Gnosticism and New Age

[Solo]

Gnostics and New Agers have really been sucked in! They are so proud and hooked on their life of fleshly pleasure that they refuse to accept the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

[PDoug]

As I have said repeatedly, it is crucial that you have faith correctly, in order to discern things which are from God, from things which are not from God. That is the only way. Unless you do this and naturally bear fruit, you will be ravished by sin, which will leave you witless in discerning the truth from falsehood. Are Gnostic texts sound? Many of them are. These include Pistis Sophia, and texts found the Nag Hammadi Library. But more than that, Zoroastrian texts are sound as well (which Christ referenced in the Apocryphon of John). The Essene Gospels are also sound, along with many other scriptures out there.

Many of you don’t even understand your own existences. When God said that man is ravished by sin, He meant that at every turn, man is tricked, deceived, and ultimately coerced to sin by spirits living within him (the flesh) and all around him. (An important part of this corruption is the dulling of his mind.) The only way that man can overcome this, is to have faith correctly, so that God’s angels can wrest control of his life from these beings, who fight relentlessly to make him sin. That is why it is so important to spot the evidence of God’s angels and other beings from the realm of God in you. A person must display a natural, growing, fundamental goodness, that is constant in all situations, in order to be confident that he has faith correctly, and hence has the wherewithal to discern scriptures well. Believing directly in God and acting religiously will not do anyone any good. In fact, these things only increase a person’s condemnation from God.

Therefore have faith correctly, and see for yourself that many Gnostic and other scriptures outside of the Bible are sound.

 

[Solo]

GNOSTICISMhttp://www.meta-religion.com/Esoterism/Gnosticism/gnosticism2.htm

Summary

Gnosticism is a philosophical and religious movement which started in pre-Christian times. The term is derived from the Greek word gnosis which means "knowledge". It is pronounced with a silent "G" (NO-sis). Gnostics claimed to have secret knowledge about God, humanity and the rest of the universe of which the general population was unaware. It became one of the three main belief systems within 1st century Christianity, and was noted for its: novel beliefs about Gods, the Bible and the world which differed from those of other Christian groups tolerance of different religious beliefs within and outside of Gnosticism lack of discrimination against women. The movement and its literature were essentially wiped out by the end of the 5th century CE by heresy hunters from mainline Christianity. Its beliefs are currently experiencing a rebirth throughout the world. The counter-cult movement and some other Christian ministries disseminate a great deal of misinformation about the movement (10,11,12)

History

Gnosticism consisted of many syncretistic belief systems which combined elements taken from Asian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek and Syrian pagan religions, from astrology, and from Judaism and Christianity. They constituted one of the three main branches of early Christianity: the other two being:

• the remnants of the Jewish Christian sect which was created by Jesus' disciples, and the churches started by St. Paul, that were eventually to grow and develop into "mainline" Christianity by the end of the third century.
  
  By the second century CE, many very different Christian-Gnostic sects had formed within the Roman Empire at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Some Gnostics worked within Jewish Christian and mainline Christian groups, and greatly influenced their beliefs from within. Others formed separate communities. Still others were solitary practitioners.
  
  As mainline Christianity grew in strength and organization, Gnostic sects came under increasing pressure and persecution. They almost disappeared by the 6th century. The only group to have survived into modern times is the Mandaean sect of Iraq and Iran. This group has about 15,000 members (one source says 1,500), and can trace their history continuously back to the original Gnostic movement.
  
  Many new emerging religions in the West have adopted ancient Gnostic beliefs and practices.

Sources of Ancient Gnostic Information

Until recently, only a few pieces of Gnostic literature were known to exist. These included Shepherd of Men, Asclepius, Codex Askewianus, Codex Brucianus, Gospel of Mary, Secret Gospel of John, Odes of Solomon and the Hymn of the Pearl. Knowledge about this movement had been inferred mainly from extensive attacks that were made on Gnosticism by Christian heresiologists (writers against heresy) of the second and early third century. These included Irenaeus (130? - 200? CE), Clement of Alexandria (145? - 213?), Tertullian (160? - 225?) and Hippolytus (170? - 236). Unfortunately, the heresy hunters were not particularly accurate or objective in their analysis of Gnosticism

In 1945, Mohammed Ali es_Samman, a camel driver from El Qasr in Egypt, went with his brother to a cliff near Nag Hummadi, a village in Northern Egypt. They were digging for nitrate-rich earth that they could use for fertilizer. They came across a large clay jar buried in the ground. They were undecided whether to open it. They feared that it might contain an evil spirit; but they also suspected that it might contain gold or other material of great value. It turns out that their second guess was closer to the truth: the jar contained a library of Gnostic material of unmeasurable value. 13 volumes survive, comprising 51 different works on 1153 pages. 6 were copies of works that were already known; 6 others were duplicated within the library, and 41 were new, previously unknown works. Included were The Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Truth, Treatise on the Resurrection, Gospel of Philip, Wisdom of Jesus Christ, Revelation of James, Letter of Peter to Philip, On the Origin of the World and other writings. Of these, the Gospel of Thomas is considered the most important. It was a collection of the sayings of Jesus which were recorded very early in the Christian era. A later Gnostic author edited the Gospel. Some liberal theologians rank it equal in importance to the 4 Gospels of the Christian Scriptures.

The works had originally been written in Greek during the second and third centuries CE. The Nag Hummadi copies had been translated into the Coptic language during the early 4th century CE, and apparently buried circa 365 CE. Some Gnostic texts were non-Christian; others were originally non-Christian but had Christian elements added; others were entirely Christian documents. Some recycled paper was used to reinforce the leather bindings of the books. They were found to contain dated letters and business documents from the middle of the 4th century. The books may have been hidden for save-keeping during a religious purge.

The texts passed through the hands of a number of mysterious middlemen, and finally were consolidated and stored in the Coptic Museum of Cairo. Publication was delayed by the Suez Crisis, the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, and petty debates among scholars. The most important book, the Gospel of Thomas, was finally translated into English during the late 1960's; the remaining books were translated during the following ten years. In many ways, this find reveals more about the early history of Christianity than do the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Beliefs

The Nag Hummadi find revealed that there was a broad range of beliefs among the various independent Gnostic systems or schools. The However, the following points are believed to be generally accurate throughout the movement:

• Their Role: They believed that they alone truly understood Christ's message, and that other streams of thought within Christianity had misinterpreted Jesus' mission and sayings.
  
  Gnosis: Knowledge to them was not an intellectual exercise; it was not a passive understanding of some aspect of spirituality. Rather, knowledge had a redeeming and liberating function that helped the individual break free of bondage to the world.
  
