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Gnosticism, considered a heresy among the early Christians and persisted for many centuries. Drawing upon the latest scholarship and a wide range of sources, including the writings of the Gnostics themselves, Giovanni Filoramo provides an introduction to this variation of early Christian dogma. He traces the origins and history of Gnosticism, from its beginning in the first two centuries AD, and the development of Gnostic beliefs and mystic philosophy. He aims to demonstrate the links between Gnosticism and heretical movements of early medieval Europe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Perhaps the best for understanding Gnosticism
A wealth of insights. Filoramo seems to have the best understanding of what the ancient Gnostics were about as anyone I've read. Arguably surpassing

* Hans Jonas The Gnostic Religion
and
* Simone Petremont A Separate God: The Christian Origins of Gnosticism

Jonas is excellent for understanding the Gnostics from the modern viewpoint of existentialism (be sure to get an edition of Jonas, e.g. the 2nd, that includes the Epilogue: "Gnosticsm, Nihilism and Existentialism") and Petrement may be most intriquing for her agressive speculations to uncover the development of Christian Gnosticism from issues raised by the Pauline and Johanine communities. But for understanding the Gnostics on their own terms and without undue speculation, I haven't found the likes of Filoramo.

"A History of Gnosticism" is not just history but also sociology, mythology and psychology in a powerful mix. If I thought before that Gnosticism spoke to my condition, that it was more than "DaVinci Code" fad, Filoramo has strongly confirmed its power to me.

Filoramo presents Gnosticism as arising at a time in which people had a new and growing self-awareness, times of great change in which inner conflicts were also becoming great. Such conflicts didn't lend themselves to easy definition: it took a new burst of mythologies to express them. Evils seem hard to dismiss, the body itself seemed demonized. At a time when conditions seemed overwhelming, the desire for a savior became more urgent.Gnostic myths, whether of Jesus or Sophia, pointed to a victory overearthly powers and over death itself.

Filorma works closely with Sethian and Valentinian Gnostic texts to reveal the themes that the Gnotics developed and how they addressed theirconcerns. He relates his insights about the Gnostic texts to their historical conditions, the fluidity of working in small egalitarian groups that encouraged so much myth-making and the sense of marginalization that kept Gnostics questing and meeting for centuries. Trapped in bodies and time, forced to gradually learn spiritual lessons in exile from their divine origins, Gnostics armed themselves with myths to do battle withpowers of darkness while here on earth.

Filorama does not try, as Petrement has done, to find a single origin for Gnosticism. He does not even argue for an exclusively Christian origin. What he presents is rich movement that welled up freshly to express keyconcerns and responses within Western history that address the problems of individuation that continue to have significant meaning for us today. Thankfully those teachings have not been lost and there are people such as Filorama who are able to convey their spirit to those of us today who see not a fad but a recovery of profound spiritual help.

Detailed Discussion
This book by Filoramo is fairly short, weighing in at 269 pages, (189 pages excluding notes, index and so on). In that short text, Filoramo manages to pack a huge amount of information and give the reader enough to think about for a long time.

While the book describes the main and central ideas of Gnosticism, it gives a large amount of detail on each one. I honestly found some it hard to get my head around, and that is something I need to mention. I honestly feel that Jonas' and Rudolph's introductions, ("The Gnostic Religion" and "Gnosis" respectively), are easier for someone just looking for something to start with.

However, the main positive side of this book, in my opinion, is that Filoramo devotes a lot of time connecting Gnosticism to the wider religious and social environment that it found itself in. He also devotes a significant amount of time dealing with those traditions that feed into Gnosticism. Should you be seeking to understand Gnosticism as a part of a wider context, this book does that admirably well. Filoramo seems to present Gnosticism, not as a surprising aberration, but as an understandable result of earlier religious and cultural ideas. In this, Filoramo has written a fine book that does not waste time in unnecessary words and rubbish.

He also discusses briefly the history of scholarship in Gnosticism, which is fairly useful for putting his own book in a wider context.

Another positive is the sheer amount of endnotes that Filoramo provides. For anyone who wishes to follow up on particular areas of his book, he has provided a large number of references for you to check. Also, he has provided a large bibliography for further reading, should you be interested. Filoramo also quotes extensive sections of the texts from the Nag Hammadi Library as well, which is awesome.

One problem is that is some of the writing itself. The translator has used some pretty specialised words, which I did not know, and could not find in my dictionary. While this has happened only a few times, and does not effect the overall meaning so much, it did mean that I could not understand a few sentences. Also, some of the sentences are pretty long, using a lot of clauses in each one. This makes it hard, sometimes, to keep track of what the point is.

A second issue that I have is that Filoramo makes some comments that are not sustainable from evidence about the status of Marcion as a Gnostic. Marcion has prompted debate as to whether he fits into the Gnostic tradition. Kurt Rudolph says that Marcion cannot be understood without Gnosticism and he rests firmly inside Gnosticism. While quoting Clement of Alexandria in support of his idea that Marcion's ascetism was not based on ethics, (whereas he claims Gnostic ascetism was), he attempts to show why Marcion cannot be a Gnostic. However, he ignores much evidence to the contrary, including sources from the same century as Marcion who clearly considered Marcion a Gnostic.

