Gnosticism: Irenaeus and the Cainites

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how the discovery of the Nag Hammadi collection of thirteen ancient codices containing over fifty texts in Egypt in 1945 has changed scholarly understanding of the Gnostics to a great extent. It looks at how this collection includes scriptures such as the "Gospel of Thomas", the "Gospel of Philip", and the "Gospel of Truth". It also discusses how our understanding of the Gnostics has become more refined and how it has become evident to what extent the view of the Cainites and other Gnostic sects presented a substantial threat to the development and uniformity of the early Christian Church and its ideology.

Outline:
A Brief Overview of Gnosticism
The Cainites and Irenaeus
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Fundamental to this dualistic view of religion was the Gnostic assertion that the God who created this world was a secondary and "false" god. In this view there are many secondary gods and it was one of these gods who created earth and who is referred to as the "one" God in the Old Testament. To the Gnostics this God was an inferior God and was intent on preventing humanity from obtaining the true knowledge of the real God and enslaving mankind in ignorance. Much of the Gnostic doctrine is based on this fundamental premise and concerned with ways of escaping the control of the false creator God of this world through true knowledge or Gnosis. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Against Heresies. Chapter XXXI.--Doctrines of the Cainites. June 11, 2007.<http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.ii.xxxii.html>
• Cainites. June 11, 2007. <http://www.answers.com/topic/cainites>
• Irenaeus June 11, 2007. <http://www.answers.com/topic/irenaeus-saint>
• Irenaeus and A Multitude of Gnostics. June 11, 2007. < http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/srirenaeus.htm>
• Shogren G. The Gospel of Judas. June 11, 2007. <http://www.biblical.edu/images/embark/PDFs/Gospel%20of%20Judas.pdf>

More papers on Gnosticism: Irenaeus and the Cainites:

• Book Review # 85801 : "Miss Lonelyhearts" and "The Day of the Locust" "
• Book Review # 96484 : "The Cross and the Crescent"--A Review"
• Analytical Essay # 73429 : "The Cheese And The Worms"

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