  Deity: The Supreme Father God or Supreme God of Truth is remote from human affairs; he is unknowable and undetectable by human senses. She/he created a series of supernatural but finite beings called Aeons. One of these was Sophia, a virgin, who in turn gave birth to an defective, inferior Creator-God, also known as the Demiurge. (Demiurge means "public craftsman" in Greek.) This lower God created the earth and its life forms. This is the God of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), a deity who was viewed as fundamentally evil, jealous, rigid, lacking in compassion and prone to genocide. The Demiurge "thinks that he is supreme. His pride and incompetence have resulted in the sorry state of the world as we know it, and in the blind and ignorant condition of most of mankind."
  
  Duality of spirit and body: Spirit is of divine origin and good; the body is inherently earthly and evil. Gnostics were hostile to the physical world, to matter and the human body. But they believed that trapped within some people's bodies were the sparks of divinity or seeds of light that were supplied to humanity by Sophia.
  
  Salvation: A person attains salvation by learning secret knowledge of their spiritual essence: a divine spark of light or spirit. They then have the opportunity to escape from the prison of their bodies at death. Their soul can ascend to be reunited with the Supreme God at the time of their death. Gnostics divided humanity into three groups:
  the spiritual, who would be saved irrespective of their behavior while on earth the Soulish, who could be saved if they followed the Gnostic path
  the carnal who are hopelessly lost
  
  Evil: They did not look upon the world as having been created perfectly and then having degenerated as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. Rather the world was seen as being evil at the time of its origin, having been created by an inferior God.
  Snake Symbol: Some Gnostic sects honored the snake. They did not view the snake as a seducer who led the first couple into sinful behavior. Rather, they saw him as a liberator who brought knowledge to Adam and Eve by convincing them to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and thus to become fully human.
  
  Christ: The role of the redeemer in Gnostic belief is heavily debated at this time. Gnostics seem to have looked upon Christ as a revealer or liberator, rather than a savior or judge. His purpose was to spread knowledge which would free individuals from the Demiurge's control and allow them to return to their spiritual home with the Supreme God at death. Some Gnostic groups promoted Docetism, the belief that Christ was pure spirit and only had a phantom body; Jesus just appeared to be human to his followers. They reasoned that a true emissary from the Supreme God could not have been overcome by the evil of the world, and to have suffered and died. These beliefs were considered heresy by mainline Christians. Some Gnostics believed that Christ's resurrection occurred at or before Jesus' death on the cross. They defined his resurrection as occurring when his spirit was liberated from his body. Many Gnostics believed that Jesus had both male and female disciples.
  
  The Universe: This is divided into three kingdoms:
  The "Earthly Cosmos": The earth is the center of the universe, and is composed of the world that we know of and an underworld. It is surrounded by air and by 7 concentric heavenly spheres: one for each of the Moon, Venus, Mercury, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. (Although the planet Uranus is visible to the naked eye, it was not recognized as a planet in ancient times.) Beyond Saturn resides Leviathan, a snake coiled in a single circle, devouring its own tail. Within these spheres live demonic, tyrannical entities called Archons. Beyond them lies Paradise which contains the "Tree of Life", the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil", and the flaming, turning sword of Genesis 3:24. Beyond Paradise was the sphere of the fixed stars, divided into the 12 signs of the zodiac.
  The "Intermediate Kingdom is composed of an inner blue circle of darkness and an outer yellow ring of light. Within these rings is a sphere which is the realm of Sophia.
  
  The "Kingdom of God" consists of two spheres: an outer one of the unknowable Supreme God, and inner ring of the Son.

Practices

Little is known about the rituals, organizational structure and practices of the ancient Gnostics. Almost all Gnostic texts were destroyed during various campaigns to suppress the movement. Although some of their religious writings survive, there is little information about how the groups actually functioned. Religious historians believe that:

• Many Gnostics were probably solitary practitioners. Others were members of mainline Christian congregations, probably forming a clique within each church.
  
  There was no consensus on a "canon of Gnostic scripture." Many books were circulated in different versions; various schools within the movement had their own preferred rendition.
  
  Many Gnostic texts were written by (or attributed to) women. Mary Magdelene played an important role in many Gnostic writings, often being second only to Jesus in status. They used both female and male images for the Supreme God. Theologians speculate that they probably treated women members as equal (or of almost equal status) to men in their communities.
  
  Some groups poured a substance over the head of a member when they were dead or dying, and recited certain ritual phrases. This was intended to help the individual's soul ascend through the dangerous heavens of the Archons towards the Supreme God.
  
  Some Gnostic groups had a ritual in which new members were baptized saying: "In the name of the Father unknown to all, in the Truth, Mother of All, in the One who came down upon Jesus, in the union, redemption and communion of powers."
  
  Sexual expression seems to have been suppressed in some Gnostic groups; members were expected to remain celibate. In others, ritual sex magic appears to have been practiced.

Ancient Gnostic Leaders

Simon Magus: He was one of the earliest Gnostics He was skilled in the arts of magic. He interpreted the Garden of Eden, exodus from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea as allegories.

Marcion: (85-160 CE) He organized a series of Gnostic congregations in the eastern Mediterranean which survived into the 3rd century CE. He wrote a book called Antitheses which earned him excommunication by the Christian leaders of Rome. He rejected the institution of marriage. He believed that the Demiurge arranged Jesus' persecution and crucifixion. But the death of Christ on the cross was only a hallucination, since Jesus did not have a physical body.

Valentinus: He was born in Egypt, traveled to Rome about 140 CE and then moved to Cyprus. He was the founder of perhaps the largest and most influential school of Gnosticism which lasted until it was suppressed in the 4th century CE. He taught that groups of Aeons made up the "pleroma (fullness) of the High God. One group, the Ogoad are called: Depth, Silence, Mind, Truth, Word, Life, Man and Church. Another group was the Decad (10) and Dodecad (12). The last of the Docecad was Wisdom, also called Sophia.

Carpocrates: (circa 140 CE); He taught reincarnation. An individual had to live many lives and adsorb a full range of experiences before being able to return to God. They practiced free sexuality. They believed that Jesus was the son of Joseph.

Interaction of Gnosticism and Early Mainline Christianity

Some Gnostic beliefs and leaders may have infiltrated mainline Christianity and influenced the authors of the Christian Scriptures (New Testament)

Some theologians believe that the Carpocratian Gnostics were the target of Jude's attack about "...certain men" who " have secretly slipped in among you,". The book of Jude, Verses 4 to 19, deals mainly with these infiltrators.

