What Is Gnosticism
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What Is Gnosticism
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Author : Karen L. King
language : en
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Release Date : 2003
What Is Gnosticism written by Karen L. King and has been published by Harvard University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2003 with Religion categories.
A study of gnosticism examines the various ways early Christians strove to define themselves in a pluralistic Roman society, while questioning the traditional ideas of heresy and orthodoxy that have previously influenced historians.
Gnosis
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Author : Kurt Rudolph
language : en
Publisher: A&C Black
Release Date : 2001-06-20
Gnosis written by Kurt Rudolph and has been published by A&C Black this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2001-06-20 with Religion categories.
Translated by R. McL. WilsonA full-scale study based on the documents of the Coptic Gnostic library found at Nag Hammadi providing a comprehensive survey of the nature, the teachings, the history and the influence of this religion.
Gnosticism
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Author : Stephan A Hoeller
language : en
Publisher: Quest Books
Release Date : 2012-12-13
Gnosticism written by Stephan A Hoeller and has been published by Quest Books this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-12-13 with Religion categories.
Gnosticism developed alongside Judeo-Christianity over two thousand years ago, but with an important difference: It emphasizes, not faith, but direct perception of God--Gnosticism being derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning "knowledge." Given the controversial premise that one can know God directly, the history of Gnosticism is an unfolding drama of passion, political intrigue, martyrdom, and mystery. Dr. Hoeller traces this fascinating story throughout time and shows how Gnosticism has inspired such great thinkers as Voltaire, Blake, Yeats, Hesse, Melville, and Jung.
The Coherence Of Gnosticism
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Author : Einar Thomassen
language : en
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Release Date : 2020-11-23
The Coherence Of Gnosticism written by Einar Thomassen and has been published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2020-11-23 with Religion categories.
“Gnosticism” has become a problematic category in the study of early Christianity. It obscures diversity, invites essentialist generalisations, and is a legacy of ancient heresiology. However, simply to conclude with “diversity” is unsatisfying, and new efforts to discern coherence and to synthesise need to be made. The present work seeks to make a fresh start by concentrating on Irenaeus’ report on a specific group called the “Gnostics” and on his claim that Valentinus and his followers were inspired by their ideas. Following this lead, an attempt is made to trace the continuity of ideas from this group to Valentinianism. The study concludes that there is more continuity than has previously been recognised. Irenaeus’ “Gnostics” emerge as the predecessors not only of Valentinianism, but also of Sethianism. They represent an early, philosophically inspired form of Christ religion that arose independently of the New Testament canon. Christology is essential and provides the basis for the myth of Sophia. The book is relevant for all students of Christian origins and the early history of the Church.
Gnosticism The History And Legacy Of The Mysterious Ancient Religion
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Author : Charles River Editors
language : en
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date : 2019-03-18
Gnosticism The History And Legacy Of The Mysterious Ancient Religion written by Charles River Editors and has been published by Independently Published this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019-03-18 with History categories.
*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading "This knowledge is not something that can be put into words like other sciences; but after long-continued intercourse between teacher and pupil, in joint pursuit of the subject, suddenly, like light flashing forth when a fire is kindled, it is born in the soul and straightway nourishes itself." - Plato Gnosticism is one of the great mysteries in the history of Western religion. At its core is an ancient Greek word, gnōsis, a word prominent in the writings of Plato which refers to a deep personal knowledge or understanding that often transcends the physical world. The Gnostics painted a picture of a fallen, broken world in which physicality was a product of a lesser deity. This deity was created in defiance of the One and in order to trap humans and blind them to the truths of their predicament and divine origins. By acquiring insight, or gnōsis, in this secret nature of the world, humans might escape their prison. Only through knowledge can people be set free. As that makes clear, Gnosticism as a belief system is difficult to define since it is not a well-organized or uniform doctrine like Christianity or Judaism, but at one time there was some synchronization with Christianity that nurtured both movements. As a religion and philosophy, Gnosticism flourished alongside Christianity, and it is not easy to say which one came first, but it is certain that both movements influenced each other. To paraphrase John Dominic Crossan, it is unclear whether Gnosticism was a Christian heresy, a Jewish heresy, or an original religion that powerfully merged with both. Gnosticism borrowed elements from Christians, just as the whole of Christianity took a certain Gnostic flavor, to the point that some books of the New Testament, especially the Gospel of John, could easily pass as a proto-Gnostic document. At the risk of oversimplifying, Gnosticism was the belief that the souls are divine sparks imprisoned in imperfect physical bodies, due to the machinations of a lesser and evil god who created the world. This evil god is identified with the creator of the Genesis and the Hebrew Bible. The material world and the body are prisons separated from the divine realm, from which humans must escape through the ascent of various levels. This is possible through the acquisition of secret knowledge reserved for the elect. This special revelation or gnosis (knowledge) was supposedly disclosed by Jesus to his dearest disciples, and it can be found in the Gnostic books, deliberately written in cryptic language. The acquisition of the secrets necessary for the salvation of the soul in many cases implied a radical asceticism and corporal sacrifice. Due to such classical roots, it would be easy to conclude that Gnosticism is an ancient philosophy, and a cursory glance might categorize it as simply a way of understanding the world and promoting investigation. However, the term is most often used to describe not a philosophy but a religion, and not just any religion, but a branch of one of the most resilient and influential traditions in history: Christianity. So what exactly is Gnosticism, and why does it remain such a source of confusion, captivation, and charisma for modern scholarship and culture alike? These answers are complex, and indicative of how the many turnings of the last two millennia have unexpectedly unearthed some answers while burying others even deeper. Gnosticism: The History and Legacy of the Mysterious Ancient Religion looks at the different origins that shaped Gnosticism, what Gnostics believed and practiced, and the influence they had on other religions. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Gnosticism like never before.
