Gnosticism - Sources

Gnosticism is a blanket term for various mystical initiatory religions, sects and knowledge schools, which were most prominent in the first few centuries AD. It is also applied to modern revivals of these groups and, sometimes, by analogy to all religious movements based on secret knowledge gnosis, thus can lead to confusion. The occult nature of gnostic teaching (as seen from a modern viewpoint) and the fact that much of the material relating to the schools comprising Gnosticism has traditionally come from critiques by orthodo ...

Including:

• Gnosticism - Etymology
• Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism
• Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology
• Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth
• Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth
• Gnosticism - Matter
• Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity
• Gnosticism - Lifestyle
• Gnosticism - Gnostic sects
• Gnosticism - Sources
• Gnosticism - Gnostic texts
• Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics
• Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times
• Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia - Gnosticism

Gnosticism - Heresiologists and gnostic detractors. Prior to the discovery of the Nag Hammadi library in 1945 (arguably until its translation and eventual publication in 1977), gnosticism was known primarily only through the works of heresiologists, Church Fathers who worked to chronicle those movements perceived to be deviating from the developing orthodox church, and to refute their teachings as they did so, with the ultimate aim of demonstrating their moral inferiority. The problems with such sources are immed ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology and philosophical context, Gnosticism - The meaning of 'gnosis', Gnosticism - The Platonist and Aristotelian traditions, Gnosticism - Neoplatonism and Plotinus' 'Address to the Gnostics', Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Heresiologists and gnostic detractors, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts preserved before 1945, Gnosticism - The Nag Hammadi library, Gnosticism - History, Gnosticism - The development of the Syrian-Egyptian school, Gnosticism - The development of the Persian school, Gnosticism - Nature and Structure of Gnosticism, Gnosticism - A typological model: the main features of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Dualism and monism, Gnosticism - Moral and ritual practise, Gnosticism - Major gnostic schools and their texts, Gnosticism - 'Gnosticism' as a potentially flawed category, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Scholars of gnosticism and those influenced by it, Gnosticism - Modern gnostic 'revivals', Gnosticism - Gnosticism in pop culture, Gnosticism - Literature, Gnosticism - Film and television, Gnosticism - Music, Gnosticism - Art, Gnosticism - Computer console and 'tabletop' games

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Sources

We have two main historical sources for information on Gnosticism: critiques 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 than orthodox Christian ones, which are hinted ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Sources

We have two main historical sources for information on Gnosticism: critiques 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 than orthodox Christian ones, which are hinted ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Sources

Gnosticism has been treated at length by several modern authors, philosophers and psychologists: William Blake, the nineteenth century Romantic poet and artist, was according to some sources well-versed in the doctrines of the Gnostics, and his own personal mythology contains many points of cohesion with several Gnostic myths (for example, the Blakean figure of Urizen bears many resemblances to the Gnostic Demiurge). However, efforts to dub Blake a "Gnostic" have been complicated by the complex nature and extent of Blake's own m ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times

Gnosticism has been treated at length by several modern authors, philosophers and psychologists: William Blake, the nineteenth century Romantic poet and artist, was according to some sources well-versed in the doctrines of the Gnostics, and his own personal mythology contains many points of cohesion with several Gnostic myths (for example, the Blakean figure of Urizen bears many resemblances to the Gnostic Demiurge). However, efforts to dub Blake a "Gnostic" have been complicated by the complex nature and extent of Blake's own m ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times

The occult nature of gnostic teaching (as seen from a modern viewpoint) and the fact that much of the material relating to the schools comprising Gnosticism has traditionally come from critiques by orthodox Christians make it difficult to be precise about early Christian gnostic systems. Irenaeus (Adversus Haereses) described several different schools of 2nd century gnosticism in disparaging and often sarcastic detail while contrasting them with Christianity, to their detriment. Nevertheless, most discussion of gnosticism relied heavi ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Overview

