| Gnosticism �you will be as gods� Gnostic The Gnostics were a sect of philosophers that arose in the first ages of christianity, who pretended they were the only men who had a true knowledge of the christian religion. They formed for themselves a system of theology, agreeable to the philosophy of Pythagoras and Plato, to which they accommodated their interpretations of scripture. They held that all natures, intelligible, intellectual and material, are derived by successive emanations from the infinite fountain of deity. These emanations they called oeons. These doctrines were derived from the oriental philosophy. Webster�s 1828 Dictionary 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. - Watchman Fellowship�s 2001 Index of Cults and Religions Jason Barker wrote: 1st and 2nd Centuries The Gnostics promoted three basic teachings: 1) matter is evil, and thus Jesus only appeared to be a man; 2) because the Bible teaches that God created matter, the God of the Old Testament Jews is an evil deity who is distinct from the New Testament God, Jesus Christ; and 3) ultimate Truth is a mystery that is available only to those who are initiated into the secret teachings and practices of the Gnostic groups. Gnosticism has become popular in the latter half of the 20th century with the 1945 Egyptian discovery of the Nag Hammadi library, a collection of Gnostic writings. One of the most influential books in modern Gnosticism has been Elaine Pagel�s The Gnostic Gospels, an analysis of the Nag Hammadi documents. Modern Gnosticism is commonly found in syncretistic groups, which teach that Truth can be found by combining the beliefs and practices of numerous religions. Scriptural Refutation: Genesis 1:4, 10, 18, 21, 25, 27; John 10:30; 2 Timothy 3:16�17; 1 John 1:1; 2 Peter 2:1�2. Gnosticism was running rampant even before the time of Christ. Just as the Catholic Bishop St. Augustine of Hippo, Gnosticism is rooted in paganism and in the Greek philosopher Plato�s teachings. Gnosticism is also rooted to Pythagoreanism. (I once mistakenly said Tertullian had joined Marcionism but actually meant Montanism, an early form of Pentecostalism.) Gnosticism is the result of throwing Paganism, Christianity, Judaism, and Greek and Oriental Philosophy into a blender. Gnostics believe that good and evil are equal powers. They believe �God� created both good and evil beings. They also believe that knowledge is the only key to salvation. Their view of salvation is knowing the path to �Heaven� only. Gnostics doubt the accuracy of the Bible, believe Jesus was not sinless, and believe Christ may have been married to Mary Magdalene. Gnostics believe in a God who is out of reach. They believe the goddess of wisdom, Sophia, went on a search for the highest God but fell short and created an evil God by accident. This evil god was called The Demiurge, believed to be the God of Jews and Old Testament. Gnosticism was and is highly antisemitic. Gnosticism influenced or is tied to these other religious movements: Paganism/Pantheism, Hinduism, New Age Religion, Babylonian, Dualism, Catholicism, Greek Philosophy, Oriental Philosophy, Augustinianism, Calvinism, Egyptian, Mysticism, Kabbalism, British Israelism, Zoroastrianism, Freemasonry, Occult, Satanism, Essene, Crowleyism, Ordo Templi Orientis, Freemasonry, Masonry, Pluralism, Theosophy, Emergent Church, Unitarian, Universalist, Nazism, Luminism, Communism, Marcionism, Antisemitism, and Modern Liberal Christianity. Gnostic literature includes: Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Truth, Apocryphon of John, Dialogue of the Saviour, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Three Steles of Seth, Prayer of the Apostle Paul, Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, Letter of Peter to Philip, Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles, First Apocalypse of James, Second Apocalypse of James, Apocalypse of Peter, Apocalypse of Paul, Valentinian Exposition, Zostrianos, Tripartite Tractate, Trimorphic Protennoia, Treatise on the Resurrection, Teachings of Silvanus, The Thunder, Perfect Mind, Thought of Norea, Second Treatise of the Great Seth, Testimony of Truth, Sentences of Sextus, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Sophia of Jesus Christ, Plato, Republic 588A-589B, Paraphrase of Shem, On the Eucharist, On the Baptism, On the Origin of the World, On the Anointing, Melchizedek, Gospel of Egyptians, Hypostasis of the Archons, Hypsiphrone, Interpretation of Knowledge, Letter of Peter to Philip, Marsanes, Exegesis on the Soul, Akhmim Codex, Bruce Codex, Marcion�s writings, Odes of Solomon, Ophite Diagrams, Pseudrigrapha, Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown Also see: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06592a.htm http://www.carm.org/heresy/gnosticism.htm http://64.1911encyclopedia.org/G/GN/GNOSTICISM.htm http://www.crisispub.com/evolution_of_calvinism.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnostic Jeremy Brown 2003-2005 BACK |