Contents

Top Ten Interesting Facts You'll Learn about the Gnostics

Introduction

Early Christianity in Conflict

Radical Primitive Christianity

Influences of Other Cultures Palestinian Jews

A Plethora of Ideas

The Practices Christians

Differing Interpretations of Jesus' Teachings

Who Were the Gnostics?

Roots of Gnosticism

Plato's Influence

The Book

Sethian Mythology

Tenets of Gnosticism

Rites of Gnosticism

Gnostic Sacramental Rituals

Christians Became Heretics

How the Canonical Christian Texts Were Chosen

Gnostic Beliefs in Scripture

Three Views of Salvation: Jewish Christian, Pauline Christian

A Call for Unity

in a Gospel?

The Gospels Fight It Out

The Council

Establishment of the Canon

Who Were the Authors of the Gnostic Gospels?

Gnostic View of Gender Equality

Who Wrote the Gospels?

Differences Between the Gnostic and the Canonical Gospels

Detractors, Redactors, and Scribes

Textual Inferiority or Just a Different Lens?

Jesus in the Canon and in Gnostic Belief

Gnostic Versus Christian Orthodox Views

Diversity and Intolerance

Compilations from Oral Traditions

Defining Heresy Within Christianity

The Canonical Standard

Polemics Against Gnosticism

God's Special Revelation or

The Divine Feminine Ideal

Sophia, the Spirit of Wisdom

Sophia's Fall

Salvation Gnosis

Sophia in the Secret Book of John

Message of Hope

The Pistis Sophia

The Role of Women in Gnosticism

A Challenge to the Patriarchy

Jesus' Teaching on Gender

Mary Magdalene as Sophia

Mary Magdalene Counterpart to Jesus

Female Officeholders and Bishops

Paul's Revelations about Early Christian Women

Legacy Magdalene

Four Gnostic Schools of Thought

Different Sects Appear

Syrian Discipline

Greek

The Dualistic Discipline

The Antinomian Discipline

Consequences of Heresy

Challenge to Church Doctrine

The Church Deals Heretics

Destruction of Writings by Fire and Water

Excommunication

The Tragic Fate of the Cathars

Crusades and Inquisition

The Nag Hammadi Treasures

Strange Story of Discovery

The Contents of an Ancient Jar

Translation from the Greek into Coptic

Why Bury the Texts in a Jar?

The Obscure Texts Scrutinized

New Source Material for Scholars

The Gospel of Mary

No Complete Copy

Mary's Special Revelation

Importance of Mary's Secret Vision

Why Peter Disbelieves

Bullying

Articulating Jesus' Ideas and Words

Status of Mary

The Gospel of Thomas

Wisdom Interpretation of Jesus' Sayings

Myriad Literary

Who Was the Source for the Gospel of Thomas?

Didymos Judas Thomas Jesus' Twin?

The Gospel's Parallels New Testament

Jesus Responds to Peter

Making Male

The Gospel of Philip

What Is Found in This Gospel?

Who Was Valentinus?

Shades of Valentinian Ideas

Revealing Statements

Ado about a Kiss

Was Jesus Married to Mary Magdalene?

Handbook of Gnostic Sacramental Rites?

The Gospel of the Egyptians

The Unknowable Divine Being

Divine Characteristics

Seals and Gnostic Rituals

Gnosis Through Baptism

Incantations, Gnostic Ritual, and Censure

The Gospel of Judas

A Divergent View of Jesus' Betrayer

Jesus Reveals Wisdom, Makes a Request

Sethian Gnostic Teaching

What Jesus Saw in the Stars

Gnosis Is the Point

A Brief History of This Gospel

Radical Departure from Orthodox Christianity's Judas

The Gospel of Truth

Could Valentinus Have Written This Text?

Central Ideas Concepts of the Gospel of Truth

Admonitions to Share Knowledge of Salvation

Ptolemy's Letter to Flora

A Sampling of Other Gnostic Literature

The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles

The Secret Book John

The Dialogue of the Savior

Sophia of Jesus

The Apocalypse of Peter

Gnostic Texts and Early Christianity

A Complex, Vibrant Movement

Conflict, Misunderstanding, Rising Tensions

Spreading the Good News

The Variants

The Gnostics Speak Through Their Writings

Orthodoxy's Fear of Gnostic Views

Modern Scholars Examine Ancient Texts

The Original Sacred Documents

Manipulation of the Copies Translations

Why Mary Magdalene Is Missing

Redaction the Gospel of John

Forgeries and Falsifications Exposed

Gnostic Themes and Images in Pop Culture

Gnosticism in Books

Gnostic Elements in Film and Television

Gnostic Influence on Music

Gnostic Imagery in Art Gnostic Games

Gnostic Games

Appendix A: Glossary

Appendix B: Web Site Resources

Appendix C: Text Resources