1. CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Gnosticism (Catholic Encyclopedia)Category Society Religion and Spirituality G......gnosticism. The doctrine of salvation by knowledge. This know. A morecomplete and historical definition of gnosticism would be http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06592a.htm

Home Encyclopedia Summa Fathers ... G > Gnosticism A B C D ... Z Gnosticism The doctrine of salvation by knowledge . This definition, based on the etymology of the word ( gnosis "knowledge", gnostikos , "good at knowing"), is correct as far as it goes, but it gives only one, though perhaps the predominant, characteristic of Gnostic systems of thought. Whereas Judaism and Christianity , and almost all pagan systems, hold that the soul attains its proper end by obedience of mind and will to the Supreme Power, i.e. by faith and works, it is markedly peculiar to Gnosticism that it places the salvation of the soul merely in the possession of a quasi-intuitive knowledge of the mysteries of the universe and of magic formulae indicative of that knowledge. Gnostics were "people who knew", and their knowledge at once constituted them a superior class of beings, whose present and future status was essentially different from that of those who, for whatever reason, did not know. A more complete and historical definition of Gnosticism would be: A collective name for a large number of greatly-varying and pantheistic idealistic sects, which flourished from some time before the Christian Era down to the fifth century, and which, while borrowing the phraseology and some of the tenets of the chief religions of the day, and especially of

2. Gnostics, Gnostic Gospels, & Gnosticism Contains an overview of Gnostic beliefs, along with a collection of texts by prominent figures in the history of gnosticism. A onesentence description of gnosticism a religion that differentiates the evil god of this world (who is identified http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/gnostics.html

A one-sentence description of Gnosticism: a religion that differentiates the evil god of this world (who is identified with the god of the Old Testament) from a higher more abstract God revealed by Jesus Christ, a religion that regards this world as the creation of a series of evil archons/powers who wish to keep the human soul trapped in an evil physical body, a religion that preaches a hidden wisdom or knowledge only to a select group as necessary for salvation or escape from this world. The term "gnostic" derives from "gnosis," which means "knowledge" in Greek. The Gnostics believed that they were privy to a secret knowledge about the divine, hence the name. (Huxley coined "agnosticism" on the basis that all knowledge must be based on reason. We cannot rationally claim to have access to knowledge that is beyond the powers of the intellect.) There are numerous references to the Gnostics in second century proto-orthodox literature. Most of what we know about them is from the polemic thrown at them by the early Church Fathers. They are alluded to in the Bible in the pastorals (spurious Paulines of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus), for example 1 Tm 1:4 and 1 Tm 6:20, and possibly the entirety of Jude. Ignatius of Antioch writes against them as well as Docetism, a doctrine closely related to Gnosticism that stated that Christ was pure spirit and had only a phantom body. Second Clement is a document aimed at refuting early second century Gnosticism. Marcion was the most famous of the Gnostics, and he established a "canon" of the Pauline epistles (minus the pastorals) and a "mutilated" Luke (presumably considered so because it lacked proof-texts such as Lk 22:43-44). Justin Martyr mentioned him c. 150 CE, and Irenaeus and Tertullian wrote against him extensively in the late second century (in

3. Gnosticism - National Occult Research Association gnosticism. What is gnosticism? http://www.occultresearch.org/gnosticism

Gnosticism. What is Gnosticism? The Gospel of Thomas The Gospel of Philip The Gospel of Truth ... The Holy Gnostic Rosary var site="sm7etadich"

4. Gnosticism gnosticism is a concept of spiritual experience which has its roots in many religious practices and is not restricted to Christianity. http://www.dragonswing.net/gnosticism.htm

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5. Discernment Ministries: The Home Page Of Jewel Van Der Merwe from a Christian point of view http://www.discernment-ministries.com/sfire.htm