That being said, the book is overall pretty good. I would still recommend Hans Jonas' The Gnostic Religion or Kurt Rudolph's Gnosis: The Nature and History of Gnosticism for an introduction to Gnostic belief over this book. However, this book is an excellent opportunity to view Gnosticism in its wider context, as part of a fermenting history of ideas and influences. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was hard going, but worth it to the end.

illumination of an obscure religious chapter
One of the most enshrouded mysteries from the early Christian era centers around the historical origin and disappearance of gnosticism.Giovanni Filoramo, Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Turin, has produced _A_History_of_Gnosticism_, originally published in Italian as _L'attesa_della_fine,_Storia_della_gnosi_. In this brief volume, Filoramo examines the fragmentary history of gnosticism and its adherents.Gnosticism began as an anticosmic and nihilistic vision expounded upon by recent scholars including Carl Jung and Hans Jonas.As the first and most dangerous heresy to the church, this philosophy was condemned by the established theologians during the first four centuries, and has remained obscure ever since.

Much of what we know today about gnosticism stems from the Nag Hammadi library--a collection of manuscripts discovered in 1945 at Gibel el-Tarif.Polemic writings denouncing the cult also provide illumination.Filoramo illustrates the attempts by church apologists to trace gnosticism to Simon Magnus (see Acts 8:9-24) through a succession of schools, most importantly the Valentinians.The background of gnosticism is one of a cult born into a religious world in ferment where oriental theology had been flowing for centuries to the rather anemic religious culture of the northern Mediterranean.

The debate between _mythos_ (myth) and _logos_ (reason), settled supposedly in fifth century BC Athens (in favor of the latter), raged in the first Christian century.Mythos, originally intended to defend traditionalist religious heritage from attack by rationalists, transforms to a new identity over time.In the case of gnosticism, its development led to a philosophy dismissing the physical world as a manifestation of an ignorant and arrogant Demiurge.(The Christian view maintains that while mankind had allowed sin to despoil God's beauty, nonetheless the creation of the heavens and the earth are a manifestation of God's wisdom and power.)

Their gloomy assessment of the world was highlighted in the Valentinian school which regarded creation as the abortive outcome of the sin of Sophia--"Woman born of woman" followed by unconventional interpretations in the creation of Adam and Eve.To the gnostics, Christ--the Son of God--appeared to be capable of liberating humanity and revealing gnosis to his disciples.Since the gnostics rejected physical manifestations, to them the Savior had both suffered and not suffered.In gnostic tradition, the physical human Christ died on the cross, but the higher Son escaped this gruesome end, laughing at his tormentors.In gnostic theology, Jesus--son of Joseph--was only a man given a superior power that allowed him to reveal secrets of gnosis.Hence for the gnostics, to be a possessor of gnosis was to be superior to Jesus.

There were various teachers to this view, but probably none more prominent than Valentinus, who was born in Egypt, educated in Alexandria, arrived in Rome during the papacy of Hyginus [AD 136-140], and though once a candidate for the papacy was eventually rejected as a heretic.His teachings, based on hostile attacks by Origen, were still thriving in the third century and an edict in 428 reaffirmed condemnation of this sect.

The unwillingness to accept materialistic concepts by gnostic teaching led to cults that rejected asceticism and exalted hedonism.Epiphanius, before he became bishop of Salamis, visited a gnostic community in Egypt around 335 and fervently denounced the depravity he witnessed.Texts from Nag Hammadi, however, provide no theological rationalization for these practices, so there is speculation as to whether some gnostic sects were ascetic and not libertine.In any event, the absence of any formal organization and rejection of institutional roots ultimately doomed the sect to oblivion.By reconstructing the surviving texts on gnosticism, Filoramo has provided a useful historical and philosophical treatment on this forgotten heresy of our religious heritage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Living Path of Inner Knowledge
This beautiful little book is a marvelous introduction to Gnosticism. The many superb illustrations are perfectly integrated with the text for art can indeed speak directly to the forces of the unconscious. So you have a perceptive text appealing to your conscious mind, while the illustrations attempt to penetrate by way of the unconscious.

Gnosticism was the school of spiritual philosophy that flourished in the Greco-Roman world that focused on the attainment of gnosis (divine knowledge intuitively accessed)- as opposed to the focus on faith, good deeds, and contrition of orthodox Christianity. Indeed Gnosticism may have been the original "Christianity" for orthodox Christianity seems to owe its structure to opposition to the Gnostic principles. As the author perceptively points out, the Gnosticism of the first two centuries were anathema to orthodox thinking because it revealed the essential materialism of the latter. This reminds us of what Voltaire said about Machiavelli: the so-called moralists hated him not because he was wicked, but because he exposed their trade secrets...

There was never a single monolithic Gnostic creed, but certain tenets do seem to have been more or less held in common. There was the principle of gnosis- a different kind of knowledge of higher things obtained by direct intuition (based of both making oneself worthy to receive it, as well as, divine grace.) Contrary to what traditional critics state, this type of knowledge was open to anyone- the only "secret" was individual worthiness. There was also the concept that we all contain particles or sparks of the Creator within ourselves- the purpose of life is to reunite these sparks with their Source. These sparks are also the basis of the concept that to find our connection to God we have to first look within. There is also the idea that the world of creation is fallen and evil, but the corollary to this is that it forces us to deal with the evil and imperfect and thereby accelerate our spiritual growth. Then again reincarnation and cyclic time were also central concepts.

The connections with depth psychology are pointed out- as well as very perceptive comments on its connections to existentialism and deconstructionism.

