of faith, the role of women in early Christianity, and the complexities of religious texts.