The Rise of Gnosticism in the Church Written by Travers and Jewel van der Merwe Dedication and Foreword Chapter 1: Strange Fire Chapter 2: Gnosticism Chapter 3: A Gnostic Gospel? ... Chapter 10: Neo-Gnosticism Write to Discernment Ministries

6. Gnosticism Resources - Gnostic Studies - Links An annotated directory of online resources on gnosticism Gnostic Studies resource for the study of both ancient and modern gnosticism. Includes the Gnostic Society Library, archives, http://www.academicinfo.net/gnostic.html

Home Keyword Search Subject Index Reference Desk ... Student Center Academic Info : Gnostic Studies Humanities Religion Christianity Gnosticism Humanities Religion Christianity Biblical Studies Gnosticism We Need Your Help Please take a minute to make a tax-deductible donation. Academic Info is made possible by the generous financial support of users like you. Academic Info also seeks corporations and institutions to sponsor individual subject gateways. Sponsors and donors are acknowledged on Academic Info as supporters of education. Send checks to: Academic Info 19-143rd ST SW Lynnwood, WA 98037 The Gnostic Studies Gateway is sponsored by How would you like to sponsor this page? For a tax-deductible donation you, your organization, department, or company will be acknowledged here as a sponsor of the Gnostic Studies Gateway. Email us at madin@academicinfo.net for details. Table of Contents Digital Library Additional Pages of Interest Ancient History Classical Studies History Gateway Start with Gnostic Society Library Contains a vast collection of primary documents relating to the Gnostic tradition as well as a selection of in-depth audio lectures and brief archive notes designed to orient study of the documents, their sources, and the religious tradition they represent

7. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?gnostici.htm

8. Hegel_kabbalah.html A passage from Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy, translated and annotated by Scott J. Thompson. http://www.wbenjamin.org/hegel_kabbalah.html

Back to the Walter Benjamin Research Syndicate Homepage G.W.F. Hegel: Kabbalah and Gnosticism [An excerpt from Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy , translated from G.W.F. Hegel's ii , (Theorie Werkausgabe, Bd. 19), Frankfurt a.M., Suhrkamp Verlag, 1977, 426-430] translation and notes by Scott J. Thompson Hegel Links Kabbalah and Gnosticism Kabbalistic Philosophy and Gnostic theology are also occupied with the concepts of Philo. The first of these concepts is Being: abstract, unknown and nameless. The second is disclosure: the concrete which emanates from Being. The return to unity is also accepted to a certain extent, particularly with the Christian philosophers. This return, which is considered third, approaches Logos According to Philo, Wisdom is the teacher, High Priest, which leads the third back to the first, and thus to the vision ( ) of God. Kabbalistic Philosophy Kabbalah is called the secret wisdom of the Jews. Much has been fabled concerning its origins, and much of it is enigmatic. It is said to be embodied in two books: the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation) and the Sefer ha-Zohar (Book of Splendor). The

9. GNOSTICISM - ANCIENT AND MODERN Describes the history, beliefs, and practices of the ancient Gnostics.Category Society Religion and Spirituality Ancient History......gnosticism ANCIENT AND MODERN. They believed that Jesus was the son ofJoseph. Interaction of gnosticism and Early Mainline Christianity. http://www.religioustolerance.org/gnostic.htm

GNOSTICISM: ANCIENT AND MODERN Click Here to Visit our Sponsors. document.writeln(""); 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:

10. Gnostic Society Library: Sources On Gnosticism And Gnosis Outlines the history of the philosophical and religious movement from the 1st through the 6th centuries AD. Details gnosticism's modern revival. gnosticism ANCIENT AND MODERN http://www.gnosis.org/library.html