It is remarkable that so much philosophical and historical background is packed in such a gem-like package, but then you could claim that of the entire Hidden Wisdom Library (I especially recommend the companion volumes on Kabbalah and Theosophy.)
... Read more

Product Description
This book explains in depth the non-dualistic metaphysics of A Course in Miracles, and its integration with living in this illusory world. It demonstrates how the Course resolves the paradox of an imperfect material universe seeming to come from a perfect immaterial Creator. The study is carried out in the context of the Platonic and Gnostic themes that have run through Western intellectual and religious history, and the contrast of these with the Course. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Critical to Reaching Spiritual Decision
This volume puts into perspective the key differences between orthodox Christianity and the Course. If you are working through a decision concerning which of these spiritual belief systems to embrace, Wapnick's thorough "root study" of Christian thought systems will be of immense value. I also found the fundamental explanation of the Course's themes to be very helpful, even though I have been a student of the Course off and on for years. One of the aspects I found most helpful was the clear dilemna Wapnick brings to the fore: until you can come to terms with how evil and man's apparent separation from God came into existence, all spiritual thought systems are meaningless. This volume challenges the reader to come to terms with this core philosophical and spiritual question.

Love is not puffed up
This book is a very scholarly work.It is well written and very well researched.Dr. Wapnick has left no stone unturned.He covers the subject matter, a wide path of somewhat disparate philosophies, respectfully.If you are familiar with A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and are interested in the history of Gnosticism, then I strongly recommend this book.If you are not familiar with ACIM, but would like to learn more about it, I recommend The Disappearance of the Universe by Gary Renard.

NotBeach reading
Very well researched and clearly laid out.Exactly what one would expectfrom Wapnick.Very illuminating.

The Big Picture
After reading the Nag Hammadi Library, I became aware of "The Course in Miracles" and became a student.I was looking for a book that captured the higher perceptions of the gnostics and measured them against ACIM.Dr Wapnick did it again.It is a real treasure and one I will keep as part of my library.Basically anything that I have read of Dr. Wapnick's has helped me tremendously.This is not an easy read.It is technical and very deep.

Excellent Work
Even though I'm not an "A Course in Miracles" follower, this book is really a gem.Although this book is directed to Course students, it explain very thoroughly and rationally the relation between Ancient Christianity, Platonism, Neo-Platonism and Gnosticism.There is only one small flaw in all of this:it looks at "A Course in Miracles" as Jesus' original message, and hence he views Gnosticism very close to Jesus' original message in its metaphysical level.It is very interesting that he looks at the Gnostic's own mistakes as those which Course students frequently fall into.

Other than that, he chooses Bible translations very well; he chooses the appropriate Bible scholars, he chooses good authorities on the issue of Gnosticism, he shows the pertinent passages of philosophy authors (Plato, Aristotle, Philo, Plotinus), and shows the historical, social, political, religious realities of Christianity, Ancient Philosophy, Gnosticism and how they are related to each other.

I have an MA in Philosophy, and not a scholar.However, although I'm not a scholar, I would dare say that it is a reliable source to know these ancient movements. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gnosticism:Short. Exhaustive Survey
Only "The Gnostics" by Jacques LaCarriere is better.Walker's book goes to the real Gnostics without imposing our modern views on them.Too many modern works try to turn the Gnostics into Theosophists, which they weren't.The Gnostics ... Read more

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This authoritative, fully accessible guide to early Christian movements sheds light on the hidden histories and intriguing mysteries that fueled the extraordinary success of books ranging from Dan Brown’s blockbuster The Da Vinci Code to Elaine Pagels’s critically acclaimed Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas.

From its earliest days, Christianity has been marked by a rich diversity of beliefs and practices. Different interpretations of Jesus’ life and mission, as well as conflicting views about worship and rituals, gave rise to numerous sects in the first centuries C.E. Condemned as heretical by the official Church, these early movements were lost to history until the twentieth century, when the discovery of ancient documents opened a new perspective on the evolution of Christianity.

The Beliefnet® Guide to Gnosticism and Other Vanished Christianities is a fascinating look at the diverse strands of the early Christian church. It examines the alternative Christian ideas propagated by the Gnostics, Sethians, Valentinians, Marcionites, Encratites, and Montanists, illuminating the philosophical sources and religious traditions that fostered them. Special attention is given to sects that presented the greatest challenges to the developing orthodoxy: the Hermeticists, the Manicheans, and the Neoplatonists. There are also thought-provoking discussions about the secret Gospel of Mark and the Gospels of Mary and Thomas, and the newly discovered Gospel of the Savior.


From the premier source of information on religion and spirituality, the Beliefnet Guides introduce you to the major traditions, leaders, and issues of faith in the world today.

Customer Reviews (2)

a perfect introduction
This book simplifies a very complicated subject.I easily read it in one sitting, and I am a slow reader.This is an excellent introduction to gnosticism and early Christianities, and is a perfect example of what "introduction" means.

It does not go into great detail, but this is the perfect book if you have not read anything about gnosticism.It covers quite a wide range of early religious groups, so you can pick the ones you might be really interested in.There are more in depth books out there, which take longer to read, but this should be your first venture into Gnosticism.

there is a list of recommended readings that will point you in the right direction.I highly recommend "Lost Christianities" by Bart D. Erhman.