Simon Magus, an early Gnostic, may have been the Simon mentioned in Acts 8:9-24. Simon believed in Jesus and was baptized with a group of other believers. But none had received the Holy Spirit until Peter and John placed their hands on the new converts. Simon asked for the laying on of the apostles' hands and even offered money. Peter refused, because Simon's heart was not right with God.

Matthew 4:8-9 describes how Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain and offered him all of the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would only bow down and worship him. This passage has always been difficult to understand, because it implies that the world belonged to the Devil and was his to give away to Christ. But the passage matches Gnostic belief very closely.

References

Joscelyn Godwin, "Mystery Religions of the Ancient World", (1981), P. 84
C.S. Clifton, "Encyclopeia of Heresies and Heretics", ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara CA, (1992)
G. Filoramo, "A History of Gnosticism, Basil Blackwood Ltd, Oxford UK (1991)
R.W. Funk, et al, "The Five Gospels", Macmillan, New York, (1993)
I. Hexham, "Concise Dictionary of Religion", Downers Grove, IL, (1993), P. 92
Stuart Holroyd, "The Elements of Gnosticism", Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK, (1994)
H.A. Mather & L.A. Nichols, "Dictionary of Cults, Sects, Religions and the Occult", (1993), P. 111
E. Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels", London (1980)
Kurt Rudolph, "Gnosis: The nature and History of Gnosticism", Harper, San Francisco, (1987)

Retreived from http://www.meta-religion.com/Esoterism/ ... icism2.htm July 18, 2006.

 

[jgredline]

Solo
Thank you. You saved me much typing and so forth.
The reason some people on this thread are upset is because
even if they don't have the Holy Spirit of the Living God in them, they still do have a conscience. And it bothers them.

 

[Soma-Sight]

Well Solo,

At least your source is unbiased.

 

[ChristineES]

Thank you, Solo.

 

[PDoug]

Simon Magus: He was one of the earliest Gnostics He was skilled in the arts of magic. He interpreted the Garden of Eden, exodus from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea as allegories.

Calling Simon Magus a Gnostic, is like calling Adolf Hitler a Christian. Just because someone claims to be something, or is heralded by others as being something, does not necessarily mean that that person is what he or others claim.

It is important that a person actually read Gnostic texts, and make judgments about the texts himself. A person should ultimately rely on his own judgment, to make the determination about a text’s spiritual soundness – after having faith correctly. That is what Paul meant when he said that everyone should work out his own salvation (Philippians 2:12). Therefore make judgments about Gnostic texts yourself, rather than rely on what people have to say.

There are a couple of things I would like to point out:

1) Christ in Gnostic texts (particularly in Pistis Sophia) pointed to the importance of someone knowing the mysteries of God and the universe in order to ascend into heaven. This is no different from God in Jeremiah 31:33-34 saying that He will write His law in the hearts of his people – since God’s law are His own mysteries. Further, the following backs up what Christ said in Pistis Sophia about the mysteries of God being given to someone who has faith:

Luke 8

10 He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’â€Â

The above scripture is also important, because it points out the fact that secrets of the kingdom of God were given to the disciples, and not to the masses. Therefore Gnostics claims that there were secret sayings by Christ are true, and it is for people to make judgments about Gnostic texts, to determine whether they are in fact recordings of Christ’s secret sayings.

2) Gnostic texts such as the Gospel of Truth specifically point out that a person is saved by faith. Gnostics texts also however emphasize that attaining knowledge of the secrets of God is important for salvation – the same as living righteously (as stressed in texts in the Bible). Therefore, sound Gnostics do not say that a person is saved by knowledge, only that a person needs knowledge to be saved – which is only possible by that person having faith (which is what specifically saves someone).

3) There may have been certain Gnostic groups who believed that the God in the Old Testament was the original god of our material universe. But that is no different from Jehovah’s Witnesses (who call themselves Christians), errantly believing that Christ is not God. The fact of the matter is that Pistis Sophia’s son Yaltabaoth, initially looked to his mother, who was above him and God, and created the material universe. He however later blasphemed against his mother and the Godhead by claiming to be Almighty God, and that there was no God above him. He therefore was kicked out of the Godhead, and became wicked – since no being can be good unless he is dependent on God.

The God in the Old Testament are in fact many Gods, each bearing the titles Lord and God. They were endorsed by Christ, who quoted from the Old Testament as if the things they said and did had authority. Therefore any Gnostic group that believed the God from the Old Testament was Yaltabaoth, was wrong.

 

[Solo]

Gnosticism:
From the Greek word gnosis (knowledge). Salvation comes through secret knowledge. A diverse belief influenced by Greek philosophy and similar to forms of pantheism, Gnosticism generally taught that matter was evil and spirit was good. Forms of gnosticism affected early Christianity. One Gnostic heresy taught that because matter was evil, Jesus could not have come in the flesh. Many New Agers regard Gnostic Christianity as the more enlightened form of Christianity.
.

 

[Solo]

http://www.newswithviews.com/guest_opinion/guest59.htm

 

[Soma-Sight]

It is important that a person actually read Gnostic texts, and make judgments about the texts himself. A person should ultimately rely on his own judgment, to make the determination about a text’s spiritual soundness – after having faith correctly. That is what Paul meant when he said that everyone should work out his own salvation (Philippians 2:12). Therefore make judgments about Gnostic texts yourself, rather than rely on what people have to say.

This should extend to ALL areas of religious\philisophical\theological inquiry.

Good point.

Luke 8

10 He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, "'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’â€Â

This definetley leaves room for "Gnosis"!!!

2) Gnostic texts such as the Gospel of Truth specifically point out that a person is saved by faith. Gnostics texts also however emphasize that attaining knowledge of the secrets of God is important for salvation – the same as living righteously (as stressed in texts in the Bible). Therefore, sound Gnostics do not say that a person is saved by knowledge, only that a person needs knowledge to be saved – which is only possible by that person having faith (which is what specifically saves someone).

And I interpret much of the Gnosis experience as "Spiritual Gifts" like prophecy and teaching extolled by Paul.

Not everyone receives what the Gnostics claim as the "Gnosis" but that doesnt make it invalid or worthless.

 

[PDoug]

Gnosticism:
From the Greek word gnosis (knowledge). Salvation comes through secret knowledge. A diverse belief influenced by Greek philosophy and similar to forms of pantheism, Gnosticism generally taught that matter was evil and spirit was good. Forms of gnosticism affected early Christianity. One Gnostic heresy taught that because matter was evil, Jesus could not have come in the flesh. Many New Agers regard Gnostic Christianity as the more enlightened form of Christianity.
.

