Recent Discovery Of The Nag Hammadi Gnostic Theology Religion Essay Example

book supports this idea, which is significant considering the influence Orthodox Christianity has had on Western thought. If early defenders suppressed dissenting interpretations instead of engaging in dialogue, then Christians should give Gnosticism a chance to be heard. Regardless of its definition or validity, if proven worthwhile, Gnostic thought should be integrated into Christianity. Nevertheless, contemporary orthodox Christian scholars will likely oppose these conclusions. Furthermore, Ehrman correctly acknowledges that this argument goes beyond just the Christian community and will impact everyone regardless of their religious beliefs. The beliefs, practices, and institutions associated with Christianity have profoundly shaped not only Christians themselves but also Western civilization as a whole.Defining Gnosticism is a complex task due to its incorporation of various religious and philosophical ideas that emerged alongside early Christianity. According to Karen King, there is no single comprehensive definition for the phenomena categorized as 'Gnostic'. In 1966, a conference in Messina attempted to establish a consensus on a definition but ultimately failed. Bock (23) argues that Gnosticism is not one unified movement but rather a way of perceiving the world that gives rise to multiple perspectives. Therefore, it may be more accurate to refer to Gnosticism as Gnosticisms (plural), indicating the wide range of beliefs found in numerous Gnostic systems.

While providing precise definitions for Gnosticism poses challenges, there are several common characteristics present in most Gnostic systems. The primary emphasis lies in acquiring "gnosis" or inner knowledge through direct divine revelation granted only to select individuals. According to Grant (7), unlike gradual learning, Gnostics receive knowledge through revelations and do not rely on faith like others do since gnosis is considered superior.

Many Gnostic systems share similarities

with Manichaeism, perceiving the material world as inherently evil and regarding the spiritual realm known as the Pleroma as good. Rudolph (57) summarizes the central myth of Gnosticism as belief in a divine "spark" within humans originating from the divine realm but falling into the world of fate.This text discusses the importance of understanding and knowledge of God's Manichaean nature in awakening a spark within individuals. It explores how Gnostic systems offer alternative accounts of the Creator God and Jesus' role as Redeemer, contrasting with the active role played by a Creator God in Genesis. These alternative beliefs can be found in non-canonical Gnostic texts that were considered heretical by early Christians. The thesis aims to investigate three claims: 1) Early Christian defenders unfairly judged Gnostic thought; 2) Gnostic thought should have been integrated into mainstream Christianity; and 3) excluding Gnosticism had significant consequences for Christian theology.

The text suggests that the discovery of primary Gnostic sources in Nag Hammadi presents an opportunity for Gnostic thought to express itself, potentially leading to a reinterpretation of orthodox Christian ideas and fundamental principles. It argues that if these claims hold true, modern-day Christianity will be heavily influenced by Gnosticism. However, if these claims are flawed, it will have minimal impact on contemporary Christian thought. The thesis intends to analyze various aspects of ancient Gnosticism, including its origins, philosophical background, core beliefs across different schools, and its interaction with early Christianity.The objective of this study is to investigate the reasons behind the vehement attacks by Christian defenders on Gnostic beliefs and practices. The revival of Gnosticism in recent years has been fueled by the discovery of the Nag Hammadi

papers and modern critical Biblical scholarship, despite its defeat by Orthodox Christianity and period of dormancy until the 20th century. This thesis aims to explore specific Gnostic texts that offer an alternative interpretation of Christianity, as well as examine how modern Christian thought relates to these Gnostic ideas. Additionally, it will analyze how both contemporary Christianity and society address Gnostic thoughts. Furthermore, this study considers how Orthodox Christian scholars may respond to modern advocates of Gnosticism and whether a resurgence of Gnosticism would impact modern Christianity. The text proposes three possible approaches for incorporating Gnostic ideas within the religion: full incorporation, partial influence, or exclusion. By comparing Gnostic beliefs with Orthodox Christianity and allowing Gnostic documents to explain their own principles, a reasonable response can be suggested. One chapter focuses on exploring the origins of ancient Gnosticism while acknowledging the ongoing debate surrounding when and where it truly began. Nonetheless, through examining datable references from both Christian and Hellenistic authors, it is possible to reasonably determine when Gnostic thought gained attention from the larger community.The second approach involves examining the Gnostic documents in order to identify the philosophical and spiritual influences that contributed to the development of Gnosticism. It is believed that these influences predated the emergence of Gnosticism. Plotinus, a philosopher from the 3rd century who followed Neo-Platonism, plays a significant role in the historical evidence. His writings, including Against the Gnostics, clearly demonstrate his strong opposition to Gnostic thought. In addition to Plotinus, early Christian apologists in the 2nd century also wrote extensively against Gnosticism. Around 180 CE, Irenaeus composed Against Heresies where he expressed his disagreement with various Gnostic sects. Justin Martyr