Okay, but there are better books available
This is an okay book that has a lot of interesting information. However, there are better books available for those who want to know what real spirituality is all about. For example, "The Disappearance of the Universe" by Gary Renard really captures the spirit of The Gospel of Thomas, and gives an exciting vision of the early days of the Disciple's attempt to give the true message of Jesus before it was lost. I don't have anything against this Belienet Guide, but they could certainly do more to bring people the passion behind true spirituality, as opposed to what is usually (and tedpidly) passing for spirituality in today's marketplace. ... Read more

Product Description
If any group, which shared in the Christian mystery, possessed the esoteric secrets of the early Church, it was the Gnostics. This order preserved to the end the high ethical and rational standards which confer honor upon a teaching. The Church therefore attacked Gnosticism vigorously and relentlessly, recognizing these mystical philosophers as being the most formidable adversaries to the temporal power of Christian theology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Gnosticism explained - that was easy!
This is a good introduction to what can be a very difficult subject.Gnosticism, due to it's liberality and syncretism, does not lend itself easily to dogmatic understanding.The basic tenets in Christian Gnosticism are explained in an almost breezy manner, where other authors such as Elaine Pagels, though illuminating, can tend to the scholarly and synthetic.Manly Hall's representation of the so called 'lost' Wisdom is comprehensive yet understandable.

To those unfamiliar with the subject....Christian Gnosticism consists loosely of the ideas that the god of the Old Testament was perhaps a tad bit too nasty, provincial and limited in power to be the One, True God.Consequently, Christ was incarnated in order to remind men of their truly Heavenly origin and eventual return, so that the veil of ignorance could be lifted and Salvation could be won by this Saving Knowledge.Though man's mortal body was crafted by an inferior Demiurge, he was an ensouled Being who had a Divine spark that once ignited, could burn inwardly and illuminate himself as well as others.

There is a short survey of Eastern Gnosis as found in the more Northern esoterically minded Buddhists, and a slight seque into the more conservative Eastern branches of Hinduism, Taoism and Confucianism.

At a time when Pagan philosophy had produced disciples whose ethics perhaps rendered them nicer than Yahweh, yet the sublime Truths of the Christos were undeniable in their Spiritual efficacy, Gnosticism became an original, experential combining of Greek mystery tradition and Christian Revelation.

Well worth the read, if one is so inclined to such a subject!

Not For Beginners
If I were to recommend a book on Gnosticism to someone who knows little or nothing on the subject but would like an overview, this would NOT be the book I would recommend.That's not to say this book wasn't without it's merits but it's a little overly complicated and narrow in it's scope of understanding. It also was a little boring in parts and I found myself having to "push through" to the end.

I did gain a clearer understanding of ancient Gnosticism compaired with more modern Gnostic beliefs presented by authors such as Samael Aun Weor.This book was also very unique in that it dealt with a lot of the ancient symbology around Gnosticism which is something I've never seen before.

If you already have a basic understanding of Gnosticism and you're looking to expand your knowledge this book might be for you, If you want information about ancient Gnostic symbols this book is for you, If you want an introduction to Gnosticism I say look elsewhere.

Banal Regurgitations
Let's keep in mind that Hall wrote back in the 1930s and 1940s, when there was far less in print on esoterica than today.Still, Hall's book on gnosticism is overly complicated and terribly pedantic.One has the sense, too, that Hall is regurgitating received ideas.There is no hint of real scholarship, or of an individual approach to the material.I'm biased, however, by the fact that Hall fancied himself as a master of all esoterica, given the breadth of his writings.If I knew as much about anything as Hall knows about everything . . . Add to this Hall's fervent championing of freemasonry as a repository of real wisdom, and one has to wonder who Hall was, and where he got the ego to appoint himself as an authority on sacred teachings.There are far better books on gnosticism.

An Interesting Look at Gnosticism
Although I had heard of the term "Gnosticism" previously, I was never quite sure what it really entailed - all I knew was that it was some form of religion or spirituality.So I purchased this book with the goal of gaining an understanding of this form of esoteric christianity - and, after having read it, I think this is probably the best book I could have chosen for this purpose.

In "The Wisdom of the Wise Ones", Hall discusses the beliefs held by the Gnostics; the parallels between Gnosticism and both Eastern & Western philosophies; Alexandria - the seat of mysticism; what happened to Gnosticism; as well as the symbolism used by this group.


Here are some of the insights I gained re: Gnosticism:

*Gnosticism is a form of esoteric christianity

*Gnostics didn't take bible stories literally - instead, they searched for the hidden meanings

*Gnostics were very tolerant of other religions - believing that a person's religion was based on their current emotions & perceptions.In other words, we interpret things differently based on "where we are" at the time.

*They viewed spirit as the highest state of matter, and matter as the lowest state of spirit

*They saw human beings as the bridge between nature & God

*They believed that each soul ascends through successive stages of being - learning & growing along the way

*They saught to find the middle-ground between the 2 most prevalent theologies of the time - christianity & paganism

*They believed that it's the mystery, not the interpretation that's real (and our interpretation = our religion)

*They believed that everyone would grow & change over time, and as such, their interpretations (religious choices)would grow & change as well.


Through reading this book, I was also reminded that much of what we deal with today - such as violence, scams, war & conspiricies - isn't new.The people who lived thousands of years ago were dealing with the same things...


Overall, I found "The Wisdom of the Knowing Ones" to be quite interesting.So, if you are interested in learning about Gnosticism, or enjoy reading about ancient cultures, I would highly recommend it.




