The Gnostic World (Routledge Worlds)

Description

The Gnostic World is an outstanding guide to Gnosticism, written by a distinguished international team of experts to explore Gnostic movements from the distant past until today. These themes are examined across sixty-seven chapters in a variety of contexts, from the ancient pre-Christian to the contemporary. The volume considers the intersection of Gnosticism with Jewish, Christian, Islamic and Indic practices and beliefs, and also with new religious movements, such as Theosophy, Scientology, Western Sufism, and the Nation of Islam. This comprehensive handbook will be an invaluable resource for religious studies students, scholars, and researchers of Gnostic doctrine and history. Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of contents List of Figures List of Contributors Introduction Theoretical Chapter 1 Gnosticism, gnostics, and gnosis Introduction From Baur to Rudolph: philosophy of religion, existentialism, and the divine spark Rethinking “Gnosticism” Rethinking the Gnostikoi Sethian and Valentinian literature: Gnostic, Christian, or …? Receptions of Gnostic traditions, I: Mandaeism, Manichaeism, “Islamic Gnosticism,” and Balkan dualisms Receptions of Gnostic traditions, II: “Jewish Gnosticism” and magic Receptions of Gnostic traditions, III: Gnosis falsely so-called Mysticism, esotericism, and neo-Gnosticism References Chapter 2 The Gnostic World: a history of scholarship (until 2000) Beginnings in heresiology Early modern entrées Inventing “the Gnostic world” The great discoveries Reconceptualizations References Chapter 3 Gnostics and temporality: from myth to macrohistory The Gnostic Myth The incipience and emergence of Gnostic macrohistory Modern developments References Ancient Chapter 4 Ancient pre-Christian “Gnosticisms”: the state of the questions Introduction: the state of the questions The problem of the definition of “Gnosticism” The problem of the definition of “pre-Christian” Paraphrase of Shem (NHC VII.1) Revelation (or Apocalypse) of Adam (NHC V.5) Secret Book (or Apocryphon) of John (NHC II.1, III.1, IV.1, BG.2, Irenaeus, Haer. 1.29–31) The question of methodology 1. Reconstructing a past in a quest to simplify the complexities of our extant evidence 2. The creation of texts and communities from ideas 3. Parts for the whole argumentation Conclusion: the question of import and motivation References Chapter 5 The Jewish background to “Gnosticism”: a guide for the perplexed Merkavah mysticism Samaria, Simon Magus, and the Angel of the Lord Philo Judaeus and mystical exegesis Jewish contemplatives and the Hermetica Nag Hammadi Judaica? Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls The Mandaeans Jewish gnosticizing Christians Concluding comments References Chapter 6 Gnostic motifs in the New Testament Coming of a heavenly victor United with the heavenly savior Knowledge of secret teaching Ritual recovery of true humanity References Chapter 7 On ancient “Gnosticism” as a problematic category Introduction: ancient ambiguity Categories “Gnosticism” or “gnosis” as a type “Gnostics” as a single historical group or movement Shelving the category Concluding comments References Chapter 8 Gender issues in the study of ancient Gnosticism References Chapter 9 The Gnostics in early Christian heresiology Irenaeus of Lyons Tertullian of Carthage Hippolytus Clement of Alexandria Epiphanius of Salamis Afterword References Chapter 10 Genres of Gnostic literature and the “classical Gnostic” school of thought Genres of Gnostic scripture 1. Religio-philosophical epistles 2. Revelation dialogues 3. Revelation monologues The “classical Gnostic” school of thought (hairesis) References Chapter 11 Sethian Gnostic speculation Sethian Gnostic literature and patristic testimonies The figure of Seth Sethian speculation on sacred history Sethian speculation on established traditions: Jewish, Christian, and Platonic References Chapter 12 Basilides and the Basilidians References Chapter 13 Valentinus and the Valentinians Doctrine The Father, the Son, and the Pleroma The story of Sophia Creation of the world Creation of the human Descent of the Savior The ritual of Redemption Eschatology Organizational nature Historical context The continuity of Valentinianism References Chapter 14 Is the Gospel of Thomas gnostic? Thomasine images of Jesus Ideological figures of Thomas Female disciples: Salome and Mary Salome Mary of Thomas Conclusion References Chapter 15 The Gospel of Judas and the Tchacos Codex The Letter of Peter to Philip The (First) Apocalypse of James The Gospel of Judas [Allogenes] References Chapter 16 The Mandaeans: writings, ritual, and art References Chapter 17 Hermetism and Gnosticism Gnostic and Hermetic narrative fictions Chronological issues What is meant by “Egyptian sources”? Hermetism and the Bible Gnostics and Hermetists faced with the Old Testament Monistic reintegration and the Hermetic way of immortality References Chapter 18 Plotinus and the Gnostics Introduction Converging points The Platonician exegesis The simplicity and ineffability of the first principle The metaphysic of emanation by contemplative mode The concept of integral emanation The theory of the three kinds of men The doctrine of the salvation Diverging points The continuity/discontinuity of the intelligible procession The eternity and necessity of the emanation process The limitation versus multiplication of metaphysic levels The partial non-descent of the individual soul The practice of virtues A philosophical and argumentative discourse (literary genre) Conclusion: the peculiar aspect of the polemic References Chapter 19 Gnostic elements in ancient magical papyri References Chapter 20 Mani’s life References Chapter 21 The Manichaean path to salvation Manichaean mythology, cosmology, and anthropology The Manichaean soul The human individual in its congenital condition and its reform Personal and cosmic eschatology Conclusions References Chapter 22 Insight and means in Chinese Manichaean texts The Light-Nous, insight, and means The Elect, insight, and means Insight and liberation References Chapter 23 From “Zurvanism” to Mazdak Zurvanite Gnosis? Mazdak’s Gnosis References Chapter 24 Christian gnosis: from Clement the Alexandrian to John Damascene Clement the Alexandrian Athanasius of Alexandria The Cappadocians Evagrius Ponticus Maximus the Confessor John Damascene References Chapter 25 Gnostic vicissitudes in late antiquity Competing parties Two substantial late antique texts: Pistis Sophia and Zostrianos Later developments References Chapter 26 Jñana: Gnostic tendencies in early Hinduism and Buddhism Definitions Upanis ads The Mahabharata Buddhism Institutional Conclusion References Chapter 27 The discourse of truth in Chinese Tiantai Buddhism: “gnosis beyond gnosis” Zhiyi’s discourse of truth Zhiyi’s system of elaborating truth in its six categories 1. The Ten Suchnesses 2. The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination 3. The Four Noble Truths 4. The Two Truths 5. The Threefold Truth 6. One Truth Six groups of correlation among various categories of truth References Medieval Chapter 28 Questions of Gnostic influence on early Islam The Qur’an and Gnostic currents Traces of Gnostic currents in the world of early Islam Gnostic currents and early sectarianism in Islam Concluding remarks References Chapter 29 An agenda for the study of early Shi i cosmologies The historical setting and the sources The Hadith corpus The Ghulat corpus References Chapter 30 Classic Sufism and gnosis Introduction Comparisons with Gnostic sectarians Early developments in Sufi gnoseology Sufi gnoseology and Islamic scripture Conclusion References Chapter 31 Ismailism and gnosis References Chapter 32 Druze gnosis and the mystery of time References Chapter 33 Gnostic elements in Yezidism Gnostic aspects in the perception of the Xwade – the one god Gnostic roots of Malak-Tawus Gnostic elements in the characters of Yezidi deities Other Gnostic filaments The legend of Yezidi origins Snake Pearl Derogated characteristics and stigmas References Chapter 34 Gnosticism and Kabbalah Salvific knowledge Hypostases and pleroma The demiurge The origin of evil Primordial drama Other possible connections References Chapter 35 Bogomils and Cathars The Bogomils In Bulgaria In Byzantium In Bosnia Cathars In the south of France References Chapter 36 Alchemy and gnosis from antiquity to early modern times: “as above so below” Antiquity Developments from medieval into modern times: a summary References Modern: West, East, and Current Issues Europe and the West Chapter 37 “Gnosis” as term and concept in the esoteric movements of the modern West: an attempt... The tentative appearance of “gnosis” in a positive sense in the context of esoteric movements of the modern West “Gnosis” in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in esoteric and neo-esoteric literature The presence and absence of esotericism in academic constructions of a “Gnosis” in the twentieth and... References Chapter 38 Byzantine and modern Orthodox gnosis: from the eleventh to the twenty-first century Monks, mystics, and intellectuals: the eleventh century Scholars and hesychasts: the fourteenth century The Philokalia: the rebirth of Orthodoxy The modern Orthodox quest for gnosis References Chapter 39 Pansophia, Christian Kabbalism, and the quest for universal knowledge in the early modern West References Chapter 40 Freemasonry: gnostic images Protestant and imperial connections Degrees, rites, and their histories: Gnostic touches Three gnosticizing Masonic thinkers