seems to be the first apologist to mention Gnosticism. Based on these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that by the mid-second century, both Christian defenders and larger Hellenic communities were aware of and familiar with the existence of Gnosticism.

In history, three notable instructors in Gnosticism - Basilides, Valentinus, and Cerinthus - gained attention from both Christians and Hellenic philosophers. While Basilides is known for being influenced by elements of Hellenistic philosophical thought and considered one of the earliest instructors in Gnosticism, there is no evidence suggesting that any of these instructors were founders of Gnosticism; rather they organized and developed their own systems based on ideas associated with Gnosticism. These three instructors were recognized as Gnostic Christians who attracted early Christian defenders through their writingsIt can be assumed that developed Gnostic thought existed in the early second century based on the timeframe of their lives. However, identifying the beginnings of Gnosticism beyond this point becomes difficult because neither defenders nor instructors identified a founder of Gnostic thought. Thus, the identity of the first Gnostic mind remains a mystery. Furthermore, while there is strong evidence indicating the existence of Gnostic thought in the first century, no specific individual advocate of Gnosticism can be identified before the second century.

According to Klauck (458), lacking literary testimonies for the beginnings of a developed gnosis traceable back to the first century CE or earlier is one major problem. However, studying evidence for the existence of Gnosticism in the first century reveals that certain New Testament documents and particular Gnostic texts like Gospel of Thomas can be useful primary sources. Koester (124) describes Gospel of Thomas as a collection

containing traditional teachings attributed to Jesus. The Gospel of Thomas consists of 114 expressions spoken by the resurrected Christ. The introduction states, "These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymas Judas Thomas wrote" (1). The significance of the Gospel of Thomas among Nag Hammadi texts lies in its unique perspective on Jesus' teachings and its potential origin in the first century (Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels xvi; Koester 125).According to Quispel, the original version of the Gospel could have been written around AD140 (Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels xvi). However, Koester disagrees and argues that it may date back to the first century, contrary to Witherington's view (125). Pagels also suggests that the writer of John's Gospel was likely aware of teachings found in the Gospel of Thomas. She believes that John's Gospel was written towards the end of the first century as part of a heated debate about Jesus' identity. According to Pagels, John's Gospel aimed to support certain perspectives while opposing others.

The general consensus on dating for the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas is around 140 AD. However, some content may have originated from earlier Gnostic traditions dating back to the first century. This indicates possible knowledge among New Testament authors. Although "Gnosticism" is not explicitly mentioned in the New Testament, evidence supports its presence in these biblical documents according to scholars like Wilbert F. Howards.

Howards argues that various beliefs and traditions influenced by Hellenistic culture were present in ancient times. These include Orphic beliefs, cosmogonic theories, astrological traditions, magical demonology from Babylonia, Persia and Judea, as well as mystical theosophy from Egypt (451). He suggests that this Gnostic unorthodoxy was prevalent

in Ephesus when the Gospel of John was written (452), implying that its original concepts must have originated before 90 CER.M. Grant and other scholars argue that Gnosticism's origins can be traced back to before 70 CE, as evidenced by its development after the Fall of Jerusalem. This was a response to disappointment with unfulfilled revelations. The destruction of the Jerusalem Temple and expulsion of many Jews from Palestine marked an important period when Gnostic thought began to emerge. Early signs of Gnosticism can be found in Paul's letter to the Colossians around 60 CE, which may have been written in response to a heresy combining emerging Gnostic beliefs with certain Jewish ascetic practices, according to Howard. Perkins suggests that conflicts mentioned in Pauline letters demonstrate how Gnostic and Christian speculation were interconnected from the early days of Christianity. This aligns with claims made by early commentators who assert that Simon Magus had a role in spreading early Gnostic ideas, briefly mentioned in Acts of the Apostles. Brown argues that there were already influences of Gnosticism within Christian circles during the time of the Apostles. According to tradition, Simon Magus is also credited with being responsible for the rise of Gnosticism, as described in Acts 8:9-24 where he converts to Christianity after witnessing apostolic power through the Holy Spirit demonstrations.In Justin Martyr's First Apology, he mentions Simon, a Samaritan who performed miracles during the reign of Claudius Caesar. Martyr also discusses Meander, one of Simon's followers who engaged in fraudulent activities. Additionally, he talks about Marcion, who taught his disciples to believe in a different God than the Creator and incorporated some Gnostic concepts into