... Read more

Product Description
First published in 1968, Science, Politics and Gnosticism comprises two essays by Eric Voegelin (1901–85), arguably one of the most provocative and influential political philosophers of the last century. In these essays, Voegelin contends that certain modern movements, including positivism, Hegelianism, Marxism, and the "God is dead" school, are variants of the gnostic tradition he identified in his classic work The New Science of Politics. Voegelin attempts to resolve the intellectual confusion that has resulted from the dominance of gnostic thought by clarifying the distinction between political gnosticism and the philosophy of politics. Including an introduction by the noted Voegelin scholar Ellis Sandoz, this book’s brief exposition of key Voegelinian concepts makes it especially valuable for those seeking a deeper understanding of the fundamental thrust of Voegelin’s thought. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great guide to modern politics
Voegelin has done the public a great service by tracing a common thread of gnosticism amongst modern political philosophies.He goes to Marx's juwish roots in order to expose the theme of the golem that underlies Marxian thought as laid out in Marx's Political and Economic Manuscripts.The Kabbalistic underpinnings of socialistic philosophy forecasts these philosophies as gnostic philosophies.

Although Voegelin indulges in almost pure abstraction (characterisitic of his German education) it is quite accurate since it exposes the naked truth a la Jack Kerouac of these ideas.

The gnostic character of modern philosophies, such as Hegel, Comte, Marx, feminism and so on comes out in the theme of "alienation."Alienation from the rest of society is the result of some form of discord or disharmony.Recourse to a "secret knowledge" will reveal the solution to this problem of disharmony.Applying this secret knowledge will result in an "immanenitizing of the eschaton."

The last concept comes from Roman Catholic scholarship in defining the heresy of gnosticism.In article 676 of the Catholic catechism, it says that: "The AntiChrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment.The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the "intrinsically perverse" political form of a secular messianism."Voegelin says that gnosticism tries to bring about a heaven on earth or "immanentize the eschaton."When Kabbalists such as Marx go to the tree of life to get enlightenment to solve problems here and now, zen buddhist like, he tries to be the divine savior of himself.

Thus, Marxism is gnostic since it teaches of alienation of the proletariat whose special knowledge of communism, as embodied in the communist manifesto, assists him in remedying this defect in the socio-economic structure, this disharmony, and the very possibility of this ability to heal his own problem is an immanentizing of the eschaton, of creating heaven on earth without God's help.

The feminist argues that there is discord in the social structure due to patriarchy.The special knowledge of the superiority of matriarchy will remedy this and bring an end to wars, domination and so on.Thus, female chauvanism is to replace male chauvanism (clearly reaching a hypocritical end).

This is just the icing on the cake.Voegelin goes through many ideas, but the aforementioned summary constitutes a common theme uniting all of his discussion in this terse yet dense book.

A lucid yet in-depth scrutiny of the interplay of complex ideals
Science, Politics & Gnosticism presents two essays, the title piece, "Science, Politics & Gnosticism", and "Ersatz Religion: The Gnostic Mass Movements of Our Time" by Eric Voegelin (1901-85), one of the most influential political philosophers of the twentieth century. Voegelin contends that certain modern movements, including positivism, Hegelianism, Marxism, and the "God is dead" school are variants of the gnostic tradition. Striving to settle the confusion that arises from the dominance of gnostic thought, Voegelin further strives to classify distinctions between political gnosticism and the philosophy of politics. A lucid yet in-depth scrutiny of the interplay of complex ideals and their reverbations upon mass political movements, Science, Politics & Gnosticism is especially recommended reading for advanced students of philosophy and political science.

Political Science on a Rack
Oh, the visionary has a new system to save the world? Put that in section II B, tray 5, right next to the same idea that sprouted 1000 years ago under a different name.
Voegelin has boiled down the rules for understanding all secular visions of salvation, which invariably play on some human dissatisfaction, the diagnosis of which always omits a key "given" of human nature, which is thus marketed as changeable, but isn't, leading to fanatical attempts to control people, devolving into scaring them into submission with the threat of death.
The opposite of the Christian love ethic which posits a brotherhood in relation to a heavenly Father, according to Voegelin.
Voegelin here achieves a scientific method of explaining how non-christian ideas relate to Christian ideas of social organization. He was very popular in Cold War times, but is also versatile enough here to help with the great conversation we are all having in relation to terrorism. This book is simple, direct and profound.

The Murder of God and other Exhilarating Ideas
These two essays describe the inability of modern political thought to get a grip on the confusion and horror of the 20th century, mainly because that thought itself has not been immune from the very disorders it seeks to study. The roots of modern disorder are found in "Gnosticism," which is usually defined narrowly as a form of Christian heresy, but thought of by Voegelin as a typical response to the universal human problems of uncertainty, meaninglessness and alienation. Thus seemingly disparate movements like communism, fascism and positivism are placed within a Gnostic tradition stretching back to antiquity.

After describing the characteristics of ancient Gnosticism, Voegelin defines his own approach to the "science of politics," derived mainly from Plato and Aristotle. He then proceeds to analyze thinkers such as Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche and Heidegger and to isolate what he feels to be their dominant motives. The one great theme of all Gnosticisms, ancient or modern, is the desire to do away with the notion of a given, "objective" world. If the project of world-transformation is to be made plausible, then nothing can be seen to be outside of human power. Social reality is a constructed thing, not a thing given or found, thereby allowing it to be "deconstructed."

In the second, shorter essay, "Ersatz Religion," Voegelin describes the complex of ideas characteristic of modern Gnosticism such as millenialism, utopianism and positivism. As the title of the essay suggests, the religious impulse does not die after the murder of God; it gets redirected into "political religions." Politics then becomes a matter of belief and fanaticism, instead of rational discourse and debatable opinions. Despite the abstractness of some of its theoretical concerns, this book is very readable and jargon-free. Those with no prior reading in philosophy may need to look up a term now and again such as "ontology." I recommend it as a good, short introduction to the kind of sober and ordered thought that we so desperately need after the century of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot.

