Questions tagged [gnosticism]
An early heresy that emphasized the goodness of the spiritual and the evil of the material
20
questions
1
vote
1
answer
92
views
What did the Gnostics in first and second century believed about Jesus
I recently read some very well-known gnostic writings that are under the name of "Gospel of Judah Iscariot" and "Gospel of Thomas", but they aren't written by Judah or Thomas. I ...
- 323
2
votes
2
answers
233
views
Did the Gnostics have apostolic succession?
It is often claimed that the Gnostics had apostolic succession. In particular, Clement of Alexandria is often used to show that the Gnostics claimed apostolic succession.
Basilides, though he claims (...
- 498
0
votes
1
answer
118
views
What is Christianity's take on Kabbalah? [closed]
I like to research religions and recently I started studying Kabbalah, the Jewish mysticism.
They claim that they've unlocked the key to the "upper worlds" and a few more claims such as ...
- 270
4
votes
3
answers
103
views
What basis could there be for an 18th century Christian to say that "Gnostics were the Antinomians of their day"?
I read that claim in an article written by A.M. Toplady (reproduced in a 2020 Christian magazine.) Toplady (1740-1778) did not go on to give his reasons for that claim, apart from adding, "An ...
- 26.9k
2
votes
2
answers
363
views
In Catharism, did they use as a guide any books of the Bible and if so, which?
Cathars are known for having been a community which did not believe good things about the Old Testament deity and were based in the Languedoc region of today's southern France around the 12th century. ...
- 647
3
votes
1
answer
241
views
Were the debates between Gnostics and orthodox Christians recorded and preserved?
Gnosticism was an early Christian sect that taught mysticism, rejected Jewish scriptures, such as the Hebrew Bible, and felt that Jesus' teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection were mere appearances. ...
- 346
3
votes
1
answer
302
views
How do Jehovah's Witnesses differentiate Jesus' role in creation from that of a Demiurge?
My question comes out of a discussion on this question: How do Jehovah’s Witnesses explain the unique wording of Colossians 1:15-17 in the NWT? For reference, here is the passage (1971 revision):
...
- 882
2
votes
0
answers
99
views
Calvinist Disagreement with Valentinian Gnosticism on Predestination
For the record, I do not believe Calvinists are cryto-Valentinians. I do not believe Calvinists are Gnostics, so please understand my question knowing I am not trying to paint anyone in a good or bad ...
- 1,249
6
votes
1
answer
96
views
What was the socioeconomic makeup of early Christian Gnostic sects?
There is ample evidence that early Christianity was socioeconomically very inclusive, being made up of the poor, the wealthy, men, women, the educated, uneducated, etc.
For example, Pliny the ...
- 1,200
1
vote
1
answer
604
views
Is there any historical evidence that Gnosticism disappeared because Gnostics converted to Christianity?
In his article "Mysticism in the Early Church, in The American Journal of Theology, Aurther C McGiffert says,
Closely connected with Paul, John, and Ignatius are the Gnosics, the most famous ...
- 8,051
0
votes
1
answer
203
views
What is considered Gnosticism (within the context of Christianity)? [closed]
My background is not religion, it's closer to philosophy, so I lack necessary context. Gnosticism translates to 'knowledge', so what is it a Gnostic 'knows'? What is an example of Gnosticism or ...
- 129
10
votes
6
answers
8k
views
Why is Saint Paul considered gnostic? (by some)
I read that these verses (over other texts that are clearly gnostic but not attributed as such) are considered gnostic:
ST. PAUL TO THE EPHESIANS - Third letter
For our wrestling is not against ...
- 729
-2
votes
2
answers
228
views
Eternity in Christianity [closed]
Is the claim of Jesus Christ based on an eternal moral order or on an individual interest in a parochial conflict that first arose at a historical time? The difficulty is understanding how an ...
- 363
18
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Why is the Gospel of Thomas considered heretical by Nicene Christians?
I've seen in a few places the Gospel of Thomas described as Gnostic and thus heretical. I've seen people dismiss it as heretical but never going into the details of why that is the case. Why is the ...
- 2,693
11
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Did Calvinism borrow its scheme of predestination from Valentinian Gnosticism?
How does the Calvinist notion of predestination differ from that of the Valentinian Gnostics' predestination? There are several sources outlining the Valentinian Gnostic system (anti-heretic "church ...
- 4,422
3
votes
0
answers
90
views
What are the Gnostic Gospels and why are they not part of the Bible? [duplicate]
Lately, I have been hearing a lot about the Gnostic Gospels and their more (relatively) unorthodox references to Jesus and a believers relationship to God.
What are the Gnostic Gospels and why are ...
- 4,026
9
votes
1
answer
528
views
Were all the various systems of Gnosticism Docetist?
From Pelikan's first volume of The Christian Tradition:
[The Savior] is also a way of distinguishing between Gnostic and non-Gnostic species of
Christianity, for one of the characteristics of ...
- 1,223
8
votes
1
answer
238
views
Harmony in the pseudepigraphal writings?
It is not uncommon when talking to someone about the authenticity or composition of the Biblical canon to for the subject of the so-called "lost" gospels to be brought up. An explanation of the ...
7
votes
3
answers
5k
views
What is the New Testament argument against Gnosticism?
I'm aware that the rise of Gnosticism was after the New Testament was written – but it would seem that a lot of the ideas on which it was built were floating around at the time. (Particularly Greek ...
- 703
8
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Are there any tenets of Gnosticism that are still present in the church today?
Towards the end of the New Testament writing, the heresy of gnosticism was one of the chief "false teachings" against which Paul and the other writers were contesting. Could someone present some of ...
- 64k