TH A prevalent heresy in the early centuries of the Christian era. Gnosticism was a complex philosophical system which held that God was ineffable and pure. Matter, on the other hand, was corrupt and evil. The God of Gnosticism could not interact directly with His creation, but only indirectly though a series of emanations. In Christian Gnosticism, the Son was the highest emanation of the Father. Gnosticism also entailed the belief of "secret" knowledge ( gnosis = Greek: knowledge), which, if obtained, could free mortals from the corrupt and evil physical world and lead them into the divine reality.
From the Greek word for knowledge (gnosis) and refers to the belief that we are saved by special knowledge rather that by the grace of God. Many gnostic cults existed in the history of the early Christian church.
Gnosticism is from the Greek [ gnosis], meaning knowing or knowledge, and implies a esoteric knowledge of higher things. It is not a system, but more a school of thought, or philosophical ideas which are generally related to mystery religions. In first 3 centuries A.D., many different groups believed men (Gnostics) were saved through this transcendental higher knowledge, which came not through God, but through self awareness and understanding. Basically, salvation by knowledge. [ back
From the Greek gnosis, knowledge, or gnostikos, having knowledge -- a belief system derived from a combination of Greek philosophy, Oriental mysticism, and Christianity, which stresses salvation through knowledge; positive, intuitive knowledge in spiritual matters.
From the Greek gnosis. A philosophical and religious doctrine born before our Christian era that suggested the possibility of a superior and esoteric knowledge of the mysteries of God, man, and the world through revelation. Gnostics constitute a powerful current of thinking and include certain branches of primitive Christianity that refuted the reality of the incarnation of Jesus.
Views the material creation as being evil, including flesh. Belief in secret knowledge. Tries to separate the man Jesus with the Christ, since the man Jesus was flesh.
A dualistic belief system rooted in Platonic philosophy which attempted to co-opt the story and person of Jesus Christ into its categories.
The doctrines of certain pre-Christian pagan, Jewish, and early Christian sects that valued the revealed knowledge of God and of the origin and end of the human race as a means to attain redemption for the spiritual element in humans and that distinguished the Demiurge from the unknowable Divine Being.
late first century A.D. religious movement characterized by the belief that one is saved through illumination, i.e. being initiated into secret knowledge ( gnosis) known only to members of the sect
the word was created by modern scholors to refer to the sects of the Late Antiquities that shared a similar cosmology and soteriology. More recently the definition has been widened in some circles to mean any form of mysticism or esotericism. However, this has largely happened as a result of ignorance as to the technical purpose of the term.
From the Greek word gnosis meaning 'knowledge', applied to a religious and philosophical movement that influenced the Mediterranean world from the first century BC until the third century AD.
a religious orientation advocating gnosis as the way to release a person's spiritual element; considered heresy by Christian churches
a legitimate religious belief
A philosophical and religious system (1st to 6th century) teaching that knowledge rather than faith was the key to salvation
the belief that salvation is based on one's knowledge of his or her divinity.
A widely held philosophy during the time of the early church. The name is derived from the Greek word gnosis meaning knowledge. Though religiously independent of Judeo-Christian thought, it often incorporated certain biblical teachings and raised its influence among early Christians. It is classified as a mystery religion because it laid emphasis on secret or esoteric revelations.
A term covering a wide range of religious thought in the first few centuries after Christ. It originated in paganism, but adopted many Christian elements, and became a major threat to Christianity. In general, Gnosticism held that spirit is good, matter is evil, salvation consists in deliverance of the spirit from matter, and salvation is achieved by means of a secret or higher knowledge (Greek, gnosis). Gnosticism as applied to the Godhead and to Christology held the following: The Supreme God was transcendent and unapproachable, but from Him came a series of progressively more inferior emanations (called aeons). The lowest of these aeons was Jehovah. Christ is one of the highest aeons. Since all matter is evil, Christ was a spirit being only and had only an apparent body (the doctrine of Docetism). Or, some taught that Christ was a spirit being temporarily associated with a man Jesus who died (the doctrine of Cerinthianism). These Gnostic views on the Godhead were opposed by John in his writings and by Paul in Colossians.
noo sis ism) is from Gnosis, meaning mystical knowledge. Some sources would say it pertains to Esoteric knowledge, which is knowledge and meanings kept to a group's most innermost circle, that is its most secret and greatest knowledge. As used today, it is often that combination of knowledge gleaned from such sources as early Christianity, Greek philosophy, Egyptian Magicks and Qabalah.
The term (from the Greek gnosis, "knowledge") refers to a loosely defined group of religious sects which flourished near the beginning of the Christian era. They were called gnostics because they consistently understood salvation as a deliverance from the material world and held that salvation came through knowledge of "otherworldly things." This knowledge was usually secret.
A very complex ancient heresy that was manifested in many different forms and beliefs. The Gnostics taught that Christ had imparted secret knowledge "gnosis," to a select few, who in turn transmitted hidden truths to an elite. Central to Gnosticism is the denial of the goodness of matter, leading to a denial of the reality of the Incarnation of the Son of God and of His bodily Resurrection. Several schools of Gnosticism taught that salvation consisted of liberation from the physical body and of growth to a higher, non-physical, spiritual level of existence. Orthodoxy has always rejected Gnosticism, teaching that the world and man were created good and will be redeemed by Christ and transformed at the end of this age (Gen. 1:1-31; Rom. 8:1922; I Cor. 15:35-55; Rev. 21:1).
From the Greek gnosis (knowledge). A diversity of pre-Christian and early-Christian beliefs. A central tenet is the corruption of the physical world, and the ability of some to transcend it through acquisition of esoteric spiritual knowledge.
from gnosis, 'knowledge' but especially referring to a secret or esoteric knowledge of God. Shortly after the New Testament books and epistles were written and distributed, particularly in Alexandria, they became mixed with legends, doctrines from other religions, eastern mysticism, fables and myth. Non-canonical books such as the "Gospel of Mary Magdalen", the "Gospel of Thomas", the Shepherd of Hermes, and others were included. These 'gnostic' gospels spread almost parallel to the Gospel from Antioch and Jerusalem, infusing confusion in doctrinal positions. An eminent belief
From the Greek for knowledge, any one of a number of dualistic ideologies popular particularly in mid- to late-antiquity that espoused a path of spiritual ascent through the secret, complex structures of the cosmos and away from the evil material world. (see Gnosticism: Resources for Study).
Gnosis = knowledge] A speculative philosophy with a dualistic view of the superiority of the mind /spirit, as distinct from the inferior material realm. Such matters could only be understood by special revelation (gnosis).
A tradition going back to the second century which holds that salvation comes through intuitive "gnosis" or knowledge of one's supposed divinity.
Gnosticism (from Greek gnosis, knowledge) is a term created by modern scholars to describe a diverse religious movement often associated with Christianity, although textual evidence for the movement contains distinctly non- and anti-Christian elements, as well as anti-Judaic elements. These beliefs had largely syncretistic origins in that they were often based on various influences from such idea systems.