First Century Gnosticism
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Author : Gerard van Groningen
language : en
Publisher: Brill Archive
Release Date : 1967
First Century Gnosticism written by Gerard van Groningen and has been published by Brill Archive this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1967 with Gnosticism categories.
The Essence Of The Gnostics
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Author : Bernard Simon
language : en
Publisher: Arcturus Publishing
Release Date : 2005-03-01
The Essence Of The Gnostics written by Bernard Simon and has been published by Arcturus Publishing this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2005-03-01 with Religion categories.
For what is it that the All lacked, if not the knowledge of the Father?' - Gnostic text from the Gospel of Truth Long before there was a system of belief called Gnosticism there were those who reached for a special intimate knowledge of God and His mysterious ways. The possession of such knowledge, they believed, would bring salvation from suffering. All religious traditions acknowledged that the world is imperfect. Where they differ is in the explanations they offer for this imperfection - and in what they suggest might be done about it. While many religionists hold that humans are to be blamed for these imperfections, the Gnostics believed that the world is flawed because it was created in a flawed manner, thereby implicating the creator. Such a perspective was regarded as blasphemous by fellow-Christians at the dawn of the new religion, and led to the sect's persecution. Equally concerning were the Gnostics' liberal views regarding sex, the role of women, and toleration of other faiths. In The Essence of the Gnostics Bernard Simon offers a fascinating insight into this ancient and yet in many ways surprisingly contemporary faith, and explores the reasons for its current renaissance.
The Gospel Of The Gnostics
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Author : Duncan Greenlees
language : en
Publisher: Book Tree
Release Date : 2006-10
The Gospel Of The Gnostics written by Duncan Greenlees and has been published by Book Tree this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2006-10 with Gnosticism categories.
Recommended by top scholars in the field of Gnostic studies for many years, but has been virtually impossible to find until now. One of the best books on the subject, essential for any serious researcher. A virtual gold mine of Gnostic material, some translated and presented here for the first time.
The Gnostics
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Author : David Brakke
language : en
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Release Date : 2012-09-03
The Gnostics written by David Brakke and has been published by Harvard University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-09-03 with Religion categories.
Who were the Gnostics? And how did the Gnostic movement influence the development of Christianity in antiquity? Is it true that the Church rejected Gnosticism? This book offers an illuminating discussion of recent scholarly debates over the concept of ÒGnosticismÓ and the nature of early Christian diversity. Acknowledging that the category ÒGnosticismÓ is flawed and must be reformed, David Brakke argues for a more careful approach to gathering evidence for the ancient Christian movement known as the Gnostic school of thought. He shows how Gnostic myth and ritual addressed basic human concerns about alienation and meaning, offered a message of salvation in Jesus, and provided a way for people to regain knowledge of God, the ultimate source of their being. Rather than depicting the Gnostics as heretics or as the losers in the fight to define Christianity, Brakke argues that the Gnostics participated in an ongoing reinvention of Christianity, in which other Christians not only rejected their ideas but also adapted and transformed them. This book will challenge scholars to think in news ways, but it also provides an accessible introduction to the Gnostics and their fellow early Christians.
The Gnostic Gospels
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Author : Elaine Pagels
language : en
Publisher: Hachette UK
Release Date : 2013-07-25
The Gnostic Gospels written by Elaine Pagels and has been published by Hachette UK this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2013-07-25 with History categories.
As discussed in The Da Vinci Code... Long buried and suppressed, the Gnostic Gospels contain the secret writings attributed to the followers of Jesus. In 1945 fifty-two papyrus texts, including gospels and other secret documents, were found concealed in an earthenware jar buried in the Egyptian desert. These so-called Gnostic writings were Coptic translations from the original Greek dating from the time of the New Testament. The material they embodied - poems, quasi-philosophical descriptions of the origins of the universe, myths, magic and instructions for mystic practice - were later declared heretical, as they offered a powerful alternative to the Orthodox Christian tradition. In a book that is as exciting as it is scholarly, Elaine Pagels examines these texts and the questions they pose and shows why Gnosticism was eventually stamped out by the increasingly organised and institutionalised Orthodox Church.