How much stock would you place in an analysis of Christianity made by someone who is Islamic or Jewish? Why then should I place weight in the analysis you provided, when in addition, my own analysis after having faith correctly tells me that the Gnostic texts I identified are sound? Many groups calling themselves Christians say that Christ is not God. Some groups calling themselves Christians preach hate, and still many, many, more do not bear any fruit. Does that mean that Christianity is not true, and that the authentic version of Christianity does not acknowledge that Christ is God? As I said before, have faith correctly first, then read Gnostic texts yourself, and make your own judgments regarding the authenticity of the texts.

 

[soma]

Why can't Christians unite with Gnostics in celebration of the Holy Spirit and learn from each other to become immersed in a deeper understanding of ourselves, God, the world around us, and far beyond? Christian joy and Gnostic joy together can be poured into the world to help each other in the spiritual journey. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Christian scorn waving our fist at people for a belief that makes people better, to understand the world is not spreading joy or the Word of God. A true Christian with love in his heart has acceptance, not resentment. Don't burn the books, yet, read for knowledge, Just because we don't understand something doesn't make it wrong some people will read and grow spiritually from that material. Read to find meaning in your life not to reject other people's beliefs. Be positive, good, love and good things will happen to you. If one resents others, that resentment will return to the sender. If one loves and accepts another that love and acceptance comes back.

 

[Solo]

Part I: Origin, Teaching and Opposition to Gnosticism

Did Jesus really have an identical twin? Was he married to Mary Magdalene? Were gospels destroyed that should have been in the Bible? Did Jesus talk to the cross on which he died and did the cross walk out of the tomb speaking? Was Judas a hero who alone of the disciples understood Jesus and, in betraying Him, was carrying out Christ's secret instructions?

Writings from the second through fourth centuries either make these claims outright or suggest them to modern readers. Produced by individuals whom we now identify as "Gnostic," these texts have been put forward in recent years as reasonable alternative forms of Christianity, as branches which were unjustly suppressed, as teachings which should be allowed to modify the dogma that came down to us or as books that should have been incorporated into the Bible. Naturally this is of concern to those orthodox Christians who understand what the texts actually contain. There is a danger that those who do not may be confused or misled by the popular claims. In this article Christian History Institute seeks to show who the Gnostics were, how we know about them, what were their main writings, what they taught and what, if anything, we can learn from them.

What Was Gnosticism?

Gnostics did not call themselves by that name and there were many variations of what we now call Gnosticism. While some forms were completely unrelated to Christianity, others considered themselves a higher type of Christian. But although Gnostic beliefs varied a good deal, we can sum up a few essential points on which all agreed:

• 
  The material world is bad, the spirit world is good. The material world is under the control of evil, ignorance or nothingness.
  
  
  
  A divine spark is somehow trapped in some (but not all) humans and it alone, of all that exists in this material world, is capable of redemption.
  
  
  
  Salvation is through a secret knowledge by which individuals come to know themselves, their origin and destiny.
  
  
  
  Since a good God could not have created an evil world, it must have been created by an inferior, ignorant or evil god. Usually the explanation given is that the true, good God created or emanated beings (Archons) who either emanated other Archons or conjugated to produce them until a mishap by Sophia (Wisdom) led to the creation of the evil Archon who created our world and pretends to be God. He hides truth from humans, but sparks of Sophia in some humans fill them with an urge to return to the Pleroma (divine realm) where they belong.

These ideas had implications that could not be squared with either the Old Testament or apostolic writings, which is why early Christians rejected them.

What Were Some Implications of Gnosticism?

Since Gnostics held matter to be corrupt, they considered the body to be corrupt, too. The trend of some Gnostics was to teach that there is no harm in indulging fleshly desires since the body is utterly corrupt and beyond redemption anyhow. Other Gnostics, perhaps the majority, held that the body must be kept in check by strict asceticism. Whether one chooses plan A or plan B, the underlying doctrine makes it impossible to understand how God could become a true man with a fleshly body in Christ Jesus.

If matter is corrupt, Christ's body also was corrupt. Since the "Christian" Gnostics accepted Christ as in some sense the savior, they were prone to a heresy called docetism, which taught that Christ only appeared to have a man's body. Those Gnostics who avoided docetism and allowed Christ a real material body taught that the Christ spirit entered into the Jesus body at some point and was later withdrawn. Even on this point Gnostic writings differ. Some say that the Christ spirit abandoned the man Jesus and left him to die alone on the cross, others that someone other than Jesus was executed. In Gnostic writings, the resurrection was either ignored or viewed as a spiritual, rather than a physical, event. There was no settled Gnostic position on these points. Each Gnostic worked out a solution as he or she pleased, freely inventing myths to his or her own satisfaction, borrowing at will from the thoughts of predecessors.

When Did Gnosticism Arise?

The origins of Gnosticism are not known. Some of its ideas, especially the pervasive theme of androgyny, can be found in Plato. Various scholars have attempted to trace Gnostic dualism to Zoroastrianism and other features of Gnosticism to Buddhism or Judaism. A treasure trove of Gnostic documents found at Nag Hammadi include several works which represent a sour, blasphemous Jewish Gnosticism that takes a perverse delight in saying spiteful things about God as He is revealed in the Old Testament.

As this suggests, elements of Gnosticism existed before the advent of Christianity. Peter, Paul, John and the writer of Hebrews were probably addressing budding Gnostic ideas when they insisted that Jesus came in the flesh and was a man like us. John's Revelation mentions groups who incorporated sexual acts into worship, which was also the practice of some Gnostic groups. However, the majority of Gnostic manuscripts found at Nag Hammadi as well as the Gospel of Judas and other such writings are clearly a reaction to the already-existing history-based Christianity of those whom we call the orthodox-- those whose faith was based on the oral teaching and writings of the apostles and their associates (the apostolic writings were widely distributed and accepted throughout Christendom although not every area had all of the books that made it into the New Testament and some accepted books that did not make the cut).

Valentinus Invents "Christian" Gnosticism

The founder of "Christian" Gnosticism was Valentinus, who was born in Carthage about 100 A.D. He became connected with the Christian church. After almost being elected Bishop of Rome (i.e.: pope) he drifted into open heresy. Apparently he was a poet; some have credited him with authorship of the earliest version of the poetical Gnostic homily Gospel of Truth. Desiring to present apostolic authority for his teaching (without which he knew Christians would ignore him), he claimed that he had received instruction from a follower of Paul named Theodas or Theudas. Even if this Theodas really had been a follower of Paul, it would not validate Valentinus' teaching, for we know that some followers of Paul fell away, for he and other apostles warn of those who shipwrecked their faith and of wolves in sheep's clothing who will come among them. With the deaths of the apostles and their immediate successors, falsehood found it easier to take root. There were no eyewitnesses left to repudiate false claims.

