What Is Christian Gnosticism? (History, Tenets, Legacy)

The word “Gnostic” comes from the Greek word gnōsis, meaning knowledge. In a nutshell, Gnosticism refers to the knowledge of spiritual truths. However, modern scholars have struggled to agree on a single definition of Gnosticism, as it has taken on different meanings across various religions, cultures, and fields of study.

Gnosticism has been linked to Sufism, Judaism, Buddhism, New Age Religions, nihilism, philosophy, and psychology, just to name a few examples. For this article, the term Gnosticism will refer to Christian Gnosticism. It is also important to note that Gnosticism cannot be defined as a single religion or philosophy with a rigid belief system, but encompasses a wide variety of beliefs.

In the first few centuries after the crucifixion of Jesus, there were countless disputes over basic issues such as the meaning of his teachings, the moral way to live, the nature of his divinity, and many more. There was no New Testament, Nicene Creed, or structured church hierarchy to look to for answers. This was also the era in which Christian Gnosticism got its start.

Gnosticism was later considered heretical, as many Gnostic texts tried to directly change or counter what was known about Jesus and his teachings in the scriptures that were circulated at the time. In the second century, when Gnosticism flourished, early church leaders strongly condemned any Gnostic teachings and ordered that Gnostic scriptures be destroyed.

This effort to erase any Gnostic texts proved to be successful. For centuries many Gnostic texts were considered lost, along with any knowledge of what Gnostics during those first few centuries believed, the role of women in Gnosticism, and Gnostic rituals and practices.

That was the case until the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Library, one of the biggest resources for Christian Gnosticism. First discovered by Muhammad ‘Ali al-Sammān in 1945, near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi, the library consists of leather-bound Coptic texts that are Gnostic in nature.

Some of these texts include the Gnostic Gospels such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Apocalypse of Adam, and the Gospel of Truth. Some ascribe the ownership of these texts to the nearby Pachomian monastery, while others contest that it was owned by a private individual or individuals. These texts shed light on what early Gnostics believed and the role of women in their community. The Nag Hammadi texts place women in roles of leadership and heroism, contrary to what was previously believed.

At the core of Gnostic belief is a very powerful dualism between the material world and the spiritual nature of things. The material world is shunned in favor of the spiritual order. This stems from the belief that the created world was made by a lesser, malevolent god, the demiurge.

In some cases, the demiurge is ignorant of the superior god, and in others he is directly opposed to the superior god. The latter is what makes the demiurge evil. Sophia (Greek for wisdom), the essence of the world soul and the final emanation of God, is believed to have birthed the demiurge. In patriarchal retellings of this myth, Sophia birthed the demiurge out of disobedience and disrespect for the true order of the spiritual world.

Out of this belief that a malevolent god created the world flowed a strong feeling of disdain for everything physical. The world is seen as crude and imperfect, and in some cases, evil. Truth and enlightenment can only be found beyond this world, in the spiritual. In this sense, the material world is seen as lying to mankind, as there is no knowledge to be gained from it.

In Christian Gnosticism, Jesus is not seen as the son of God who came to earth to free us from sin, but rather as a divine being who came to lead mankind back to our divine nature. Whether he came as a human, or as a pure divinity in his original form was debated among Gnostics, as some believed that divinity could never inhabit a crude human body. Jesus was a revealer of truth who brought gnōsis to earth, rather than the path to salvation.

Then what is the path to salvation in Gnosticism? Gnostics believe that through asceticism a deeper spiritual enlightenment or salvation can be obtained. This makes sense as our bodies form part of the material world, which is seen as lesser. Therefore, practices such as fasting and abstinence (denying any of our physical needs) are seen as good work and pave the way to truth.

The path to salvation therefore lies within each person, and not externally through Jesus. Knowing the path to salvation forms part of the secret knowledge that Gnostics believe they have. This secret knowledge also prevents Gnostics from evangelizing, as the secret knowledge has to stay… secret. Some moderate Gnostics were also less concerned with external “correct” behavior, and more concerned with internal motivation. Rituals did not serve a purpose unless they were based on internal motivation.

The only Gnostic religion that has survived since antiquity can be found among the Mandaeans, an ethnoreligious group from Iraq. They believe that John the Baptist was the last true prophet, and they are some of the earliest practitioners of baptism. They also have some Gnostic principles, such as the belief that they are the protectors or possessors of secret rites and knowledge. Unfortunately, due to Islamic extremism and the resulting intolerance, a majority of the Mandeans now live abroad in countries like Sweden, Australia, and the USA.

The discovery of the Nag Hammadi texts in 1945 also encouraged the revival of Gnostic churches in France, which have been steadily increasing since the late 19th century. The Église Gnostique de France (Gnostic Church of France) was the first neo-Gnostic church founded in modern times (1890). It survived through various iterations and is still active today under a different name, Église Gnostique Apostolique (Gnostic Apostolic Church).

Moreover, Gnosticism has had a great influence on many prominent thinkers, such as Carl Jung, and has influenced several New Age Religions as well.

Carl Jung had a vested interest in Gnosticism and sought to explain it from a psychological perspective. He didn’t view the imagery of Gnosticism as myths but rather as a record of inner experience and knowledge. Another prominent figure, L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology was undoubtedly influenced by Gnosticism as well, seen in his principles of self-knowledge and knowledge of the “truth.”

Other groups such as those who practice sex magic also sometimes lay claim to the term “Gnostic.” However, while there is sexual symbolism in various Gnostic texts, there is no evidence to suggest that ancient Gnostics practiced sex rituals.

Gnosticism and the term “Gnostic” still hold weight in modern times, and it is an ever-expanding field of study.