his theology. Although Marcion may not have been a true Gnostic himself, this suggests that defenders of early Christianity believed Gnosticism existed during Claudius Caesar's rule and had origins predating this time period. Some church historians even argue that Gnostic thought emerged before Christianity itself began. According to Eusebius quoting Hegesippus, the Gnostic movement existed before Jesus' ministry in Palestine and was influenced by various unorthodox Jewish beliefs. Modern scholarship proposes four possible explanations for the origins of Gnostic thought, three of which provide evidence for its existence prior to Christ's era: (1) Gnosticism predated Christianity and originated independently from it; (2) Gnostic ideas were independent from Christianity but developed concurrently with early Christianity with interaction between the two; (3) Gnosticism emerged in response to Christianity, suggesting it did not exist prior to it.The fourth option proposes that Gnosticism arose as a response to Judaism, aligning with Hegesippus' understanding. According to this viewpoint, disillusioned Judaists gave birth to Gnosticism in the century before Christ and later incorporated elements of Christianity by the end of the first century CE. To investigate this alternate perspective on the origin of Gnostic thought, we must identify potential philosophical and spiritual ideas present in the Greco-Roman world just before Christianity's emergence that could have influenced the development of Gnosticism. However, it is important to note that definitively determining these key influences is impossible due to the diverse nature of Gnostic thought. Additionally, Gnostic literature does not directly reference earlier concepts. Perkins (29) suggests tracing back the traditions behind 2nd and 3rd-century Gnosticism. Though influential thoughts are not explicitly mentioned in Gnostic literature, it covers philosophical and spiritual topics that hint

at a synthesis of ideas from the first centuries CE and BCE. Fileramo argues that Gnosticism could not have originated independently (142), indicating its adaptation and synthesis of other doctrines and spiritual systems. Church historian Adolf Harnack concludes that Gnosticism secularized Christianity (V. 1:273). He believes that the initial Christian theologians who transformed Christianity into a system of philosophies were indeed the Gnostics (V. 1:228).The influence of Christianity on Gnostic thought is significant, as noted by Perkins. Both Christian and Gnostic authors acknowledge that the core structure of Gnosticism originated outside of Christianity. However, identifiable religious orders with a Gnostic belief system did not emerge until after the rise of Christianity (9). According to Grant, early Gnostic thought drew influence from diverse sources such as Hellenistic doctrine, Iranianism, Heterodox Judaism, and Christianity (eight). Jonas (25) and Bock and A.D. Nick (22, xvi) concur that Gnostic systems were influenced by various elements including Oriental and astrological constructs like Babylonian astrology, Persian beliefs, Judaic traditions, Christian teachings, and Platonic philosophy. They also suggest that Greek philosophical ideas played a role in shaping Gnosticism's combination of Platonism and Neo-Platonism along with Judaic traditions and Christianity's focus on Jesus and the Christ figure. In contrast to Platonism which prioritizes the world of ideas over the physical realm, Gnostic thought goes further by asserting that the physical world is not only inferior but inherently evil. While Plato mentioned the Demiurge as a craftsman responsible for creating the universe, Gnostic thought adapted this concept to view the Demiurge as a lesser God compared to the true God. The true God can only be known through direct gnosisGrant (127) noted that many