A great place to start
Eric Voegelin was one of the most profound philosophers of history of the twentieth century. More than any other thinker I know, he was able to articulate a body of thought that recognizes the human need for a groundingin transcendent truth and analyses the vicissitudes of the inevitablesearch for meaning. His work deserves to be widely read, but perhapsbecause of its imposing bulk--his masterwork, "Order andHistory," weighs in at five fat volumes of complex reasoning, vividexegeses of the symbolic forms of the past five thousand years, and indepthand illuminating readings of philosophers from Parmenides to Heidegger--itis not. "Science, Politics, and Gnosticism" is a perfect horsd'oeuvre of a book, and serves well not as a systematic introduction to thefull scope of his vision but as a tasty morsel of his maturing thought at acrucial point in his oeuvre. Voegelin's incisive critique of ideologicalthinking in this book is lucid and mercifully accessible. I would hope thata reader comes away from this potent little classic inspired to dig deeperinto the mine of wisdom that Voegelin's work offers. ... Read more

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No less than eleven of the fifty-three treatises of the Nag Hammadi Library fit the designation 'Sethian Gnostic'. They reveal the existence of a hitherto unrecognized religious competitor of early Christianity. With its own roots in second temple Judaism and in various first and second century sectarian baptismal movements, Sethian Gnosticism is now the earliest form of Gnosticism for which we possess a great deal of textual evidence. Like the Christian school of Valentinus (120-160 CE) and his followers - which it seems to antedate - Sethianism not only allied itself with the early Christian movement, but was also vitally indebted to the (Middle) Platonism of the first three centuries, even to the point that several of its theological treatises became the subject of scrutiny in Plotinus' third century Roman seminars. analysis of the entire corpus of Sethian literature and goes on to develop a history of this movement and its literature and ritual practice in the first three centuries, its main focus is upon its striking engagement with the Platonic metaphysics of the second and third centuries, especially evident in four of its most distinctively Platonizing treatises, Zostrianos, Allogenes, The Three Steles of Seth, and Marsanes. These treatises have profound implications for understanding the origins of Neoplatonism, including its theory of dynamic emanationism, certain aspects of Plotinus' thought, and the Middle Platonic interpretation of Plato's dialogues, especially the Parmenides. Tradition is divided into five sections: an introductory discussion of the scholarly attempts to characterize the relation of Gnosticism and Platonism, followed by three main sections: Part One, an analysis and history of Sethian literature, mythology, and ritual practice in its pre-Christian, Christian, and post-Christian phases; Part Two, a survey of the development of Platonic metaphysics from Plato to Theodore of Asine; and Part Three, an extensive analysis of the four Platonizing Sethian treatises and their implication for the history and development of Middle and Neoplatonic metaphysics. The final section offers a concluding overview of the Sethian religion (Peeters 2002) ... Read more

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Gnosticism and Later Platonism: Themes, Figures, and Texts
This volume is devoted to an exploration of the relation between Gnosticism and later Platonism in the first four centuries C. E. The essays presented here originated in presentations made during the 1993-1998 meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature's Gnosticism and Later Platonism Seminar by ranking scholars in the fields of Gnosticism and the history of later Greek, especially Platonic, philosophy. Not only do they represent the cutting edge of this branch of scholarship, but they also introduce the reader to many facets of Sethian and Valentinian texts, ritual, and doctrine, to the metaphysics of Moderatus, the Chaldaean Oracles, Numenius, Amelius, Plotinus, and Iamblichus, and to the nature of negative theology and theurgy.

Contents: The Derivation of Matter in Monistic Gnosticism, Einar Thomassen; Positive and Negative Matter in Later Platonism: The Uncovering of Plotinus's Dialogue with the Gnostics, Kevin Corrigan; After Aporia: Theurgy in Later Platonism, Gregory Shaw; Ritual in Gnosticism, John D. Turner; Platonism and Gnosticism. The Anonymous Commentary on the Parmenides: Middle or Neoplatonic?, Kevin Corrigan; The Setting of the Platonizing Sethian Treatises in Middle Platonism, John D. Turner; Iamblichus, the Sethians, and Marsanes, John F. Finamore; Ancient Apophatic Theology, John Peter Kenney; Negative Theologies and Demiurgical Myths in Late Antiquity, Michael A. Williams; Aseity and Connectedness in the Plotinian Philosophy of Providence, Frederick M. Schroeder. ... Read more

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Gnosis is Greek for knowledge, gnosticism offers a dramatic account of creation and has both similarities and significant differences from Christianity. In ancient times, Gnosticism rivalled Christianity in popularity, and now is finding an increasing following in the West. Its central beliefs is that the creation is not divine and that only the soul of man has any true goodness. This text explains the meaning of Gnosticism, giving details of its history and relationship with Christianity. Discussion is included on the Gnostics themselves and the main teachings of the faith, as well as the major schools of Gnostic thought and literature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

ok, but the writing is atrocious
This book is ok, and it does exactly what it claims: provides an introduction to Gnostic thought, briefly contextualizing major figures and movements.