Gnostic and Related Material: Nag Hammadi Library Gnostic Scriptures Polemical Works Christian Apocrypha ... Modern Gnostic Texts Other Material in the Library: The Bible Old Testament Apocrypha Christian Liturgy Plato and Plotinus ... Dead Sea Scrolls Current Lectures: How to hear the lectures Gnosticism and its Legacy Christ: The Misunderstood Redeemer The Sorrow of Sophia: Feminine Divine Image of Suffering ... Other Web Lectures Return to Gnosis Archive Click here to add our Amazon.com Book Search link to your favorites When you use this link to enter Amazon.com and make purchases, The Gnosis Archive will receive a small commission. Thank you for helping support this site! T HE G NOSTIC S OCIETY L IBRARY Archive Bookstore Index Web Lectures ... Gnostic Society About using the Library. . . The Gnostic Society Library contains a vast collection of primary documents relating to the Gnostic tradition as well as a selection of in-depth audio lectures and brief archive notes designed to orient study of the documents, their sources, and the religious tradition they represent. Lectures provided in the library are from the audio archive of The Gnostic Society in Los Angeles; they are presented in

11. Gnosticism Reborn Discusses the film as a Shamanic journey, by Jason Wynd and Jake Horsley. http://www.wynd.org/matrix.htm

12. Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, And Psychology The baroque exuberance and mythological richness of gnosticism stands in marked contrast indeed, Category Society Philosophy Ancient Philosophy Neoplatonism......The baroque exuberance and mythological richness of gnosticism standsin marked contrast to the clarity and simplicity of Neoplatonism. http://www.kheper.auz.com/topics/Gnosticism/Gnosticism_Neoplatonism_and_Psycholo

Home Topics Khepershop Guestbook ... Links Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, and Psychology The baroque exuberance and mythological richness of Gnosticism stands in marked contrast - indeed, as the counterpole to - the clarity and simplicity of Neoplatonism. This richness was due to the fact that Gnosticism was unusually syncretic even in an age of syncretism. It blended inspiration from biblical, Christian, Jewish apocalyptic, Neoplatonic , and various mystery religion and astrological sources. In contrast to Neoplatonism and Hermeticism, which saw the cosmos as something harmonious and good, even if only an image of the spiritual realities bove, the Gnostic sects had a pessimistic view of the world. This is not to say that the Neoplatonist position was wholy cosmos-affirming. All platonistst saw the sense world as an imperfect and inferior reflection of the ideal spiritual world, and the Neoplatonistts were no exception. As Daniel McBride (author of The Egyptian Foundations of Gnostic Thought , University of Toronto, 1994) pointed out to me in an email, Neoplatonism wrestled with the conundrum of emanationist theories which saw a pure and unsullied source somehow "diminished" in emanating down to our level. Some of these philosophers were as dualistic as any Gnostic. Depending on the particular sect of Gnostic, the origin of the Cosmos is interpreted either as the result of a

13. ART. XV. -- Buddhist Gnosticism, The System Of Basilides. From the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland for 1902. http://sino-sv3.sino.uni-heidelberg.de/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/kenn.htm

ART. XV. Buddhist Gnosticism, the System of Basilides. By J. Kennedy. The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland for 1902 p. 377-415

14. Definition Of Gnosticism gnosticism died not by chance, but because it lacked vital power within itself; and no amount of theosoph Category Society Religion and Spirituality Opposing Views gnosticism......Definition of gnosticism. The doctrine of salvation by knowledge. Thisdefinition, based SCHOOLS OF gnosticism. gnosticism possessed no http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/defgnost.htm

Definition of Gnosticism The doctrine of salvation by knowledge. This definition, based on the etymology of the word ( gnosis "knowledge", gnostikos , "good at knowing"), is correct as far as it goes, but it gives only one, though perhaps the predominant, characteristic of Gnostic systems of thought. Whereas Judaism and Christianity, and almost all pagan systems, hold that the soul attains its proper end by obedience of mind and will to the Supreme Power, i.e. by faith and works, it is markedly peculiar to Gnosticism that it places the salvation of the soul merely in the possession of a quasi-intuitive knowledge of the mysteries of the universe and of magic formulae indicative of that knowledge. Gnostics were "people who knew", and their knowledge at once constituted them a superior class of beings, whose present and future status was essentially different from that of those who, for whatever reason, did not know. A more complete and historical definition of Gnosticism would be: A collective name for a large number of greatly-varying and pantheistic -idealistic sects, which flourished from some time before the Christian Era down to the fifth century, and which, while borrowing the phraseology and some of the tenets of the chief religions of the day, and especially of Christianity, held matter to be a deterioration of spirit, and the whole universe a depravation of the Deity, and taught the ultimate end of all being to be the overcoming of the grossness of matter and the return to the Parent-Spirit, which return they held to be inaugurated and facilitated by the appearance of some God-sent Savior.

