Gnosticism is the belief that human beings contain a piece of God (the highest good or a divine spark) within themselves, which has fallen from the immaterial world into the bodies of humans. All physical matter is subject to decay, rotting, and death. Those bodies and the material world, created by an inferior being, are therefore evil. Trapped in the material world, but ignorant of its status, the pieces of God require knowledge (gnosis) to inform them of their true status. That knowledge must come from outside the material world, and the agent who brings it is the savior or redeemer.
The Nag Hammadi library was discovered in 1945, and contained 13 book of a collection of 50 texts. Including the Gnostic Gospels. It is a primary source for what we understand about Gnosticism today.
Another important library found in southern Egypt on Elephantine Island contained many thousands of documents covering a wide range of beliefs from 4000 years ago. Among those beliefs was Gnosticism.
There are few Practicing Gnostics today, most are religionists that don’t realize the guru they follow is teaching Gnosticism. Some are non-Christians that use some of the tenants of Gnosticism to confound Catholic and Protectant false beliefs. Others are sincere seekers of the TRUE TRUTH and can see to good questions of the Gnostics and the non-scriptural answers of Church-Goers.
Gnosticism gained great popularity in 2007 from a movie called “Zeitgeist”. It was produced by the Jewish Activist, Peter Joseph; who is anti-Christ with every fiber of his being. The movie was deliberately filled with false information, whom Peter said he meant the movie more for a gag, that it was only a joke, he didn’t realize people would actually believe it. The movie has long since been debunked by a plethora of content creators and we know the claims have no truth in reality, yet millions of people still believe it!
For the sincere seeker of Truth: What did the early Church believe?
Sometimes listening to a debate between experts in their field can be enlightening. Because they can answer questions in real-time.
