Gnosticism

GNOSTICISM

Origin, History, and Influence on Christianity

Syed Waqas Hayder

Bab-ul-Ilm Research Foundation

(Pakistan & United States of America)

Gnosticism

INTRODUCTION

Gnosticism is the doctrine of salvation by esoteric knowledge.1

Etymologically, the word Gnosticism, which represents the Gnostic
worldview, is derived from Greek word gnosis meaning "knowledge." It
is, therefore, safe to say that Gnosticism is the 'worldview of salvific
knowledge.' Moreover, a gnostikos is the state of being "good at knowing"
according to the Gnostic doctrine. However, gnostikos was a generic
rendering adopted by Irenaeus to refer to all groups of 'heretics' in the
church who capitalized on the significance of gnosis for salvation.2 In
simple terms, knowledge is central to the Gnostic doctrine, which
emphasizes the fact that only knowing the spiritual reality grants salvation.
Interestingly, it is only one side of the picture, which is a literal
reading of the word, whereas the other side gives a broader portrayal of a
predominant version, characteristic of Gnostic systems of thought. Unlike
any other faith system, monotheistic or polytheistic, which places
emphasis upon the submission of soul and mind to the Supreme Being(s)
in order for the soul to attain its ultimate metaphysical status, union with
the infinite, Gnosticism puts salvation in the category of quasi-intuitive
knowledge of the mysteries of universe and beyond. Such a thing is
ceremonially guaranteed and finally achieved through magic formulas

Richard T. Wallis (editor), Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, Albany: State

University of New York Press, 1992, p.15
2 Michael Allen Williams, Rethinking "Gnosticism", Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1996, p.37

Gnosticism

indicating intuitively enlightening knowledge. There is no role of faith and

works in the traditional sense of the word in the theology of Gnosticism.
Gnosticism technically consists of two key elements: (1) gnosis,
"secret/esoteric knowledge," and (2) dualism. This dualism immediately creates
the problem of contradiction that gnosis originally seeks to fix. The duality of
nature of soul and body, spirit and matter, metaphysics and physics, and so on is
central to the Gnostic worldview of creation, continuation, and ultimate
destination of everything 'trapped' into the prison of material existence, which is
a phantasia, "illusion."3 At this point, Gnostic doctrine appears to be an imitation
of the Hindu concept of sasra, "the prison of existence," which is essentially
my, "illusion." Therefore, it requires tapasy, "spiritual meditation for selfrealization," and karma, "virtuous deeds," for earning mok, "salvation," from
the illusion of the universal prison.4 Since Hinduism is an ancient religion of
Indo-European roots, it would not be a stretch to conclude that Hinduism could
have wielded some influence on the flowing stream of Gnosticism -- or even
possibly originated it in the first place.

The Gnostic Handbook, San Francisco: Institute for Gnostic Studies, p. 56

Hinduism
Glossary
of
Terms
(accessed
on
9/18/2015,
http://www.shaivam.org/unglossa.htm)
4

Gnosticism

ORIGINS OF GNOSTICISM
The beginnings of Gnosticism have long been a matter of debate and are
still largely a subject of research. The more these origins are studied, the farther
they seem to recede in the past.5 Previously, among the Christian scholars, it was
considered a heretic branch of Christianity. It was most certainly true in the postCrucifixion world with the ancient people who practiced it in the light of the New
Testament. Such seekers of gnosis thought it certainly was the true version of
Christianity. However, with the passage of time as there were more and more
discoveries of ancient literature, this understanding parted away and a new
understanding of Gnosticism being a system of faith in its own right came to
surface. The most well known of such discoveries was that of Nag Hammadi
library, which consisted of 13 Coptic Gnostic books (or fragments of books)
recovered from a place called Nag Hammadi in upper Egypt.6 The most famous
among these codices is the 'Gospel of Thomas,' which is called the 'wisdom
Gospel.'
Outside Christianity, there are many other faith systems that bear
identical or similar ideas as Gnosticism. Gnosticism does not confine itself to the
'salvation' Gospel of the New Testament, but transcends -- even predates -- the
'Kingdom of Heaven' doctrine of Christianity. For instance, it is often suggested
that Platonism is the origin of Gnosticism, which renders it as an independent
philosophical religion. However, it is difficult to ascertain the veracity of such a
claim, because history unveils the Orphic and Pythagorean 'enthusiasm' orgies

