Gnosticism

First, the gnostic sects are often divided into an eastern, or Persian school, and a Syrian-Egyptic school. The Persian school has a more definitive division between light and darkness, whereas the Syrian-Egyptic school is more platonist in character. The latter is the one usually associated with Gnosticism, and the one known to include several Christian elements. A group referred to as the Ophites fall inbetween both of these strains.

• Persian Gnostics
  • Mandaeanism which still exists today, but is non-Christian in character.
  • Manichaeism which was an entire religion on its own, but is now extinct.
• Syrian-Egyptic Gnostics
  • Cerinthus
  • Simon Magus and Marcion of Sinope both had Gnostic tendencies, but they were not completely Gnostics. They both developed a big apprenticeship. Simon Magus pupil Menander could also be included.
  • The Valentinians under Valentinus developed most of the complex cosmology of Gnosticism
  • The Basilidians
  • The Ophites (so-named because they worshiped the serpent of Genesis as the bestower of knowledge).
  • The Carpocratians
  • The Borborites
  • The Bogomils
  • The Cathars (Cathari, Albigenses or Albigensians).

Sources

We have two main historical sources for information on Gnosticism: attacks on Gnosticism by orthodox Christians (i.e. Heresiologies such as those written by Tertullian, Hippolytus, Irenaeus and Epiphanius of Salamis), and the original Gnostic works.

Neither of these two sources is entirely satisfactory. Attacks on Gnosticism by orthodox Christians, hostile as they are, most likely suffer from some degree of bias; and orthodox Christians had a tendency to conflate the many differing groups opposing them. There were considerably more Gnostic scriptures written then orthodox Christian ones, which are hinted at throughout the orthodox scriptures.

Many Gnostic scriptures and other works were written, but until the late 19th and the 20th centuries, none of them were available, except in isolated quotations in the writings of their opponents. Many 19th century scholars devoted considerable effort to collecting the scattered references in the works of opponents and reassembling the Gnostic materials.

Several finds of manuscripts have been made since, most importantly the Nag Hammadi codices. But though we now possess a reasonable collection of Gnostic texts, they are still often difficult to interpret, due to the esoteric nature of Gnostic teaching. We are also faced with difficulties in identifying which teachers or sects authored which texts. The Nag Hammadi Library is available in an English translation and is without doubt the most important collection of source texts for research in Gnosticism. With some basic knowledge of Gnostic concepts, it is not too complicated a read.

Notable Gnostics

Roughly in time order:

• Simon Magnus, had Gnostic leanings, could be called proto-Gnostic
• Leucius Charinus
• Menander
• Saturninus
• Monoimus
• Carpocrates and his wife Alexandra
• Bardaisan of Edessa
• Ptolemy and Colorbasus
• Valentinus aka Valentinius
• Basilides of Alexandria
• Marcion of Sinope, had gnostic tendencies

Gnosticism in Modern Times

Gnosticism has been treated at length by several modern authors, philosophers and psychologists:

• Carl Jung and his associate G. R. S. Mead worked on trying to understand and explain the Gnostic faith from a psychological standpoint.
• The theosophy founder Helena Petrovna Blavatsky enjoyed and wrote extensively on Gnostic ideas.
• Eric Voegelin viewed Gnosticism as the root of all evil aspects of modernity. He believed that the Gnostic impulse had been preserved throughout history and that the whole scientific enterprise, especially technology, was aimed towards creating "heaven on earth" and said he wanted to defend the "classic Christian tradition" against the attacks of "the Gnostics". He said all totalitarian ideologies were caused by Gnostic impulses, including Communism and Nazism. The idea has similarities with a conspiracy theory and is generally not taken seriously, though many catholic scholars like it and often extend it using vivid imagery created by Abbe Augustin Barruel.
• In The United States there are several gnostic churches with diverse lineages, one of which is the Ecclesia Gnostica, affiliated with an organization for studies of gnosticism named the Gnostic Society, primarily in Los Angeles. The current leader of both organizations is Stephan A. Hoeller who has also written extensively on Gnosticism and the occult.

• The works of popular science fiction author Philip K. Dick were an early example, especially his late novel Valis.
• Allen Ginsberg use several Gnostic terms in his poem Plutonian Ode.
• Harold Bloom explores Gnosticism in his novel The Flight to Lucifer: A Gnostic Fantasy, and, with William Golding, traces Gnosticisms in American beliefs in The American Religion: The Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation.
• Some conspiracy theories have Gnostic overtones. (Much due to Eric Voegelin.)
• Such films as Dark City, The Matrix, The Truman Show, Twelve Monkeys, and even Toy Story explore Gnostic themes to greater and lesser degrees, especially the idea that the world we perceive is an illusion created by someone who does not love us.
• Philip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials draws heavily on Gnostic themes.
• The role playing game Kult is also based on Gnostic ideas.
• Gnosticism figures heavily in the Jesus Mysteries Thesis of Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy.
• The authors Umberto Eco and Jorge Luis Borges are heavily inspired by gnosticism.

See Also

• Abraxas
• Aeon
• Apocrypha
• Agnosticism
• Christian theosophy
• Gospel

Further Reading

External Links