As Valentinus' life dates show, the "Christian Gnostic" movement and its writings date from the middle of the 2nd century AD or later. By then, most, if not all, of the writings that became our New Testament were 80 to 100 years old. Consequently various Gnostic writings quote from or allude to almost every one of them. In turn, Gnostic writings spurred a whole new Christian literature when it became necessary to refute the spreading falsehood. Late in the 2d century, orthodox leaders began to produce works to counter the growing Gnostic influence.

Why Did Early Church Leaders Oppose Gnosticism?

Why did orthodox leaders oppose Gnosticism? First and foremost, Gnosticism did not square with what they had been taught or with the accepted writings of either the Old Testament or of the apostolic period. Gnostic gospels, coming, as they did, decades-- if not centuries-- after the original Christian Scriptures, were not more likely to contain truth than the received apostolic writings, but instead more likely to be inaccurate because of their longer reliance on oral transmission (assuming they attempted to base their thought on any kind of tradition, which is doubtful). Secondly, orthodox leaders feared that Gnostic cults would deceive members of their flocks and lead them to hell. Having examined Gnostic teachings, they were convinced that Gnostics were employing the old deception used by Satan in the Garden of Eden: that by knowledge one can become like God. In their opposition to Gnosticism they appealed to the older scriptures, to history, to tradition and to their own authority as properly appointed Christian leaders. The resultant battles helped remake the church.

The three main results of the battle with Gnosticism were an increased emphasis on apostolic succession, the tightening of the church hierarchy and the definition of the Scriptural canon. One way to counter the inventions of the Gnostics was to show that as a church leader you had the truth because you had been trained and commissioned by a man who was trained and commissioned by a man who had been trained and commissioned by an apostle who had been trained and commissioned by Christ: thus the church developed the idea of apostolic succession. When only a few generations of church leaders separated a church leader from Christ, this argument held considerable force. Another way to resist heresy was to emphasize a hierarchy of church leadership in which no man could be made priest or bishop unless he stood in the tradition of previous leaders. This also happened. And finally, with spurious books emerging claiming the authority of apostles or their associates, it became necessary to decide just which writings were authoritative and which were not. Efforts to settle that question defined the canon of Scripture.

Wrong to Reject Gnosticism?

Were the orthodox wrong to reject the new form of "Christianity?" Several modern writers make it seem unfair of them. However, consider it this way: if you have a faith with specific teachings handed down to you by mentors you trusted and who backed up their position with writings of the apostles and their associates, and then along comes a new sect demanding that you change what you have been taught and deny the clear teaching of your tradition and books, are you obliged to do so? Hardly. On the contrary, it is more reasonable to expect the new cult to prove itself and defend its emerging practices. If the rival faiths clash, may that faith win which is best able to inspire its followers and meet their spiritual needs.

The opponents of Gnosticism won the battle. In fact, they were so successful that Gnosticism was long known almost exclusively through the sharp critiques that the orthodox wrote against it.

How do we know about Gnosticism?

For many years our knowledge of Gnosticism was primarily through the refutations made by the orthodox. Orthodox Christians of the early church, including Epiphanius, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian and Hippolytus took issue with the Gnostics and other heretical groups. They declared that the Gnostics invented myths about Christ and human origins, blasphemed and created new gospels at whim. Some of the orthodox descriptions tally closely with actual Gnostic documents that have now turned up.

Since the 18th century, we have recovered a number of Gnostic writings. Modern champions of Gnosticism claim that the orthodox were mistaken, that they misunderstand the attempt by the Gnostics to explain reality through myth. However, from the Gnostics' own writings it is more than apparent that the early defenders of orthodoxy got the story right in all its essentials. If anything, they understated the blasphemy and folly of many Gnostic writings.

The greatest Gnostic find to date has been the Nag Hammadi Library discovered in 1945. Portions of 46 different treatises (duplicates brought the total to 52) were discovered in a clay pot near Luxor, Egypt. These are by no means all of the Gnostic writings. Other books, such as the Gospel of Mary were known from earlier times and orthodox writers mention others that we have not yet found. One work that Bishop Irenaeus of Lyons discussed has been known for centuries but only recently released in English translation--making quite a splash. This is the forged Gospel of Judas which makes Judas the greatest of the apostles because he helped Jesus achieve liberation from his body.

What Was the Relationship of Christianity and Gnosticism?

Gnosticism was largely an attack on historical Christianity or an attempt to infiltrate or undermine it. Gnostics quoted from or alluded to most of the writings which entered our New Testament and wrote in opposition to them or distorted them. In order to entice Christians into accepting their books, Gnostics made out that the books were written by apostles or other famous figures from the Gospels and Acts. In other words, they forged them. No major scholar of any persuasion that I know of accepts that any of them were written by those whom they name as authors.


Gnostics claimed Christians were a step lower than themselves in the scale of enlightenment, that Jesus gave secret knowledge which the uninitiated did not share. For instance, the Gospel of Judas claims Jesus gave secret instructions to Judas who was therefore the most enlightened disciple. As the Gospel of Judas shows, one class of Gnostics took a demonic delight in standing Christian teachings on their head and inventing stories that would discredit God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit--the equivalent of a modern artist who puts a crucifix in a bottle of urine.


Retrieved from http://chi.gospelcom.net/morestories/gnosticism.shtml

 

[Solo]

Part II: Some Gnostic Writings

It is high time we describe the individual Gnostic writings. The Gnostic gospels are not gospels like Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. For the most part they do not consist of biographical information about Christ but rather dialogues and collections of sayings with only here and there something like an anecdote. All contain teaching contrary to Scripture. Several include depraved elements and androgynous gods. Sarcasm, blasphemy and mockery of the sacred is common to many.

Gospel of Thomas. (Not to be confused with the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas which tells of Christ's childhood.) This is the most reputable of the Nag Hammadi finds. It is a collection of 114 sayings purportedly given by Christ as secret wisdom to Thomas. With typical Gnosticism the opening declares that anyone who understands these sayings will be saved. The arrangement of the sayings is no particular order. Many are close to those found in the four received gospels. Consequently certain scholars believe this book may actually echo some genuine statements of Christ not recorded in the gospels. However, since it contains lines of dubious merit and its authorship cannot be ascertained, there is no way that would be acceptable to most Christians to determine which sayings are authentic and which are not.
None of the new Thomas stuff strikes me as particularly impressive. It does not resonate in my soul, perhaps because there is no context to give the statements force. Some of the sayings which have similarities to our four authentic gospels come across as lacking a punch line, others add a line that steals the punch. For example, when responding to the man who asks him "Tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me," Jesus uncharacteristically looks to his disciples for reaffirmation: "He said to him, 'O man, who has made me a divider?' He turned to His disciples and said to them, 'I am not a divider, am I?'" In the parable of the man who invites guests to a feast only to have them turn him down, the Gospel of Thomas elaborates on the excuses thus make the illustration tedious. In one of the most quoted sayings, Peter seeks to exclude Mary because of her sex, but Jesus says he will make Mary male.