15. The Gnosis Archive: Resources On Gnosticism And Gnostic Tradition A vast collection of materials and audio lectures dealing with Gnosisand gnosticism, both ancient and modern. What is gnosticism? http://www.gnosis.org/welcome.html

The Gnosis Archive, www.gnosis.org , offers a vast collection of primary texts and resources relating to Gnosticism and the Gnostic Tradition, both ancient and modern. This public service site is maintained by Lance Owens , to whom you may address any comments or suggestions. It is administered by Thomas Leavitt, and hosted by WebCom. The Gnosis Archive is referenced by the Encyclopaedia Britannica , and Encarta Click here to add our Amazon.com Book Search link to your favorites When you use this link to enter Amazon.com and make purchases, The Gnosis Archive will receive a small commission. Thank you for helping support this site! T HE G NOSIS A RCHIVE Library Bookstore Index Web Lectures ... Gnostic Society Meditations Take a moment to reflect on a brief meditation and readings from the Gnostic scriptures, selected from this week's Gnostic liturgy. The Gnostic Society Library Visit the Gnostic Society Library , a comprehensive library of Gnostic scriptures including the Nag Hammadi Library as well as a large selection of writings and documents relating to the study of Gnosticism. Also check the

16. The Gnosis Archive: Resources On Gnosticism And Gnostic Tradition A vast collection of materials dealing with Gnosis and gnosticism, both ancient and modern, as well as sections on Hermeticism, Jungian psychology, and other related topics. The site including the Gnostic Society Library, with the complete Nag Hammadi Library, and a large collection of other primary Gnostic scriptures and documents. http://gnosis.org

The Gnosis Archive, www.gnosis.org , offers a vast collection of primary texts and resources relating to Gnosticism and the Gnostic Tradition, both ancient and modern. This public service site is maintained by Lance Owens , to whom you may address any comments or suggestions. It is administered by Thomas Leavitt, and hosted by WebCom. The Gnosis Archive is referenced by the Encyclopaedia Britannica , and Encarta Click here to add our Amazon.com Book Search link to your favorites When you use this link to enter Amazon.com and make purchases, The Gnosis Archive will receive a small commission. Thank you for helping support this site! T HE G NOSIS A RCHIVE Library Bookstore Index Web Lectures ... Gnostic Society Meditations Take a moment to reflect on a brief meditation and readings from the Gnostic scriptures, selected from this week's Gnostic liturgy. The Gnostic Society Library Visit the Gnostic Society Library , a comprehensive library of Gnostic scriptures including the Nag Hammadi Library as well as a large selection of writings and documents relating to the study of Gnosticism. Also check the

17. The Gnosis Archive: Resources On Gnosticism And Gnostic Tradition vast collection of primary texts and resources relating to gnosticism and the Gnostic Tradition, both ancient and modern. http://www.gnosis.org/