Criticisms: Holroyd's sweeping generalizations of Blake and Jung shouldn't be taken seriously, and the citations are a disaster, both in style and content (even an introductory book could have tried to cite primary texts instead of other secondary works).Nevertheless, I'd have given the book a somewhat higher mark if the writing weren't simply atrocious - never before have I stumbled through horrible style to the extent that my understanding of some passages suffered!It makes me intensely disinterested in the poetry the author has purportedly written as per the author notes.There must be better - certainly better written - introductions out there.

I Love Gnosticism
I will love this book and its content for so long as I am on earth: of course until something dramatic to the contrary emerges. The book is a good intorduction into Gnosticism. It gives you the various interpretations of Genesis within the Gnosticism approach: there are two different andopposing Gods in the universe. Gnosticism gives me answers to questions that I have always pondered on: why does "God" (the God ofwind/storm) behave so cruelly sometimes (especially in the Old Testament),may be even today. It provides various Gnostic schools of thought . Verysimple and illuminating. Although it does not dwell deeply into thesubjects, it does provide you with a good basic understanding ofGnosticism. Read together with "The Nag Hammadi Library inEnglish" (the bible for the Gnostics), it will really blow your mind. Of course, it is not for orthodox conventional Christians, yet they maybenefit from it, if they are willing of course!

An entertaining but flawed account
Holroyd seems too keen on discrediting Christianity with this book; thus he loses his way somewhat when attempting a balanced account of Gnosticism. It is worth reading as it is quite good fun (though his efforts to associate Jung et al with classical Gnosticism can be safely ignored),but only in conjunction with a more reasoned and academically sound account.

Excellent historical overview by a fine author.
A concise historical overview of an oft surpressed current of Western thought with which not many today are familiar.The writing is engaging and thoughtfully organized.My only reservation is that the work's brevity may necessarily make some of Holroyd's associations seem slightly glib. However;viewed as a springboard to the topic, the book is superb.I highly recommend it to those with an interest in comparitive religion or history, or to anyone who delights in exploring ideas that have been deemed at times to dangerous for print.

The best introduction to Gnosticism available!
The best introduction to Gnosticism available! I read it in one day! Why was Gnosticism crushed by the Catholic Church? Why do many experts believe it will soon return as never before? Fundamentalist Christians - read this book and weep! ... Read more

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The Trail of Gnosis investigates historic and spiritual threads connecting Gnostic groups from China to France, from the 4th to 15th centuries.Includes secret Gnostic connections to the Knights Templar and Holy Grail,along with influences of The Kaballah/Cabala, Sufism and Taoism on Gnostics of the Balkans and Western Europe. The Trail of Gnosis relates the profound impact of The Inquisition and The Albigensian Crusades on Catharism and unravels many mysteries surrounding sacred Gnostic sites found in France, Spain, Armenia, Turkey, Bosnia, Croatia, Italy and Bulgaria. ... Read more

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The Trail of Gnosis:A Lucid Exploration of Gnostic Traditions
The Trail of Gnosis is a truly lucid treatment of religious tradition and its formative influence on secular world history over more than a thousand years.It is written with a vitality that impresses the reader with its immediate relevance to currently unfolding world events.Among many other references, it illuminates the historical foundations of Iraqi Shi'ite Sufism and Sunni Islam, bringing the terms Shiite and Sunni in our everyday world to life.Even more recently, the struggle between the Serbian government and the province of Kosovo stands in stark relief against a centuries-old ideological life-and-death dichotomy elucidated by Mann.Her extensive but easy-to-read work helps put our present day experience into a broad historical context, much as if she had put an entire book around the isolated page or two in which we are currently immersed.It is a must for history enthusiasts, and a boon for anyone wanting a better grasp of the global march of history in which we are all participating. ... Read more

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Gnosticism, a form of religious knowledge that dates from the early centuries of the Christian movement, has often been characterized as a bizarre and even perverse distortion of Christian theology.Its special emphasis was on knowledge of God and of the nature and destiny of human kind.Such knowledge was believed to have redeeming power, liberating the soul from the sway of cosmic forces.

The earliest information on Gnosticism comes from the works of Christian opponents (Irenaeus et al.) and from certain ancient Coptic texts.A new era in the study of Gnosticism was inaugurated by the discovery in 1945 of the Nag Hammadi library.

In this introductory handbook, Riemer Roukema explores the meaning of the "gnosis" phenomenon on the basis of these sources and sets forth the relationship between Gnosticism and the church.Part One provides a general orientation to Gnosticism; Part Two looks at the religious and philosophical backgrounds of Gnosticism; Part Three uses ancient texts to provide a more detailed discussion of gnosis, Gnosticism, and Gnostics; Part Four examines the relationship between "Catholic" Christianity and Gnosticism.

Riemer Roukema is Lecturer in New Testament at the Theological University of Kampen, The Netherlands. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Superb for an introductory book
If I were currently teaching a course on the very complex religious phenomenon of gnosticism in the ancient world to an audience unfamiliar with the subject, this would undoubtedly be on the required reading list.There are at least six reasons for my enthusiasm about this book.
First, the book is simply organized.This perhaps may not be such a feat in and of itself, but with a topic as difficult to pin down as gnosticism, this is done very well.Anyone can follow the author's layout.
Second, Roukema's parlance is not for the scholar, but for the beginner.His syntax is not characterized by multiple subordinate clauses and the fifty-cent words of academia, but is simple and straight-forward.I imagine a high schooler could read this book with as much ease as anyone.
Third, the author simplifies the subject, but does not over simplify -- at least, not too much.When he does, however, he lets you know.
Fourth, although he finally disagrees with the gnostic perspective, his evaluation of it is practically undetectable until the end.That is, it reads very impartially.He is even sympathetic with the gnostic ideology at times.
Fifth, the reader comes away with some interaction with primary sources.While there are no lengthy quotations here (after all, it's just an introductory book), Roukema offers commentary on specific texts he feels are representative of certain communities.
Sixth, there are recommendations for further reading, which puts the icing on this lovely cupcake of a book.
... Read more