Gnosticism has also seen something of a resurgence in popular culture in recent years. This may be related, certainly, to the sudden availibility of gnostic texts to the reading public, following the emergence of the Nag Hammadi library. Nevertheless, this dissemination of material has not necessarily resulted in a wider understanding of the intricacies of gnosticism; often the influence of gnosticism on modern culture dervies from an understandng of the movement largely subject to the influences of the ancient heresiologists, as being obses ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology and philosophical context, Gnosticism - The meaning of 'gnosis', Gnosticism - The Platonist and Aristotelian traditions, Gnosticism - Neoplatonism and Plotinus' 'Address to the Gnostics', Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Heresiologists and gnostic detractors, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts preserved before 1945, Gnosticism - The Nag Hammadi library, Gnosticism - History, Gnosticism - The development of the Syrian-Egyptian school, Gnosticism - The development of the Persian school, Gnosticism - Nature and Structure of Gnosticism, Gnosticism - A typological model: the main features of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Dualism and monism, Gnosticism - Moral and ritual practise, Gnosticism - Major gnostic schools and their texts, Gnosticism - 'Gnosticism' as a potentially flawed category, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Scholars of gnosticism and those influenced by it, Gnosticism - Modern gnostic 'revivals', Gnosticism - Gnosticism in pop culture, Gnosticism - Literature, Gnosticism - Film and television, Gnosticism - Music, Gnosticism - Art, Gnosticism - Computer console and 'tabletop' games

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Gnosticism in pop culture

The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνώσις), referring to the idea that there is special esoteric knowledge, a key to transcendent understanding, that only a few may possess. Since this is one of the few common defining characteristics of systems typically referred to as 'gnostic', it is an ideal blanket term. Gnosis refers to knowledge of the second kind; therefore, the movements referred to as "gnostic" should be understood as being reliant not on knowledge in a general sense, but ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Etymology

(Note: It is a matter of controversy if these sects had a real succession of ideas or communion with each other, or if they more or less coincidentally had the same basic doctrine.) 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 e ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Gnostic sects

Some Gnostics, again in common with such Neoplatonic philosophers as Plotinus, held matter to be evil, but only as a method of depicting its extreme distance from the monadic source of the universe (which is, of course, supremely good). Thus matter is not evil in and of itself, but only in its distance from and its contrast to its monadic source (compare summum bonum). Many Gnostics also made use of ritual; these rituals being the manipulation of material objects in imitation of divine events or occurrences, this presupposes at least the abi ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Matter

Some historians accept that there is a significant amount of Buddhist/Hindu influence in Gnostic interpretations of the Bible. The standard tactic of Gnostic texts is to radically reinterpret a well-known text (usually Genesis and its related Biblical books) through the addition of an original prologue. However, this is not to say that gnosticism necessarily post-dates orthodox Christianity; rather, the two developed side by side, and ide ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology

Gnosticism - Scholars of gnosticism and those influenced by it. There follows a list of those figures who are known to have undertaken a study of gnosticism, and who have occasionally incorporated elements of gnostic systems into their own work, or whose own work subsequently contains recognizably gnostic traits. Carl Jung and his associate G. R. S. Mead worked on trying to understand and explain the Gnostic faith from a psychological standpoint. Jung's "analytical psychology" in many ways schematica ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology and philosophical context, Gnosticism - The meaning of 'gnosis', Gnosticism - The Platonist and Aristotelian traditions, Gnosticism - Neoplatonism and Plotinus' 'Address to the Gnostics', Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Heresiologists and gnostic detractors, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts preserved before 1945, Gnosticism - The Nag Hammadi library, Gnosticism - History, Gnosticism - The development of the Syrian-Egyptian school, Gnosticism - The development of the Persian school, Gnosticism - Nature and Structure of Gnosticism, Gnosticism - A typological model: the main features of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Dualism and monism, Gnosticism - Moral and ritual practise, Gnosticism - Major gnostic schools and their texts, Gnosticism - 'Gnosticism' as a potentially flawed category, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Scholars of gnosticism and those influenced by it, Gnosticism - Modern gnostic 'revivals', Gnosticism - Gnosticism in pop culture, Gnosticism - Literature, Gnosticism - Film and television, Gnosticism - Music, Gnosticism - Art, Gnosticism - Computer console and 'tabletop' games

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times

Most Gnostics practiced celibacy and asceticism, on the grounds that the pleasures of the flesh induced the subject to remain ignorant of spiritual realities; a few however practiced libertinism, arguing since the body was evil they should defile it, or that since the body was evil it did not matter what was done with it. This led to further distrust, and was an accusation leveled against other ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Lifestyle