References Chapter 41 British Romanticism: gnostic longings Isolation Insight Insubordination References Chapter 42 William Blake, the ancient Gnostics, and the birth of modern Gnosticism References Chapter 43 Gnosis and the “French Occult Revival” and its offshoots Three Parisian centers Stanislas de Guaita Joséphin Péladan A Parisian Gnostic church References Chapter 44 The “Lost Word” key and esoteric eschatology: Blavatsky’s Gnosis the core of Krishnamurti’s teaching The “Lost Word” key The secret Instructions Transmission; redaction; imagination; consummation Post-Society: breathless attention References Chapter 45 The philosophy of Guido von List (1848–1919): connecting Gnosticism to Nazism Developing the ancient-gnosis of Ariosophy Applying the Ur-gnosis and Ariosophy Gnosticism and Nazi speculations References Chapter 46 Rudolf Steiner: multiple bodies References Chapter 47 Gnostic sensibility in Gurdjieff’s “Work” Introduction Biography Overview of the Gurdjieff Work and gnosis The plight of humanity – ignorance and illusion Humanity’s place in the cosmos Work for consciousness The teaching The human condition Conscience and evolution Cosmology Aspects of the Work Movements and dances Music and the study of ideas Practical work and work in life Conclusion: the gnostic motive References Chapter 48 Western Sufism and gnosis Gnosis as marifa Gnosis as system Early Western Sufism and gnosis Postwar Western Sufism and gnosis Later Western Sufism and gnosis Conclusion References Chapter 49 Gnosis: a perennialist perspective Perennialism Gnosis: divine wisdom Metaphysics: the science of the real Conclusions References Chapter 50 Carl Jung on Gnosticism References Chapter 51 Elevating the family in the Nation of Islam: discerning the “gnostic factor” The Social Commission of Wallace Fard and Elijah Muhammad Black Islam’s attitudes to social work and family reconstruction Under Farrakhan: the two sexes, patriarchalism, and the welfare of minors References The East (and Beyond) Chapter 52 Inner tradition: recovering the Christianity of the East The bifurcation of Christianity The wisdom and praxis of Yeshua The forms of alpha and beta Christianity Esoterism and the inner tradition A summary review of current understanding The visionary topography of the oriental tradition The imaginal realm Bibliography Chapter 53 Gnosis in Babism and gnostic signs in Babi talismans References Chapter 54 Ayatollah Khomeini’s gnoseology and its impact on his political worldview The Shi‘a and mystical Islam Khomeini as emergent gnoseologist Khomeini, gnoseology, and gvernment References Chapter 55 Syncretistic Sufi Gnosticism in South and South East Asia Sources of information Islam’s spread in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines East Bengal Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines Current tensions and complexities References Chapter 56 Aurobindo and supermind Aurobindo’s life and thought with reference to “Gnosis” and “Gnosticism” Supermind, vijñana, gnosis Parallels between historical Gnosticism and Aurobindo’s teachings References Chapter 57 Of Gnosis in tribal and “primal” cultures References Current Chapter 58 The neo-Gnostic synthesis of Samael Aun Weor Introduction Master Samael Biography Core teachings Exoteric teachings Death and the Doctrine of the Many Sacrifice for humanity Rebirth – sexual magic Conclusion References Chapter 59 Scientology and Gnosticism: L. Ron Hubbard’s “The Factors” (1953) “The Factors” (1953): “before the beginning was a cause” Scientology as self-knowledge References Chapter 60 Gnostic and esoteric filaments in popular culture Introduction The secret knowledge in popular culture When reality becomes blurred: the hyper-real phenomenon Conclusions References Chapter 61 Feminist gnosis and modern gender issues Gnosis and contemporary feminist theory Queer gnosis Conclusion References Chapter 62 Modern psychedelic gnosis Introduction Ineffable experience and dualism Anaesthetic revelation Cleansing the doors of perception Nonordinary reality Psychedelic gnosis and human origins Conclusion References Chapter 63 Exposing Gnosticism Exposing Gnoticism Exposing popular culture Conclusion References Chapter 64 Gnostic fiction Introduction Fiction utilizing Gnostic motifs Fiction as Gnostic awakening Speculative fiction and Gnosticism Conclusion References Chapter 65 Cinema: evil demiurges in Hollywood films at the threshold of the twenty-first century Demonization of Yaldabaoth Strategies for keeping people in a state of ignorance Flood Ignorance, blindness, foolishness Evil demiurge in Hollywood Conclusion References Chapter 66 Music and Gnosis References Chapter Sixty-seven Aesthetics and visual art Aesthetic dimensions Visual art Conclusion: Gnostic traces Note References Index