What are the basic beliefs of Gnosticism?

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.

What did the Gnostics believe about Jesus?

Jesus is identified by some Gnostics as an embodiment of the supreme being who became incarnate to bring gnōsis to the earth, while others adamantly denied that the supreme being came in the flesh, claiming Jesus to be merely a human who attained enlightenment through gnosis and taught his disciples to do the same.

Who ended Gnosticism?

Irenaeus. One of the Church’s first systematic theologians, Irenaeus is considered one of the most influential early Christian thinkers.

Who was the founder of Gnosticism?

The designation gnosticism is a term of modern scholarship. It was first used by the English poet and philosopher of religion Henry More (1614–87), who applied it to the religious groups referred to in ancient sources as gnostikoi (Greek: “those who have gnosis, or ‘knowledge’ ”).

Who are Gnostics today?

Mandeans
Mandeans are the only surviving traditional Gnostics, with no more than 20,000 adherents living in southern Iraq and south-western Iran.

What is the error of Gnosticism?

According to the Gnostics, this world, the material cosmos, is the result of a primordial error on the part of a supra-cosmic, supremely divine being, usually called Sophia (Wisdom) or simply the Logos.

Are there any Gnostic churches?

A number of ecclesiastical bodies that identify as Gnostic have set up or re-founded since World War II as well, including the Ecclesia Gnostica, Johannite Church, Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the Thomasine Church (not to be confused with the St.

Is there a Gnostic Bible?

The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition: Barnstone, Willis, Meyer, Marvin: 8601405856005: Books.