Catholic Encyclopedia, "Gnosticism" (Retrieved on 5/11/2016:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06592a.htm)
6 For more details, see Andrew K. Helmbold, The Nag Hammadi Gnostic Texts
and the Bible, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1967

Gnosticism
that predate Plato. Such 'mystery cults' dealt in the prototype doctrines of what
was to become Gnosticism afterwards.7
Gnosticism is not altogether absent from other Semitic religions. Jewish
Kabbalah, for instance, is a fine extra-Christian example of Gnostic ideas, which
is an esoteric method, discipline, and school of thought that originated in
Judaism. The Kabbalah is also a myth-construct, which is framed quite similar to
the hierarchy of Gnostic myth. The Book of Baruch illustrates a Jewish version
of Gnosticism with 'Greco-Roman allusions.'8 Moreover, Islamic Sufism is yet
another form of gnosis, which seeks to attain communion with the divine through
special form of personal epiphany, an esoteric revelation called 'Irfaan.9 It is an
esoteric as well as mysterious path that violates the theological paradigm of the
Qur'an in order to remain consistent with the Gnostic position of the centrality of
'monistic salvation' through 'special knowledge.' On the other hand, however,
Islamic Sufism too sought to find its origin in the Islamic Scripture quite
identically to the current of Christian Gnosticism that endeavored to put its origin
in the New Testament text.
Zoroastrian religion is also proposed as one of the potential origins of
Gnosticism. The reason why such a thing is often projected is that the religion of
Zoroaster also emphasized the significance of 'duality' and 'paradox.' Wisdom -i.e. Sophia of Gnosticism -- is the most significant attribute of God in
Zoroastrianism and he is known with his personal name as Ahura Mazda, "the
Wise Being."

John Turner, Nag Hammadi, Gnosticism and Early Christianity, Peabody, MA:
Hendrickson Publishers, 1986, p. 59
8 Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer (editors), The Gnostic Bible, London:
Shambhala, 2003, p.6
9 Qamar al-Huda, Striving for Divine Union, London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003,
p.73

Gnosticism

HISTORY OF GNOSTICISM

Historically, no group of Christians has ever been branded as 'Gnostic'

the way we understand the term and group ancient Gnostic cults all together
under one category. This is primarily due to some kind of commonality they all
bear in their features of respective belief system -- emphasis upon 'esoteric' and
'knowledge.' Our look into the past now clearly demarcates the fundamental
differences between Christianity and Gnosticism, whereas our attitude towards
Gnostic religions is exclusive and monolithic, which is historically synchronistic.
It must not be forgotten, however, that Gnosticism was never a homogeneous
phenomenon with only one version of spiritual enlightenment.
Gnosticism is originally a system of 'dualism,' which attempts to
understand the problem of two opposing forces in the universe, the good and evil,
form and content, soul and body, and space and matter etc. Its most sublime
expression is found in late Platonism. For instance, there is:
a. Tension between good and evil
b. Tension between flesh and spirit/natural and supernatural/physics and
metaphysics
c. The creator God, Demiurge, is an evil god and is no omnipotent nor
perfect as he mistakenly thinks in his self-perception
In Christian Gnosticism, which was a later development of second
century, Gnostics identified Demiurge with the creator God of Genesis, Yahweh,
the God of the Jews. Therefore, to the Gnostics, Yahweh is the creator of evil,
hence not the ultimate eternal and all-powerful God. On the other hand, Christ is
the 'Messenger of Light,' and the Gnostic deliverer who has saved human beings
from the physical world through his teaching of mysteries and sources of esoteric
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Gnosticism
knowledge rather than crucifixion and sacrificial death.10 Christ is, like the
Christian New Testament teachings, the son of the otherworldly True God who
has come to 'reunite the Gnostic with himself.'11
Marcion (85-160 AD c) was the first Christian figure of note who came
up with the Gnostic ideas and developed them into an esoteric system of faith,
purportedly, consistent with Pauline teachings. Marcion did not believe in the
God of the Old Testament as the one true God and declared him an equivalent of
Demiurge, the 'half creator.' Marcion, therefore, called the true God as 'Bythos'
because he is deep in the universe, farthest of all spiritual and metaphysical
beings. He carved out his own Scripture of 11 books and rejected most of the
current New Testament in addition to rejecting the Old Testament altogether.
However, Marcion was not a Gnostic in the true sense, for he laid more
emphasis upon the need of faith over gnosis. But his treatment of the Old
Testament nevertheless fits within Gnostic parameters perfectly well.
Furthermore, he was not even the first person to introduce Gnosticism to
Christians. Simon Magus of Samaria is hypothetically believed to occupy this
position of the follower of Gnostic ideas and his name even finds place in the
New Testament (cf. Acts 8:4-25).