Gospel of Truth. The principle Valentinian work, this sermon may be by Valentinus himself. He teaches that error came from the Father and warps familiar New Testament terms, giving them a new meaning. Another work by the Valentinians is The Treatise on the Resurrection which says the resurrection, which is a spiritual rather than a physical resurrection, has already occurred for each believer by faith. Still another Valentinian work, the Tripartite Tractate, blames a rupture in the Godhead on the Logos (Word). This work offers a typical Gnostic scheme in which aeons beget aeons until a fallen world is introduced. The Logos splits and in conjunction with aeons emanates a savior. Two other Valentinian works are Interpretation of Knowledge and the Valentinian Exposition which contains ritual pronouncements. Interpretation of Knowledge deals with a community torn over spiritual gifts and the lack of knowledge of some. It employs Scriptural themes reinterpreted in Valentinian fashion.

The Apocryphon [Secret Book] of James. In this dialog, Jesus appears to the disciples 550 days after his resurrection [the Bible limits the apperances to 40 days], singles out James and Peter for special knowledge which will no longer uttered in parables. He urges his followers to accept martyrdom and ascends into heaven. Peter and James attempt to follow but their concentration is broken before they can enter the third heaven.

The Book of Thomas the Contender. This is a dialogue in which Thomas, called the identical twin of Jesus, is given special knowledge by Jesus. This knowledge advocates asceticism, especially avoidance of women. "Woe to you who love intimacy with womankind and polluted intercourse with them!"

The Apocryphon [Secret Book] of John. The church father Irenaeus blasted a version of this work, three copies of which were found at Nag Hammadi-- all varying in detail. Jesus allegedly appeared to John in a blaze of light after his resurrection and gave him, among other things, a bizarre creation story based on Genesis 1. Like other such books, this declares that an evil archon created our world. It flatly contradicts the Genesis account that Eve was made from Adam's rib and teaches that she was seduced by the chief Archon (a godlike being) and had two children that she named with Old Testament names of God (Elohim and Yahweh). In the teaching of this book, Christ and Sophia (Wisdom) are emanations of God. Sophia attempts an impossible thing and becomes separated from the heavenly world and fragmented. Sparks from her still exist in those who will be saved, gathering themselves and returning to the heavenly world where they will reunite.

The First and Second Apocalypse of James. Jesus tells his spiritual brother James that both of them must die. After facing the cross, he assures him he never suffered a thing. He instructs James in how to pass certain beings that will try to block him from reaching the divine realm. The second book ends with a graphic (and possibly useful) account of James' death at the hands of Jewish leaders in Jerusalem.

The Apocalypse of Peter. In a trance, Peter sees the opponents of Christ as blind. When Jesus is crucified, there is someone laughing above the cross. "The Savior said to me, 'He whom you saw on the three [crosses], glad and laughing, this is the living Jesus. But this one into whose hands and feet they drive the nails is his fleshly part, which is the substitute being put to shame, the one who came into being in his likeness." In other words, this is a spirit Christ, an intellectual Christ, not a real human Christ, and this Crhist finds it a great joke that a real man is suffering what he is supposedly going through. This is certainly not the Christ we know.

The Apocalypse of Paul. Paul ascends through the ten heavens.

Second Treatise of the Great Seth. Jesus says that he escaped the crucifixion and did not die at all. Another person died in his place and he was laughing at the blindness of all who did not see what was going on.

Gospel of Philip. This disjointed book presents a mysterious Jesus. Supposedly he loved Mary Magdalene more than the apostles and used to kiss her often. It ridicules Christians who take the resurrection literally and denies that the Virgin Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit (which it takes to be a feminine principle): "When did a woman ever conceive by a woman?"

The Exegesis on the Soul. A myth of how the soul (feminine) falls from heaven, prostitutes itself, bears sickly children, repents, calls to the father, is transformed, married to her older brother (Christ), bears good children and is restored to heaven.

Gospel of Mary. This book was found before the Nag Hammadi manuscripts. Mary relates the things Jesus told her alone about salvation after his resurrection, is disbelieved because they are new teachings, breaks into tears, is defended by Levi who says Jesus loved her more than the rest of them. He says they should listen to her and go out and preach the gospel, so they do. Christ's resurrection is taught to be a visionary, ecstatic thing.

The Prayer of Thanksgiving. This short prayer thanks God for a knowledge which makes one divine. One sentence reads: "We rejoice because while we were in the body you have made us divine through your knowledge."

Dialogue of the Savior. Jesus answers questions put him from the apostles and Mary, giving Gnostic answers. The words are largely elaborations and transformations of Christ's sayings known to us from the Bible. However, as in several of the Gnostic writings, it shows hostility toward women that far exceeds anything alleged against the New Testament writers: "Judas said, 'You have told us this out of the mind of truth. When we pray, how should we pray?' The Lord said, 'Pray in the place where there is no woman.'"

The Acts of John. Discovered before Nag Hammadi, this denies the reality of Christ's body. John says he was unable to see that Christ left any footprints.

The Trimorphic Protennoia. The Protennoia is supposedly God's first thought and descends to earth three times, first as father, then as mother and finally as son. Some scholars claim that the opening of John's gospel was influenced by this work, although it seems likelier to be the other way around. Be that as it may, this book teaches that Jesus was just a man. In it, Christ is the son of the villainous god who supposedly created our world, not of the true God who it says is different. Truth is brought to mankind by a female goddess who becomes incarnated as a human.

The Concept of Our Great Power. As in the Protennoia describes three eras representative of the three beings in the Trinity. After an imitator deceives men, the end will come, apparently with the return of Christ (not named) in a final apocalypse. The great power is a god higher than the God of the Old Testament.
The Letter of Peter to Philip. The disciples on the Mount of Olives see a great light. Jesus instructs them in secret Gnostic wisdom which is a shortened version of the teaching found in the Apocalypse of John and in the Hypostasis of the Archons.

The Sophia [Wisdom] of Jesus Christ. The disciples are on a mountain, see a great light and Jesus appears as an angel of light to give them secret Gnostic instructions. [Bible believers will object at once that Satan comes as an angel of light and that Jesus is above angels.] This writing was modeled on Eugnostos the Blessed.

The Testimony of Truth. Contains a passage sneering at God as He is revealed in the Genesis account of Adam and Eve's fall; exalts the serpent in the Garden of Eden as the revealer of life and knowledge; says orthodox Christians should not marry and procreate; rejects a bodily resurrection.

