What is Gnosticism What current expressions do you see today - Essay Example

Gnosticism "Gnosticism refers to a diverse, syncretistic religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect spirit, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God," according to Wikipedia. "The demiurge may be depicted as an embodiment of evil, or in other instances as merely imperfect and benevolent as its inadequacy permits" (Wikipedia, 2007). Along with the demiurge exists a good supreme being, however remote and distant. In order to free oneself from the material world, one must find gnosis or "spiritual knowledge available to all through direct experience or knowledge" (Wikipedia, 2007). Some sects of Gnostics believe Jesus of Nazareth was sent to earth to bring gnosis, some believe he was sent to teach gnosis, and still others believe that he was just a man. In the first centuries before Christ, Gnosticism was popular in the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean areas. It was, however, suppressed in the fourth century by the Roman Empire. In the middle ages, many converted to Islam. "Gnostic ideas became influential in the philosophies of various esoteric mystical movements of the late 19th and 20th centuries in Europe and North America, including some that explicitly identify themselves as revivals or even continuations of earlier gnostic groups" (Wikipedia, 2007). The literal definition of Gnosticism can be stated as "the doctrine of salvation by knowledge." This definition is based on the word's etymology. The drawback to this literal definition is that it gives a single vision of Gnostic thought systems. Unlike Judaism, Christianity, and a lot of Pagan systems, the soul is not held by a Supreme Power. Gnosticism 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 (Arendzen, 2007)." The Catholic Encyclopedia offers that "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 Saviour. (Arendzen, 2007) There are essentially two great components that comprise the basis of Gnostic thought. The first is astrology. Astrology involved the power and influence of certain planetary bodies or symbols. "The greatness of the Seven -- the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn -- the sacred Hebdomad, symbolized for millenniums by the staged towers of Babylonia, remained undiminished. They ceased, indeed, to be worshipped as deities, but they remained archontes and dynameis, rules and powers whose almost irresistible force was dreaded by man. Practically, they were changed from gods to devas, or evil spirits" (Arendzen, 2007). The second major component is magic, or "the power ex opere operato of weird names, sounds, gestures, and actions, as also the mixture of elements to produce effects totally disproportionate to the cause" (Arendzen, 2007). Various doctrines to Gnostic theories exist. These included Cosmogony, Sophia-Myth, Soteriology, Eschatology, Doctrine of the Primeval Man, and the Barbelo. Various rites also exist, including Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, the Nymphon, and the Magic Vowels. Schools of Gnosticism include the Syrian School, Hellenistic, dualistic, and antinomian (Arendzen, 2007). According to the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance: Gnosticism is a philosophical and religious movement which started in pre-Christian times. The name is derived from the Greek word "gnosis" which literally means "knowledge." However, the English words "Insight" and "enlightenment" capture more of the meaning of "gnosis." It is pronounced with a silent "G" (NO-sis). Gnosticism is not factual, intellectual, rational knowledge, such as is involved in mathematics and physics; that would have been more accurately represented by the Greek world "episteme." Rather, Gnosticism involves the relational or experiential knowledge of God and of the divine or spiritual nature within us. (2007) Those who are Gnostic believed that they had secretive information about the universe about which everyone else was fully oblivious to. It was popular enough at one point to be one of the top three Christian belief systems. It "was noted for four factors by which differed from the two other branches of Christianity: 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. Although Jesus treated women as equals, and Paul mostly did the same, the other Christian belief systems started to oppress women in later generations, and a belief that salvation is achieved through relational and experiential knowledge" (OTRC, 2007). According to Hoeller, "Gnosticism is the teaching based on gnosis, the knowledge of transcendence arrived at by way of interior, intuitive means." That does not mean that all personal religious experiences are Gnostic in nature, however. Gnostic scriptures have been tied more to myths than they have to any specific language (2007). There are certain elements that are expressed in the poetic and mystical language of the Gnostic myths. These include the cosmos (the world is flawed because it was created that way), deity (ultimate and superior one), the human being (comprised of physical and spiritual self), salvation, conduct (ethics or morality), destiny (life, death, or something else), and the depth psychological connection. (Hoeller, 2007). There is a connection between the words 'Gnosis' and 'Gnosticism.' Experiences that are not based on concepts or precepts, but the sensibility of the heart, are called gnosis. The world view based on Gnosis is referred to as Gnosticism. "In a sense, there is no Gnosis without Gnosticism, for the experience of Gnosis inevitably calls forth a world view wherein it finds its place. The Gnostic world view is experiential, it is based on a certain kind of spiritual experience of Gnosis. Therefore, it will not do to omit, or to dilute, various parts of the Gnostic world view, for were one to do this, the world view would no longer conform to experience" (Hoeller, 2007). The world view of Gnosticism is stated in myth rather than in theology. There is a myriad of ways in which these myths can be interpreted, taking into account transcendence, numinosity, psychological archetypes, and other elements. Regardless of their mythical stance, these statements speak certain truths that can never be denied. "Gnosticism can bring us such truths with a high authority, for it speaks with the voice of the highest part of the human -- the spirit. Of this spirit, it has been said, "it bloweth where it listeth". This then is the reason why the Gnostic world view could not be extirpated in spite of many centuries of persecution" (Hoeller, 2007). Although the term 'Gnosticism' refers to an array of ancient religions, very little was known about these until the 20th Century. This is because there was little material containing information on the Gnostic movement that was made available to the public. "Since the emergence of the Nag Hammadi library in 1945, and its translation into English and other modern languages in 1977, Gnosticism has undergone something of a rapid dissemination, and has as a result had observable influence on several modern figures, and upon modern Western culture in general" (Wikipedia, 2007). There have been quite a few well-known scholars of Gnosticism or those who were knowingly influenced by it. These include William Blake, Madame Blavatsky, Aleister Crowley, Hans Jonas, Jung and Mead, Eric Voegelin, and Samael Aun Weor. According to Wikipedia: In the United States there are several Gnostic churches with diverse lineages, one of which is the Ecclesia Gnostica, based primarily in Los Angeles, which is affiliated with the Gnostic Society, an organization dedicated to the study of Gnosticism. The current leader of both organizations is Stephan A. Hoeller who has also written extensively on Gnosticism and the occult. Parishes of the Ecclesia Gnostica and educational organizations affiliated with the Gnostic Society are active in Portland, Oregon, Seattle, West Virginia, Sedona, Arizona, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Oslo, Norway. (Wikipedia, 2007) References .Arendzen, J.P. "Gnosticism." New Advent. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06592a.htm "Gnosticism." (2007). Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism "Gnosticism: Ancient and Modern." (2007). Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. http://www.religioustolerance.org/gnostic.htm Hoeller, Stephan A. "The Gnostic World View: A Brief Summary of Gnosticism." Gnostic Society. http://www.webcom.com/gnosis/gnintro.htm Read More