He was a magician, who, according to the

Gnostic codex of the Acts of Peter, even combated Peter in an open miracleworking contest in Rome.12 This grants an insight into the world of Apostles,
when Gnostics, such as Simon Magus, enjoyed privileged status in the society -Simon was called the 'great power of God' (Acts 8:10). Therefore, Simon could
not have been the first person to mandate such esoteric doctrines as Gnosticism

10

The Gnosis Archive, "The Gnostic Worldview: A Brief Summary of Gnosticism,"

(Retrieved on 5/12/2016 -- http://gnosis.org/gnintro.htm)
11 Giovanni Filoramo, A History of Gnosticism, trans. by Anthony Alcock, Oxford:
Basil Blackwell, 1990, p106.
12 Christine M. Thomas, Acts of Peter, Gospel Literature, and the Ancient Novel,
New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, pp.35-36

Gnosticism
within Christian world. There were indeed roots of this system deeper within the
culture predating even the Roman Empire.
On the other hand, yet another inference can help us make a case to the
contrary, namely Simon's Gnostic portrayal is only found in the Gnostic
literature, whereas the Simon of the Book of Acts is only a great 'sorcerer' who
ends up believing in Christ and is baptized by Philip. This is, nevertheless, an
early picture of Simon, whereas his later life was quite an antithesis to that
according to the testimony of church fathers. He mentored a person named
Menander who rose to heights around the turn of the first century and pioneered
sub-traditions within the discipline of Christian Gnosticism. He influenced two
prominent figures, Saturninus and Basilides, who taught in Antioch and Asia
Minor during second century AD. Saturninus came up with the expression
'unknown Father' for calling upon God in imitation of Christ. This continued
influence of Simon gave rise to a new sect which Iranaeus referred to in his
writings as "the Simonians."13 Cerinthus was yet another Gnostic leader who
was contemporary to Polycarp in Asia Minor.
The most renowned Christian-Gnostic teacher of early centuries was
Valentinus who was based in Alexandria. Valentinus was a contemporary of
Marcion, who taught in Rome. He developed a Christian-Gnostic ogdoadic
system of cosmology, which was heavily criticized by Christian apologists.
Origen wrote polemics against those heretics of the Valentinian school referring
them on one occasion as 'some' who 'call themselves as gnostics.'14 Mani was yet
another, and probably the most influential teacher of Gnosticism, also called
'Iranian Prophet' and 'Messenger of Light,' who lived in the second half of the
third century. He founded Manichaeism, which was a dualistic belief that life
13

Michael Allen Williams, Rethinking "Gnosticism", Princeton: Princeton

University Press, 1996, p.36
14 Contra Celsum 5:61 in Michael, Rethinking, p.41

Gnosticism
was a cosmic conflict between the forces of light and darkness. In this sense, it
closely resembled Zoroastrianism. Mani also believed that a fallen soul would be
trapped in evil and could only make it to the light by the way of spirit rather than
flesh. It is interesting that even the great Christian thinker Augustine was
influenced by the teachings of Manichaeism, which caused him to convert to this
form of Gnosticism for a short period of time. Nestorianism is yet another branch
of Gnosticism that was established by the Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius,
in fifth century. This doctrine upheld a subtle disunion between the two natures
of Christ, which brands this sect as dyophysites. They were not pure Gnostics;
instead, they were Christian Gnostics who believed Jesus did not die on cross
because the divine Christ forsake the human Jesus.