The Authoritative Teaching. This book is about a soul (represented as a woman) which falls and finds its way through a hard search for knowledge back to immortal food. Her invisible soul cannot be destroyed by the dealers in bodies and is fed spiritually. Humans are compared to fish for whom a dragnet is cast by those who would destroy them. This book, as a work of fiction, is actually moving in places.

The Thunder: Perfect Mind. Written somewhat in the style of the feminine wisdom of Proverbs 9, here a feminine voice speaks. What she says, though, is a wisdom of contradiction and riddles. "I am the whore and the holy one; I am the wife and the virgin...I am the mother of my father and the sister of my husband and he is my offspring..."

Hypostasis of the Archons. This perverse book opens quoting Paul. It gives a creation account loosely based on Genesis, but denying that Eve was made from Adam's rib. When Adam wakens from ignorance, he declares that Eve has given him life. Spiritual beings attempt to rape her, but she turns into a tree and substitutes an image of herself for them to rape. The story then glorifies the serpent and Eve whom it tempted. The punishment of Adam and Eve is by lesser gods. The story then passes to Noah's wife who dominates her husband and burns the first ark he builds. An angel enlightens a questioner about the origin of things with a typical Gnostic explanation involving a wicked and ignorant creator god given the names "fool" and "god of the blind." Sophia (Wisdom) also appears. The God whom Jews and Christians know from the Old Testament is mocked because He claims to be "the only God" and "a jealous God."

On the Origin of the World. Very similar at many points to the Hypostasis of the Archons. Eve is a virgin who produces her children without Adam. When spiritual beings attempt to rape her, she turns into a tree and substitutes an image of herself for them to violate. The image bears their offspring. Satan, who tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit is glorified as "the instructor." When heavenly beings come to punish the couple, they are unable to act against the instructor--he is too powerful for them. All they can do is curse him. Envious of the knowledge Adam and Eve have gained, the heavenly powers expel them from the garden. After many people came into being, the savior who is greater than all (the Logos) is sent to instruct them.

The Gospel of the Egyptians (also known as The Sacred Book of the Great Invisible Spirit). Like the Origin of the World and Hypostasis of the Archons, this offers a myth in which emanations from God make the corrupt universe. It identifies lights and powers. Seth, son of Eve, puts on Jesus' body to save humankind.

The Great Questions of Mary. One of the most despicable of the Gnostic books, it depicts Jesus as engaging in and justifying shocking sexual practices (Dart 27).

Gospel of Judas. Reversing the gospel story, Judas is made the hero, the only one who understands Jesus. He betrays Jesus at His own request to liberate Jesus from his evil flesh and gets blamed for his obedience.

The Apocalypse of Adam. A dying Adam imparts knowledge to his good son Seth, telling him that for a while he and Eve were higher than the god who made them but lost that knowledge in their fall. Three high beings brought him a secret knowledge which he is passing on to Seth. This manuscript is written from an Jewish perspective as are The Life of Adam and Eve, Eugnostos the Blessed, The Paraphrase of Shem, the Three Steles of Seth, Zostrianos, and Allogenes. The last named instructs how to overcome ignorance and fear and walk in revealed knowledge with the Gnostic and Sethian elements. Some of the instruction is given by a female deity. In the Paraphrase of Shem, John the Baptist is declared to be a demon; the destruction of Sodom is reversed in meaning. Shem ascends to the height of creation, receives instruction from an enlightened being named Derdekeas and returns to earth to tell others what he has learned. In the Three Steles of Seth, knowledge from the time of Seth (Adam's third son) is supposedly recovered. Zostrianos recounts a heavenly journey. Another Sethian writing, Melchizadek, purports to be a prophecy of the first coming of Christ.

Impressions

The overall impression I am left with is that in this literature there is a cloud of confusion: a creation and fall which take place in a dozen different ways; names and entities as evanescant as particles in a cloud chamber; an enlightenment that never comes clear; shape & role-shifting beings who are not even well characterized as fictions. All of this is embedded in a pastiche of contrarian ideas that are interlarded with remarks that remind one of irreverent schoolboys whom you can almost hear sniggering at their own cleverness which they think proves that they are superior to the decent things ordinary people believe.


Retrieved from http://chi.gospelcom.net/morestories/gnosticism2.shtml

 

[Solo]

Part III: Meaning of Gnosticism for Today
http://chi.gospelcom.net/morestories/gnosticism3.shtml

What Can Gnosticism Teach Us?

The sparsity of orthodox truth in Gnostic writings and their contrariness to orthodox Jewish and Christian teaching does not mean that Gnosticism has nothing at all to teach us. In fact there are several things we can learn from "Christian" Gnosticism.

• 1. Early Gnostic opponents of Christianity were well aware of (and opposed to) the Church's teaching that Christ's physical body arose from the dead, proving the antiquity of this doctrine.
  
  2. The Gnostic corpus shows that key Christian doctrines and practices (such as eucharist) were widely known, demonstrating their authoritative nature.
  
  3. The Gnostic writings by quoting the apostolic writings or alluding to them show that those books and the personalities associated with them were well-known among the early Christians and are not later inventions.
  
  4. Gnosticism reminds us that the church has always faced error and that such teachings can be expected to rise again and again.

Why Is Gnosticism Reviving Now?

Like the early Christian centuries, we live in a world whose culture has lost its way. Western society is characterized by promiscuity, lawlessness and excess. Having rejected Christian morality, it is natural that people will seek something to fill the void. Perhaps they want a halfway house--something that goes by the name Christian even if it is not. Perhaps people want a rationale for their behavior; Gnosticism certainly offers that in its myths of the unredeemable flesh. Or perhaps some want a justification for their rejection of the faith that built our culture. In that case, the enemy (Gnosticism) of my enemy (Christianity) becomes my friend. Others are searching for meaning--any kind of meaning. To such, especially to those who perceive themselves as more intelligent than the norm, Gnostic literature may appeal as a source of ancient wisdom.

Elaine Pagels' book The Gnostic Gospels reflects considerations that may make Gnosticism appealing today for some. Her thesis seems to be that orthodox church leaders of the second and third centuries used religion for ulterior purposes: to suppress individual autonomy (represented as artistry), feminism, independence from religious authority, and a "more reasonable" view of the resurrection. In their grasping for personal power these leaders narrowly redefined Christianity so that it no longer embraced the full spectrum of alternatives within early Christianity. Needless to say orthodox Christians reject this characterization.

There is no denying, however, that what the Gnostics are said to represent may appeal to some in our culture who have abandoned any pretense of accepting the authority or literal truth of Christianity, to those who exhibit a spiteful response to tradition or to those who seek personal or religious autonomy.

