Gnostic Morality Revisited

Description

The early Christian texts discussed in this book are often treated as "gnostic" ones. The studies by Ismo Dunderberg collected here, however, approach them as witnesses to the views of educated second-century Christians engaged in dialogue with philosophical traditions. Following the idea that ancient philosophical schools first and foremost provided their adherents with a way of life, the author explores issues related to morality and lifestyle in non-canonical gospels and among groups that were gradually denounced as heretical in the church. Prominent themes he deals with in this book include the soul's progress from material concerns to a life dominated by spirit, the control of emotions (such as desire, anger and grief), the avoidance of luxury, the ideal "perfect human" as a tool in moral instruction, classifications of humankind into distinct groups based upon their moral advancement, and Christian debates about the value of martyrdom. In addition Dunderberg offers a critical review of some recent trends and attitudes towards New Testament scholarship, especially those in which the non-canonical texts discussed in this book are either ignored or deemed as irrelevant, irrational, and sometimes even dangerous. Cover Acknowledgements Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Moral Progress in Early Christian Stories of the Soul 1. Philosophical Antecedents 2. Authoritative Discourse (NHC VI, 3) 3. The Exegesis on the Soul (NHC II, 6) 4. The Secret Book of John (NHC II, 1) 5. Two Other Demiurgical Texts in Nag Hammadi Codex II Conclusion Chapter 2: Judas’ Anger and the Perfect Human 1. An Aristotelian View of Anger in the Gospel of Judas? 2. The Perfect Human and “Morality Ladders” in Antiquity 3. The Sethian Perfect Human: The Secret Book of John Conclusion Chapter 3: Early Christian Critics of Martyrdom 1. Insiders and Outsiders 2. “The Gnostics” and Avoidance of Persecution 3. Responses from the Learned: Basilides, Heracleon and Clement 4. The Gospel of Judas Conclusion Chapter 4: Gnostic Interpretations of Genesis 1. Variety of Interpretations 2. Valentinian Interpretations 3. Sethian and Related Texts 4. Radical Rejection of the Hebrew Bible Chapter 5: Johannine Traditions and Apocryphal Gospels 1. Different Approaches to the Canon among Early Christians 2. John and the Gospel of Thomas: The Gospels in Conflict? 3. John and the Gospel of Mary Conclusion Chapter 6: Stoic Traditions in the School of Valentinus 1. Condensation and Dissolution 2. Emotions 3. Moral Progress 4. Blending Conclusion Chapter 7: Valentinian Theories on Classes of Humankind 1. Two Kinds of Christians 2. The Tripartite Division and Ethnic Reasoning 3. Fixed Categories in Heracleon? 4. The Soul’s Double Orientation Conclusion Chapter 8: Paul and Valentinian Morality 1. Paul – More than a Man? 2. Paul in the Fragments of Valentinus 3. The Pneumatikos – Psychikos Language 4. Ptolemaeus: Spiritual Sense is Practical 5. Paul, Myth, and Ethics in the Excerpts from Theodotus 43–65 Conclusion Chapter 9: New Testament Theology and the Challenge of Practice 1. The Challenge of Practice: Three Perspectives 2. What is Theology in New Testament Theology? 3. The “Field” of New Testament Theology: Academic or Ecclesial? 4. What is “Theology” in Pauline Theology? 5. Paul’s Theology of Weakness Conclusion Chapter 10: How Far Can You Go? Jesus, John, the Synoptics and Other Texts 1. Two Johns Behind John’s Gospel? 2. John, Jesus and History 3. Westcott Revisited 4. Dismissal of Non-Canonical Gospels 5. Missing Parallels in Other New Testament Gospels 6. Fisherman’s Friends Conclusion Bibliography Index of Ancient Sources 1. Hebrew Bible and Septuagint 2. Other Jewish Literature 3. New Testament (Present) 4. Nag Hammadi and other Coptic Texts 5. Other Early Christian Literature 6. Greco-Roman Literature Index of Modern Authors