Gnosticism

GNOSTIC HIERARCHY OF DIVINES AND HUMANS

The Gnostic God is a 'whole Other' deity. He is not the creator of
the universe because he is too transcendent to fashion a broken universe.
Demiurge is a debased deity, who created universe with all its flaws. The
transcendent true God lives in his own non-material, anti-cosmic realm
called Pleroma, "Fullness." Whereas, on the other hand, the material
universe represents 'emptiness.' From Pleroma two aeons emanate and
fall; they are male Anthropos and female Sophia. Sophia gives birth to
Demiurge, who in turn mistakenly presumes that he is all-powerful and
can therefore imitate the perfect order of Pleroma in his creation. He fails
miserably to do so, nevertheless.
In the Gnostic cosmology, God and universe are two antitypes,
which do not associate with one another. Unlike the Greek integrity of
God and universe, which they always referred to as 'God and universe,' the
Gnostic system always puts emphasis upon the distinction as 'God or
universe.' There are other realms in a descending order between the
Pleroma, where the Godhead resides, and our world. These realms are
filled with other beings that emanated from the Pleroma. Such emanations
consist of several Aeons. Moreover, there are also other beings of lower
order called Archons.15 Archons are the cosmic rulers, often identified
with the living planets, who are responsible for keeping man imprisoned in
matter and blind him in ignorance, so that he cannot make it to the
ultimate Spirit through gnosis. This role of theirs is the part of the
demiurgical illusion. It is also believed in one form of Gnosticism that
seven Archons have fashioned man in their own image, which is
synonymous with the Genesis account where Yahweh fashions man in his
own image.16 Aeons, on the other hand, represent 'immortals' or 'angels'
who emanated from the realm of the 'Other,' the Godhead.17 They
15

Jacques Lacarriere, The Gnostics, London: Peter Owen Limited, 1977, p.48
Michael, Rethinking, p.119
17 Jacques, Gnostics, p.13
16

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represent order and the hierarchy of Gnostic theology as well as

cosmology. The 'half creator,' Demiurge, is a debased entity residing far
below these immortal Aeons, who reside the realm below the a-cosmic
realm of the True God. There is no agreement on the number of Aeons in
different forms of Gnosticism.
Gnosticism does not subscribe to the Greek cyclical view of Time.
Similarly, it also rejects the unilinear Christian view of Time. According to
Gnosticism, Time is the creation of Demiurge, which he can spread out
into seasons, cycles, ages, and stages.
Human nature has an element often referred to as 'divine spark' in
the form of 'soul.' Those human beings that attain salvation through
knowledge and spiritual elevation are called pneumatics. But those who
remain attached to the material world and do not recognize the
essentialness of the spirit and knowledge are called hyletics. Interestingly
enough, not all humans are either pneumatics or hyletics, but there is yet a
third category of humans, the psychics, who believe in the Demiurge
mistakenly as the only true God of universe, which hampers their access to
the spiritual world beyond this creator.18 Such human beings, according to
the Gnostics, as hyletics and psychics are disillusioned and doomed to be
trapped within the systems of material existence for ever.

18

Jacques, Gnostics, pp.52-53

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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, if nothing else, at least one thing can be stated with
certainty that Gnosticism is not a homogeneous phenomenon and therefore
no single doctrine can be placed under the term 'Gnosticism' with absolute
assurance -- except for emphasis upon gnosis. In fact, there are many
Gnosticisms, which make it rather hard to simplify the subject and give it
a wholesome treatment. If one particular thing is asserted as having
Gnostic origin or bearing, it is quite likely that the same thing does not
qualify to be a Gnostic feature in a different form of Gnosticism. It is why,
therefore, the general tenor of this research demonstrates a balance in the
portrayal of Gnosticism without leaning too much into one direction or the
other. Gnosticism is treated as an independent religion enfranchised into
many forms rather than a branch or form of Gnosticism being the
mainstay.
What we must not, however, forget in our present quest is the fact
that Gnosticism is not exclusively of Christian origin. Every religion
shares the overly spiritual ideas of Gnosticism in some way, shape or
form. In fact, every religious movement is threaded with and through the
core ideas of Gnosticism that give off a threshold for 'Monism, asceticism,
mysticism,' and 'self-mortification' versions of spirituality to flourish and
water the socio-religious life of man.

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Bibliography

Al-Huda, Qamar, Striving for Divine Union, London: RoutledgeCurzon,

2003.
Anonymous, The Gnostic Handbook, San Francisco: Institute for
Gnostic Studies.
Filoramo, Giovanni, A History of Gnosticism, trans. by Anthony Alcock,
Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1990.
Helmbold, Andrew K., The Nag Hammadi Gnostic Texts and the Bible,
Grand Rapids: Baker
Book House, 1967.
Lacarriere, Jacques, The Gnostics, London: Peter Owen Limited, 1977.
Meyer, Marvin (editors), The Gnostic Bible, London: Shambhala, 2003.
Thomas, Christine M., Acts of Peter, Gospel Literature, and the Ancient
Novel, New York:
Oxford University Press, 2003.
Turner, John, Nag Hammadi, Gnosticism and Early Christianity,
Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1986.
Williams, Michael Allen, Rethinking "Gnosticism", Princeton: Princeton
University Press,
1996.
Wallis, Richard T. (editor), Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, Albany: State
University of New York Press, 1992.

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