For others, Gnosticism has simply become a politically correct mantra to invoke as a source of ancient wisdom or a different and truer understanding of reality.

How Is The DaVinci Code Related to Gnosticism?

A modern author who invokes Gnosticism is Dan Brown in his mystery thriller The Da Vinci Code. One of his characters alludes often to Gnosticism and Gnostic writings in explaining the historical background of the mystery that is unfolding in the story. Brown gets some things wrong. For example, none of the Gnostic writings that we have uncovered say that Christ was married to Mary Magdalene or had sex with her. Contrary to his claims, the Gnostic gospels do not assert the humanity of Christ. Instead they spiritualize and intellectualize the Jesus of the Gospels. Brown develops a conspiracy theory of Christian history with the Emperor Constantine as his arch-villain, suppressing and destroying Gnostic gospels among other foul deeds.

Why Did Gnosticism Languish for Centuries?

Like Brown in his fiction, Elaine Pagels presents a conspiracy theory but hers is in the realm of popular nonfiction. She claims that victorious orthodox churchmen persecuted Gnostics out of existence and burned their manuscripts, then rewrote the history of the times to tell the story their way. This seems to reverse the story. Although persecutors of Christians tried to destroy their books, Christians seem to have merely defined certain works as authentic Scripture and others as inauthentic. Although there was a spontaneous burning of magic books by the new converts of Ephesus, this had nothing to do with suppressing rival gospels (Acts 19:19).

But perhaps there were other influences at work? Bart Ehrman suggests "powerful" Bishop Athanasius caused Gnostic books to be destroyed by writing a festal letter in 367 which listed the books that Christians were to accept. Athanasius' list included exactly the books that are now in the New Testament. However, that letter did not even hint that unacceptable books be destroyed. To the contrary, among the books Athanasius rejected as not being Scripture were Esther, The Shepherd of Hermas and The Epistle of Barnabas. Athanasius affirmed that although he did not consider these and several other titles to be inspired, they were nonetheless useful to read. What effect did his list have? Although Athanasius was influential (because he so often stood up at great cost to himself for what he believed), he was far from powerful. Indeed, for much of his life he was on the run or in exile.

The real reason for the virtual disappearance of Gnosticism and Gnostic writings for many centuries is that its ideas did not embody the timeless truths that outlast societal change. As Pheme Perkins wrote, "By the end of Augustine's life, Manichaeism, the last powerful manifestation of Gnostic spirituality in the ancient world, had spent its force. It was ill-adapted to the new world that was emerging" (Perkins 3). As orthodox Christians see it, the power of God was not undergirding the Gnostics and they crumbled while the orthodox stood the test of time because of their living and defensible truth.

History-Based Christians vs. Gnostics

Although some Gnostic writers may have considered themselves Christians, there were significant differences between them and orthodox Christians. The Gnostics did not seek to ground their faith in historic fact the way the orthodox did. Virtually all scholars acknowledge that the Gnostic gospels were forged in the names of apostles. By contrast, the orthodox of that era, both in their writings and in their arguments, attempted to demonstrate the historic base of their teachings. While many scholars claim some books of the New Testament are also forgeries (especially 2 Peter, 2 Timothy and Titus) and claim that the orthodox changed words here and there in the originals to strengthen their position, it is nonetheless clear, from the arguments that the orthodox made in the heat of argument, that they attempted to ground their belief in verifiable historic fact. The difference this makes is apparent even in the type of gospels the orthodox accepted. Unlike the Gnostic gospels, the orthodox gospels placed Christ within a historic context and his sayings are given a frame. For that reason, we should perhaps call orthodox Christians not "the orthodox" but "history-based" Christians.

The bottom line is, Gnosticism was seen by history-based Christians as false, just as today we consider Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormonism to be forms of Christianity which are not based on the historic facts and teachings that have come down to us. The church was right to reject Gnosticism.


Retrieved from http://chi.gospelcom.net/morestories/gnosticism3.shtml

 

[PDoug]

Solo,

You keep ignoring the things that I write, and refuse to have faith correctly and make you own assesment of Gnostic texts. So I will leave you with this:

Gospel of Thomas

(93) "Do not give what is holy to dogs, lest they throw them on the dung-heap...

 

[Vic C.]

Gnostics texts also however emphasize that attaining knowledge of the secrets of God is important for salvation – the same as living righteously (as stressed in texts in the Bible). Therefore, sound Gnostics do not say that a person is saved by knowledge, only that a person needs knowledge to be saved –

I disagree with that. Think about it. You exclude all those who are, for whatever reason, incapapable of acheiving knowledge. A person DOES NOT need the knowledge of secrets to be saved, They need TRUTH.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I have read Thomas a couple of times and it just doesn't sitt well with the rest of the Gospel. Gnosticism teaches a different Gospel. :-?

:that is all I wanted to say.

 

[PDoug]

Gnostics texts also however emphasize that attaining knowledge of the secrets of God is important for salvation – the same as living righteously (as stressed in texts in the Bible). Therefore, sound Gnostics do not say that a person is saved by knowledge, only that a person needs knowledge to be saved –

I disagree with that. Think about it. You exclude all those who are, for whatever reason, incapapable of acheiving knowledge. A person DOES NOT need the knowledge of secrets to be saved, They need TRUTH.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Isn't the truth referred to in the above scripture, the truth about things around you, and the truth about the ways of God? This is one and the same as the required knowledge referred to in Gnostics text. It is important to realize, that even if a man is trapped on an island, and has no books whatsoever, he will still gain increasing understanding of the ways of God and our world (provided he has faith), because these things will be written in him as indicated in Jeremiah 31:33-34.

I have read Thomas a couple of times and it just doesn't sitt well with the rest of the Gospel. Gnosticism teaches a different Gospel. :-?

:that is all I wanted to say.

What specifically does not sit well with you?

 

[ChristineES]

I guess the reason I don't unite with Gnostics (which I have read) is because the teachings are different than what the Bible says and what Jesus taught in the four gospels. No one has told me any differently. I have not read only the Gnostic Gospels but other Gnostic writings as well. What they believe is not the same as my religion. I would no more follow their teachings than I would become a Buddhist or a Hindu. Solo had condensed here what their beliefs are, and I thank him for that.
Good day and God Bless.

 

[PDoug]

I guess the reason I don't unite with Gnostics (which I have read) is because the teachings are different than what the Bible says and what Jesus taught in the four gospels.

I do not advocate unity with Gnostics. I only advocate recognizing the validity of certain texts labeled as Gnostic – in addition to other texts out there as well.