The Gnosis Archive, www.gnosis.org , offers a vast collection of primary texts and resources relating to Gnosticism and the Gnostic Tradition, both ancient and modern. This public service site is maintained by Lance Owens , to whom you may address any comments or suggestions. It is administered by Thomas Leavitt, and hosted by WebCom. The Gnosis Archive is referenced by the Encyclopaedia Britannica , and Encarta Click here to add our Amazon.com Book Search link to your favorites When you use this link to enter Amazon.com and make purchases, The Gnosis Archive will receive a small commission. Thank you for helping support this site! T HE G NOSIS A RCHIVE Library Bookstore Index Web Lectures ... Gnostic Society Meditations Take a moment to reflect on a brief meditation and readings from the Gnostic scriptures, selected from this week's Gnostic liturgy. The Gnostic Society Library Visit the Gnostic Society Library , a comprehensive library of Gnostic scriptures including the Nag Hammadi Library as well as a large selection of writings and documents relating to the study of Gnosticism. Also check the

18. The Gnostic World View: A Brief Summary Of Gnosticism The Gnostic World View A Brief Summary of gnosticism. Conclusion. Somewriters make a distinction between “Gnosis” and “gnosticism”. http://www.gnosis.org/gnintro.htm

The Gnostic World View: A Brief Summary of Gnosticism GNOSTICISM IS THE TEACHING In the following summary, we will attempt to encapsulate in prose what the Gnostic myths express in their distinctively poetic and imaginative language. The Cosmos All religious traditions acknowledge that the world is imperfect. Where they differ is in the explanations which they offer to account for this imperfection and in what they suggest might be done about it. Gnostics have their own perhaps quite startling view of these matters: they hold that the world is flawed because it was created in a flawed manner. Like Buddhism, Gnosticism begins with the fundamental recognition that earthly life is filled with suffering. In order to nourish themselves, all forms of life consume each other, thereby visiting pain, fear, and death upon one another (even herbivorous animals live by destroying the life of plants). In addition, so-called natural catastrophes earthquakes, floods, fires, drought, volcanic eruptions bring further suffering and death in their wake. Human beings, with their complex physiology and psychology, are aware not only of these painful features of earthly existence. They also suffer from the frequent recognition that they are strangers living in a world that is flawed and absurd. Deity The Gnostic God concept is more subtle than that of most religions. In its way, it unites and reconciles the recognitions of Monotheism and Polytheism, as well as of Theism, Deism and Pantheism.

19. The Order Of Ouroboros: The New Movement Of Ancient Gnosticism Information on the Gnostic Christian movement with texts and essays. http://www.members.tripod.com/smittyjr_11/

20. Gnosticism gnosticism is a concept of spiritual experience which has its roots in many religiouspractices and is not restricted to Christianity. Modern gnosticism. http://www.dragonswing.net/gnosticismMain.htm

Gnosticism is a concept of spiritual experience which has its roots in many religious practices and is not restricted to Christianity. It is also found in the Kabbalah of Judaism, the philosophy of NeoPlatonism, and in modern Iraq a small sect of peasants called Mandaeans (their word for 'knowers') still survives today. It is a belief system which considers the 'spiritual' world to be the real world and this material world but a product of the negative use of that spirituality. This is an obvious oversimplification and I ask your kind indulgence. Approach it openly and perhaps you will find your viewpoints amazingly expanded . James M. Robinson, General Editor of The Nag Hammadi Library, first published by Harper & Row in 1981, said in the Preface, "The focus that brought the collection (the books of the Nag Hammadi Library) together is an estrangement from the mass of humanity, an affinity to an ideal order that completely transcends life as we know it, and life-style radically other than common practice . . . and longing for an ultimate liberation. It is not an aggressive revolution that is intended, but rather a withdrawal from involvement in the contamination that destroys clarity of vision. As such, the focus of this library has much in common with primitive Christianity, with eastern religions, and with holy men of all times . . ." It is for this reason that I have included Gnosticism as one of the major ancient pathways. These volumes pick up where the Dead Sea Scrolls and their authors leave off. Please read this material with an open mind. Its authors were almost totally exterminated by some of the early Christians in a fashion similar to that carried out later by the Church during the unholy inquisitions of the middle ages. Gnosticism has had its share of beings who have carried its precepts to excess, as has every other religion in this universe. But that does not negate the wisdom or validity of its teachings.

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