Ancient Gnosticism: An Overview

Gnosis is the Greek word meaning knowledge. Gnosticism refers to an amorphous ideology in ancient Greco-Roman culture as well as the early church. Gnostics claimed they possessed a special knowledge that led to true understanding and ultimately salvation. They believed that all matter is evil and that the spirit, or the receptacle of the special knowledge, was imprisoned in the human body. Gnostics await a divine messenger who comes to awaken a divine spark present in human beings, at least some human beings. The view that all matter is evil raised the question for Gnostics about how they should live in the world. Should one choose the ascetic life in order that the spirit can gain control of the urges, passions, and desires of the evil body? Or, should one choose a libertine life and leave the body to its own devices since the spirit is indestructible?

Gnostic Christians believed that Christ, not Jesus, was this divine messenger. They believed that Christ only appeared to be human and therefore could not have been crucified and in turn he was not resurrected. Gnosticism was not the only belief system that asserted this belief. Docetism describes the general belief that Christ appeared to be human but was not.

Orthodox Christianity, referred to as such because it became the dominant or authoritative perspective, objected to and opposed Gnosticism partly because Gnosticism denies creation, the incarnation, and the resurrection.

To Learn More About Gnosticism Check Out:
An encylcopedia article on Gnosticism

The Gnosis Archive

Other Sites on Gnosticism