The Gnostic World by Trompf, G.W.,.M.i.k.k.e.l.s.e.n.,. Gunner B.,.J.o.h.n.s.t.o.n.,. Jay,Milani, Milad,BeDuhn, Jason,Nasoraia, Brikha -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Contents List of figures List of contributors Introduction Theoretical

1 Gnosticism, gnostics, and gnosis

Introduction From Baur to Rudolph: philosophy of religion, existentialism, and the divine spark Rethinking “Gnosticism” Rethinking the Gnōstikoi 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

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

3 Gnostics and temporality: from myth to macrohistory

The Gnostic Myth The incipience and emergence of Gnostic macrohistory Modern developments References

Ancient

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

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

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

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

8 Gender issues in the study of ancient Gnosticism

References

9 The Gnostics in early Christian heresiology

Irenaeus of Lyons Tertullian of Carthage Hippolytus Clement of Alexandria Epiphanius of Salamis Afterword References

10 Genres of Gnostic literature and the “classical Gnostic” school of thought

Genres of Gnostic scripture Religio-philosophical epistles Revelation dialogues Revelation monologues The “classical Gnostic” school of thought (hairēsis) References

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

12 Basilides and the Basilidians

References

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

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

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

16 The Mandaeans: writings, ritual, and art

References

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

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

19 Gnostic elements in ancient magical papyri

References

20 Mani’s life

References

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

22 Insight and means in Chinese Manichaean texts

The Light-Nous, insight, and means The Elect, insight, and means Insight and liberation References

23 From “Zurvanism” to Mazdak

Zurvanite Gnosis? Mazdak’s Gnosis References

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

25 Gnostic vicissitudes in late antiquity

Competing parties Two substantial late antique texts: Pistis Sophia and Zostrianos Later developments References

26 Jñāna: Gnostic tendencies in early Hinduism and Buddhism

Definitions Upaniṣads The Mahābhārata Buddhism Institutional Conclusion References

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

28 Questions of Gnostic influence on early Islam

The Qur’ān and Gnostic currents Traces of Gnostic currents in the world of early Islam Gnostic currents and early sectarianism in Islam Concluding remarks References

29 An agenda for the study of early Shiʿi cosmologies

The historical setting and the sources The Hadīth corpus The Ghulat corpus References

30 Classic Sufism and gnosis

Introduction Comparisons with Gnostic sectarians Early developments in Sufi gnoseology Sufi gnoseology and Islamic scripture Conclusion References

31 Ismailism and gnosis

References

32 Druze gnosis and the mystery of time

References

33 Gnostic elements in Yezidism

Gnostic aspects in the perception of the Xwadē – 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

34 Gnosticism and Kabbalah

Salvific knowledge Hypostases and pleroma The demiurge The origin of evil Primordial drama Other possible connections References

35 Bogomils and Cathars

The Bogomils

In Bulgaria In Byzantium In Bosnia

Cathars

In the south of France

References

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

37 “Gnosis” as term and concept in the esoteric movements of the modern West: an attempt at periodization

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 twenty-first centuries References

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

39 Pansophia, Christian Kabbalism, and the quest for universal knowledge in the early modern West

References

40 Freemasonry: gnostic images

Protestant and imperial connections Degrees, rites, and their histories: Gnostic touches Three gnosticizing Masonic thinkers References

41 British Romanticism: gnostic longings

Isolation Insight Insubordination References

42 William Blake, the ancient Gnostics, and the birth of modern Gnosticism

References

43 Gnosis and the “French Occult Revival” and its offshoots

Three Parisian centers

Stanislas de Guaita Joséphin Péladan

A Parisian Gnostic church References

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

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

46 Rudolf Steiner: multiple bodies

References

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

48 Western Sufism and gnosis

Gnosis as maʿrifa Gnosis as system Early Western Sufism and gnosis Postwar Western Sufism and gnosis Later Western Sufism and gnosis Conclusion References

49 Gnosis: a perennialist perspective

Perennialism Gnosis: divine wisdom Metaphysics: the science of the real Conclusions References

50 Carl Jung on Gnosticism

References

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)

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

53 Gnosis in Bābism and gnostic signs in Bābī talismans

References

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

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

56 Aurobindo and supermind

Aurobindo’s life and thought with reference to “Gnosis” and “Gnosticism” Supermind, vijñāna, gnŌsis Parallels between historical Gnosticism and Aurobindo’s teachings References

57 Of Gnosis in tribal and “primal” cultures

References

Current

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

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

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

61 Feminist gnosis and modern gender issues

Gnosis and contemporary feminist theory Queer gnosis Conclusion References

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

63 Exposing Gnosticism

Exposing Gnoticism Exposing popular culture Conclusion References

64 Gnostic fiction

Introduction Fiction utilizing Gnostic motifs Fiction as Gnostic awakening Speculative fiction and Gnosticism Conclusion References

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

66 MUSIC AND GNOSIS

References

67 Aesthetics and visual art

Aesthetic dimensions Visual art Conclusion: Gnostic traces Note References

Index

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