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THIS 66 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Gnostics and their Remains Ancient and Mediaeval, by C. W. King. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766103811. ... Read more

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THIS 22 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Rosicrucians: Their Rites and Mysteries, by Hargrave Jennings. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 1564591182. ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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Twenty-two centuries ago in Alexandria, a sect of philosopher-poets fashioned a myth the strands of which weave through Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Greek philosophy, and inspired the legends of the Holy Grail. Long banished to the realm of notorious heresy, the myths of the Gnostics took root in the fertile imagination of the nineteenth century's artistic movements and esoteric circles, bearing fruit in the daily spiritual practice of thousands today. In 1945, a library of Gnostic writings surfaced form the Egyptian desert, allowing the movement--after 1500 years of propaganda and slander--to speak with its own voice. Rich in imagery, nostalgic in tone, Gnosticism quietly restores Wisdom to her place as a Goddess in Western religion, reveres Eve as the first saint, and acknowledges Mary Magdelene as foremost of the Apostles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

fake gnosticism
According to Jordan's definition of gnosticis..There is no esoteric information in this book at all, its just the same old christian/catholic views of reality with the stamp of gnosticism.Personally I would have to recommend reading
the Nagg-Hammadi library to find gnosticism , not some other persons absurd personal opinions.

Living Gnosticism: An Ancient Way of Knowing
An excellent introduction to modern Gnosticism, and how ancient beliefs have been brought into the modern age. It reveals an open belief that embraces knowledge and acceptance.

A Wonderful Introduction
If you want to understand Gnosticism as a contemporary faith, then this is the place to start.

Not a heavy read, but certainly not a "Gnosticism for Dummies" either, this book gives one a great insight in only a few pages.Get this along with Stephan Hoeller's Gnosticism: New Light on the Ancient Tradition of Inner Knowing first, then follow it with Kurt Rudolph's Gnosis: The Nature And History of Gnosticism, all the books by Elaine Pagels, and the Gnostic Bible and/or the Nag Hammadi Library, and you will be well-versed in Gnostic thought.

Practical Gnosticism
While there are quite a few books out there on Gnosticism, there are not many that actually help one practice the Gnostic path.If you're looking for such a book, look no further.Msgr. Stratford has put together a fine book covering many of the basics of Gnosticism.There is just enough theory so that you can orient yourself, a very interesting question & answer chapter, mention of several Gnostic churches, &, of course, ways to start on the path.I wish that I had found this book when it first came out, as I have read several books on the theory of Gnosticism, but it was quite difficult to put some kind of practice together.This book would have made it so much easier.

A Subgenius on the Supreme Court
I've been a gnostic since before I was born.But, like Discordianism and the Church of the Subgenius, the only way to participate in "Gnosticism" is to wear the t-shirt everyday and hope that some other hipster "gets it."Of course, I've always held out hope that I might be discovered by some illuminatus and "tapped" into an esoteric order, but if they're out there they haven't found me.Until I found this book, Gnosticism seemed little more than a Google Group or a table at the ComicCon - an exciting idea for teenage boys, but not a cultural institution.

Jordan Stratford's "living" Gnosticism is different.This isn't a role-playing game or the Society for Creative Anachronism.It's a vibrant, substantial, morally-serious and historically-pedigreed church.Most interestingly, Stratford's Gnosticism is not an esoteric movement.While mystery is still an essential component of Gnosticism, the aggressive secrecy associated with historical Gnosticism was a defense mechanism, not an article of faith.(See e.g. Persecution and the Art of Writing) Without the threat of the stake, there's no need for secret handshakes.

Stratford's revolutionary notion is that, in a free society, Gnosticism can be a popular religious movement.But why, the free-thinker asks, is this necessary?"Why," as Stratford puts it, "so CHURCHY?"Well, it's easy to be a wise man on a mountain, but much harder to be a tantric illuminist in suburbia.If you have kids, you'll quickly discover that there is no Discordian preschool.There are no Subgenius soup kitchens.The organized religions compete for souls with tax-exempt enthusiasm and it can be all-too-convenient to let them win (especially when you need a babysitter).Ours are "moral values" and "family values" and only a mature and serious institution can sustain them.The Freemasons once carried this torch, but today Sophia is defenseless.Without a society to propogate the faith in reason, the world stays the same.

I am excited about this book and by Stratford's...um..."ministry."(I feel like Horselover Fat in Valis, but without the paranoia.)I'm eager to see what an organized and exoteric gnostic church can do in and for this world.I look forward to the day when gnostics refer business to one another at baptisms and confirmations, when there are mutual aid societies and charities and parochial schools and universities.In a year when a Mormon was a serious presidential contender, is it unreasonable to look forward to a Subgenius on the Supreme Court? ... Read more

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In this book an attempt is made to single out those elements inthe philosophical system of the Enneads that stand apart from thePlatonist tradition. On the basis of an extensive analysis offundamental texts the author shows that what Plotinus had in mind wasa quite independent paradigm of metaphysical theology, with at itscentre the human person. ... Read more