The ultimate foundational elements of gnosticism are pre-Christian. That said, the exact origins of Gnosticism are a subject of dispute amongst scholars: some think Gnosticism is fundamentally pagan in origin, but has adopted a Christian veneer; others trace its origin to Judaism; yet others think it derives from Jesus, and is a development of his teaching that is arguably as valid as the orthodox one. Others still regard Gnosticism as a religious tradition in itself, the manifestation in related "systems" of a perennial philosophy of ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism

Gnosticism - The development of the Syrian-Egyptian school. Though the notion of a direct inheritance between the schools described above is disputed, Bentley Layton has sketched out a relationship between the various gnostic movements in his introduction to The Gnostic Scriptures (SCM Press, London, 1987). In this model, Classical Gnosticism and The School of Thomas antedated, and influenced the development of, Valentinus (whom Layton called 'the great [gnostic] reformer' and 'the focal point' of gnostic ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Overview, Gnosticism - Etymology and philosophical context, Gnosticism - The meaning of 'gnosis', Gnosticism - The Platonist and Aristotelian traditions, Gnosticism - Neoplatonism and Plotinus' 'Address to the Gnostics', Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Heresiologists and gnostic detractors, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts preserved before 1945, Gnosticism - The Nag Hammadi library, Gnosticism - History, Gnosticism - The development of the Syrian-Egyptian school, Gnosticism - The development of the Persian school, Gnosticism - Nature and Structure of Gnosticism, Gnosticism - A typological model: the main features of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Dualism and monism, Gnosticism - Moral and ritual practise, Gnosticism - Major gnostic schools and their texts, Gnosticism - 'Gnosticism' as a potentially flawed category, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Scholars of gnosticism and those influenced by it, Gnosticism - Modern gnostic 'revivals', Gnosticism - Gnosticism in pop culture, Gnosticism - Literature, Gnosticism - Film and television, Gnosticism - Music, Gnosticism - Art, Gnosticism - Computer console and 'tabletop' games

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - History

Some Gnostics, again in common with such Neoplatonic philosophers as Plotinus, held matter to be evil, but only as a method of depicting its extreme distance from the monadic source of the universe (which is, of course, supremely good). Thus matter is not evil in and of itself, but only in its distance from and its contrast to its monadic source (compare summum bonum). Many Gnostics also made use of ritual; these rituals being the manipulation of material objects in imitation of divine events or occurrences, this presupposes at least the abi ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Matter

Some historians accept that there is a significant amount of Buddhist/Hindu influence in Gnostic interpretations of the Bible. The standard tactic of Gnostic texts is to radically reinterpret a well-known text (usually Genesis and its related Biblical books) through the addition of an original prologue. However, this is not to say that gnosticism necessarily post-dates orthodox Christianity; rather, the two developed side by side, and ide ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology

The ultimate foundational elements of gnosticism are pre-Christian. That said, the exact origins of Gnosticism are a subject of dispute amongst scholars: some think Gnosticism is fundamentally pagan in origin, but has adopted a Christian veneer; others trace its origin to Judaism; yet others think it derives from Jesus, and is a development of his teaching that is arguably as valid as the orthodox one. Others still regard Gnosticism as a religious tradition in itself, the manifestation in related "systems" of a perennial philosophy of ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism

The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνώσις), referring to the idea that there is special esoteric knowledge, a key to transcendent understanding, that only a few may possess. Since this is one of the few common defining characteristics of systems typically referred to as 'gnostic', it is an ideal blanket term. Gnosis refers to knowledge of the second kind; therefore, the movements referred to as "gnostic" should be understood as being reliant not on knowledge in a general sense, but ...

See also:

Gnosticism, Gnosticism - Etymology, Gnosticism - Background and origins of gnosticism, Gnosticism - Theology and cosmology, Gnosticism - The classic gnostic myth, Gnosticism - The Valentinian Gnostic creation myth, Gnosticism - Matter, Gnosticism - Gnostic conceptions of humanity, Gnosticism - Lifestyle, Gnosticism - Gnostic sects, Gnosticism - Sources, Gnosticism - Gnostic texts, Gnosticism - Notable Gnostics, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in modern times, Gnosticism - Gnosticism in popular culture

Read more here: » Gnosticism: Encyclopedia II - Gnosticism - Etymology