Platonists believed cognition was a divine gift given to humanity, which aligned with the Gnostics' belief in receiving divine knowledge through direct intervention. Hellenistic philosophies like Platonism and Neo-Platonism played a significant role in shaping Gnosticism, alongside Persian beliefs such as Zoroastrianism, as recognized by some scholars including Grant (14) and Perkins (40). Grant (55), Fileramo (159), Ehrman, and Perkins emphasize that the origins of Gnosticism can be traced back to Judaism. According to Grant's theory, the celestial world in Gnosticism is influenced by various sources including Greek and Iranian elements mixed with dissident Judaism. Additionally, Perkins notes that certain Nag Hammadi texts have Christian aspects but are incomprehensible without referencing Jewish ideas. Moreover, Perkins observes that Gnostics consider themselves descendants of Seth, indicating their connection to Judaism. Grant theorizes that these Gnostics were likely former Jews who lost faith after Jerusalem's fall and argues for the origin of Gnosticism in revelatory Judaism.The text discusses the similarities between Nag Hammadi books and Jewish revelatory literature, such as the apocalypses of James, Adam, and Peter. Ehrman suggests that Gnosticism emerged within Judaism due to a significant issue in Jewish theology concerning human suffering. Initially, early Jewish teachings promised divine intervention for the people based on the miraculous exodus from Egypt. However, as time passed, Israel experienced suffering without any divine intervention. The Hebrew Prophets attributed this suffering to Israel's wickedness and taught that returning to God would bring blessings once again. Despite attempts by many Jews to return to God during the first BCE and CE centuries, they continued to face ongoing suffering.

In response to the plight of the righteous Jews facing affliction at the hands

of immoral powers, Judaic apocalypticism emerged as a teaching that predicted future divine intervention leading to a new land established by God. According to Ehrman's analysis, Jesus is considered one of the prominent Jewish apocalypticists. Unfortunately for Jews hoping for revelation, their aspirations were shattered due to continued Roman occupation and ultimately with the destruction of Jerusalem temple in 70 CE.

Ehrman suggests that within Judaism there existed a minority group who became disenchanted with these circumstances and turned towards Gnosticism.According to Gnostic beliefs about evil, the ruling God of this universe is either not kind and wants people to suffer or is too weak to prevent suffering completely. If these claims are true, then it can be concluded that the deity in charge of this universe cannot be considered as the real God. The Gnostics, who were influenced by Plato and Zoroastrianism and dissatisfied with Judaism, introduced the idea of a non-material God beyond the universe. This true God did not create the evil universe but aimed to relieve suffering through gnosis, which is direct knowledge revelation. When Gnostic thinking encountered Christianity during the first century, they recognized Jesus Christ's importance based on their understanding of the Old Testament and incorporated his stories into their system. Both Gnosticism and Christianity evolved from Judaism in their second-century forms and believed that Judaism had failed to accept Jesus as a celestial figure offering salvation while emphasizing inner enlightenment. Therefore, it appears that Gnostic thought originated within a disillusioned group within Judaism around either the 1st century CE or possibly the 1st century BCE. This group incorporated Hellenistic and Iranian ideas to propose an alternative explanation for suffering

and unveil the identity of the true God (Perkins 4; Grant 35-36).The development of Gnostic thought in the first half of the first century CE coincided with the rise of early Christian thought. This convergence was facilitated by the destruction of Judaic presence in Palestine, including the Jerusalem Temple, and the rapid growth of Christianity. The merging of Gnostic and Christian ideas resulted in a more comprehensive form of Gnosticism. Historical evidence from the second century supports this alignment and explains why Gnostic thought is diverse, as it incorporates various schools of thought and allows for multiple interpretations. This also accounts for the Jewish influences found in the Nag Hammadi documents. Chapter 3 explores the relationship between Gnosticism and early Christianity. Although it is uncertain when exactly these two systems first interacted, it is evident that they were aware of each other by the early second century. While there were instances where Gnostic thought competed with Christian ideas, defenders of Christianity primarily focused on uniting Gnostic and Christian beliefs. This essay aims to examine specific concepts that interested Christian defenders within Gnosticism through analysis of primary and secondary sources as well as teachings from prominent Gnostic instructors during the 2nd century.Originally rooted in inquiries about comprehending the human condition, Gnosticism underwent development into intricate philosophical pursuits with the goal of tackling fundamental queries. It is captivating to note that early Christianity and Gnostic concepts shared a mutual emphasis on the human condition, furnishing an elucidation for the despair found in existence while presenting a means of deliverance. As Christian ideology influenced Gnostic convictions, endeavors were undertaken to amalgamate them, resulting in a fresh comprehension of

redemption and Jesus Christ's pivotal role in bestowing salvation. Right from the outset, these two philosophical standpoints were perceived as being contradictory to one another. Existentialism accentuates the crucial encounter of existence, particularly one's subjective perception or emotion.