An analysis of Gnosticism, its characteristics and its effects on the early Church.
Written in 2002; 3,328 words; 4 sources; MLA; $ 95.95
Paper Summary:
This paper examines Gnosticism which was a very real threat to the early Church and one which preoccupied many of the Church fathers. Any understanding of patristics in this period requires an understanding of Gnosticism and it is an understanding of the fundamentals which this essay seeks to provide. The paper discusses the extent to which it was a real threat to orthodoxy and the general trends of thought that brought it about.
From the Paper:
"It is important not to suggest that Gnosticism is a different phenomenon to Christianity in terms of its belief structure or background as this is only partly the case. Many Gnostics who were branded heretics by their main stream Christian counterparts would have considered themselves to be Christians in a true sense despite many notable doctrinal differences between Gnostic and orthodox Christian groups. An examination of the relevant aspects reveals that Gnosticism was fundamentally a school of thought which affected an enormous group of beliefs at the time and was relevant to positions such as neo-Platonism and possibly even Judaism as well as Christianity. Gnosticism seemingly tended to attach itself to these other structures of belief and make partial use of their mythologies. Ultimately, then, Gnosticism is not the name of a coherent alternative to Christianity. It is rather more the name of a school of thought which was a product of the time and manifested itself in various other belief structures not even limited to religion. That said, however, there are two reasons why it might be considered specifically an alternative to Christianity. The first is that its doctrines do tie in well with the Christian position; so well in fact that many have argued that Christianity was influenced by Gnosticism from the very beginning. Secondly it remains the case that Christian Gnostics would be knowingly ostracising themselves from the mainstream Church and regardless of whether they considered themselves Christians they were not such in accordance with Christianity at the time. In terms of the coherence of Gnosticism it is important to note that a good deal of the coherence of any particular Gnostic position depended on the other belief structures to which it was attached so it was never really possible to be a Gnostic without any engagement with other views. Perhaps the best descriptive phrasing of Gnosticism in reference to Christianity is that it is a potentially valid variant which is at odds with orthodoxy."
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