Show M R oJ I f GNOSTICISM l I Ii From combine the elements elements ele- ele i J. J lr an attempt to Ji i ments of Christianity Jewish traditions and Paganism Paganism sprung up tip what was Ir known in the early eaily Church as the Gnostic Gnostic Gnos- Gnos tf tt i tic heresy It began according to some tl u rt r writers as early as the first century in ini inthe WJ i 1 the time of the Apostles and was probably probably I 1 ably a result of the controversy between t St St. Peter and Simon Magus l an account I ts of which is js given in the Book of Acts of t the Apostles i Beginning Bee in the first century it flourished flourished flour- flour to r in in the second was partially sup- sup i i v planted d in the third by other heresies some of its schools were closed in the j fourth and in the sixth it had ceased to i exist s i By the the- early Church it was held hold as a grievous and was one of the hardest hardI hardest hard- hard I est things against which it had to contend for existence By many later writers it was held that y Gnosticism was not a a heresy since its i schools did not come within the teachings O of Christianity at all Of the doctrines taught by Gnosticism there are many opinions Three of the most most- important are First t that hat it was the philosophy philosophy- of religion resulting from comparing the different religious systems second a fusion of Christian ideas with Oriental theosophy caused by sensuousness sensuousness sensuous- sensuous I ness third intense an and exaggerated zeal seeking for foi- foia a practical solution of f the I problems of sin and the malignity of matter I 1 But it taught chiefly the knowledge knowledg of of God and divine things as the name Gnostic Gnostic Gnos- Gnos j Gnos-j tic signifies With them God was a a being distinct and removed from the world and all creation and they shut him up in the abyss with which they confounded confounded con founded him under the name of He was the sum of being yet abstraction and even called Not Being They made him and incomprehensible e to mortal and taught that he he- had infinite development in the forces force which he sends forth but no special providence providence providence that pe he communicates with the the the-j world by by ones of which there were were- representing such virtues as wisdom j truth etc Christ was the chief and was sent forth into the world by Bu- Bu thos himself to subdue the hostile providence providence provi- provi dence of energy and existing matter and ands that the Holy Ghost was another Eon and at the same time the wife and sister sister of Christ 1 1 The the home of the was the fullness of the godhead and from it emanated all f spiritual being i iThe i iThe The creation of the material world was wasI due to a secondary power power the lowest of the s and that in creating creating cre- cre k cre-k man he had by mistake made him like God and above his lis own nature De 1 they held was the J Jehovah o of I Ithe the Israelites and whatever in Judaism Judaism- could not be reconciled to a purely intellectual intellectual intel and morally perfect system argued its origin from an imperfect and secondary secondary secondary second- second ary author Ii 1 Mankind was divided into three classes Divinity the or spiritual inspired by the highest god J striving striving- to attain to him initiated into his his- counsels understanding ing his essence They were the prophets prophets guiding guiding not guided j 3 the possessors of the true knowledge knowledge- Opposed to them were yere the men of the world or Overwhelmed by matter these could not att attain lin to the higher life nor could they be rul ruled d by the law Between these two were the servants of who are free to a certain extent from the world and earthly powers still could not attain to the life of the Corresponding to these classes are First Christianity highest Heathenism lowest and Judaism between them According to Gibbons the Gnostics were divided into over fifty sects of whom the most celebrated appear to have been the the followers of Basilides Basilides Basilides Ba- Ba an Alexandrian who seemed to take most of his doctrine from that of the followers of Valentin us the most formidable and dangerous dangerous dangerous dan dan- of Gnostic teachers the Marcion- Marcion ites followers of Marcion who held that all was cold implacable ble antagonism Each of these sects could boast of its bish bishops ps and congregations of its doctors and martyrs Gnosticism according to Milman in hi his History of Christianity was pure poetry poetry poetry poe poe- try and of Edessa was its poet He wrote hymns that were sung by the Syrian Christians for for about about two centuries Gnosticism spread rapidly and extensively extensively extensively exten exten- covering Asia and Egypt and although it did not gain much foothold in Europe it was established in Rome itself It oppose 1 the doctrine of Christia Christianity ity that all were in a condition to be saved and held that enlightenment was for but few It was a philosophy rather than a religion religion religion re re- ligion and although it had many beautiful ful tenets and appealed to the imagination n of the people of that day it was was was' not popular popular popular pop pop- ular long nor did it have long to live yet in passing away it left behind it an influence influence influence ence that is felt to to this day ED R. R WILLIAMS 11 |