Gnosticism and SelfKnowledge

Hale OHerren

Thesis

The philosophy and practice of Gnosticism is based on a personal understanding of God.

History

Until very recently there were not many original writings from the Gnostics Considered heretical by Orthodox Christians

What was know was anti-Gnostic writings

Hyppolytus and Ireneus

Nag Hammadi Discovery

Majority Gnostic writings

Gnosis

Gnosis is the Greek word for knowledge

Gnostic- practices leading to knowledge

Esoteric knowledge of the self

Based on experience not faith

Teaching reserved only for the most earnest

Gospel of Thomas

Hidden meaning within text 114 mystical sayings of Jesus

Self-Knowledge

Enlightenment, Vision of God Realization of the self within Beyond perception

Experienced as union with all Mind and Thought

Realized by few but possible by all

Hard to convey and usually leads to confusion Use of parables

This knowledge brings salvation from material world

Quotes

3 Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is within you and it is outside you. 14 Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits. That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will destroy you.

Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there.

Problems this brings

Taught to look within

Ignore religious leaders

Experiential knowledge versus faith Gospel of Thomas

Attacks within the parables

The person is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found one very fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish without any difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear let them hear. Jesus said to them I am not your leader. Because you are drinking, you have become drunk from the bubbling spring I have measured out.

Sources

Barnstone, Willis, and Marvin W. Meyer. The Gnostic Bible. Boston: Shambhala, 2009. Print. Abhaynandasarasvat. History of Mysticism: the Unchanging Testament. London: Watkins, 2002. Print. Layton, Bentley. The Gnostic Scriptures: a New Translation with Annotations and Introductions. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1987. Print.

"Were the Gnostics the Original Christians? : Part Three Enlightenment." A Witness to YAHWEH ... Index. Web. 04 Dec. 2011. <http://www.awitness.org/journal/gnostic_enlightenment.html>.