Spirituality: Gnosticism

COUNCIL of NICEA

It was The Council of Nicea in 325, which decreed that Jesus was "one with the Father", in other words, "God." Bishop Arius rejected this argument because scriptures described Jesus as have been begotten by the Father, therefore, there was a time when Jesus did not exist, and therefor, could not be God (who always existed.) Yes, one can get a headache from all this, but the point is, that this Council changed the beliefs of Christians from that day forward. Arian Christianity did not go along with this and became a minor sect, even being described as heretics today (NewAdvent).

Gnostics faced a similar fate; their writings were burned by the orthodox Christians from the first century onward. Gnosticism was considered heretical and Gnostics heretics. So, until the find of Nag Hammadi in 1945 little was known of Gnosticism and the Gnostics except from the writings of their adversaries.

They viewed the One which they called the true God as having a feminine part which was the Spirit. They disagreed with the theory that man was sinful by nature, but believed man erred through ignorance; by knowledge man could correct his ways and gain salvation. For them the principle teacher of gnois was Jesus. The Gnostics claimed Jesus taught them secret knowledge which he did not share with the general congregation of the Church. This sort of claim did not set too well with the Church at a time when it was striving to gain strength and power.

Another point concerning Jesus which caused discord was that the Gnostics did not accept that Jesus was born of a virgin. Holding that Jesus specially came from God and the Spirit, they said he entered a body brought about by sexual intercourse between Mary and Joseph. Many Gnostics scoffed at the idea of a virgin birth which other Christians held.

Jesus wanted his disciples to be seekers and seers. In the work "Pistis Sophia" he instructed them, "Do not leave off searching day and night." He warned that inner truth would bring turmoil, but with the turmoil would come astonishment." He explained further, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will become astonished, and he will rule over all things.

Gnosticism is more of an introspective teaching or philosophy to live by. It is quite different to say Jesus talked of the mind as being a light which serves as a personal guide than to quote him as saying, "Do not hide your light under a basket." In the latter quote he seems to be directing the disciples to use their spirituality and influence to persuade and direct others which the Church has done for many years.To follow this further, one thinks that Jesus is saying one finds happiness within oneself. Within the Gnostic Gospels there are passages leading to such a conclusion. When his disciples asked when the new world or kingdom would come Jesus is to have said in the Gospel of Thomas: "...Rather the Kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will realize that you are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, then you will dwell in poverty, and it is you who are that poverty.

As to Heaven, Jesus said, "What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it...the Kingdom of the Father is spread out on the earth, but men do not see it." Within the teachings of Gnosticism the Kingdom of God seemed to represent an alternation of consciousness rather than a physical coming future event.

It is not surprising that Gnosticism contains much Platonism because many of the Gnostics were Hellenistic by birth and nature. Just as it is not surprising that Gnosticism incorporated its believers' ancient teachings, it is no more surprising that the spirit of Gnosticism is still present. In an age when the attitudes of self-awakening and self-knowledge are very much in the consciousnesses of people it is no wonder Gnostic teachings are being reexamined. Large groups of people feel alienated from the Christian God. They feel even more alienated from the Christian Church. Many have turned to the pre-Christian dieties and nature for sources of their spiritual and religious experiences. Gnosticism can be one of these sources because is makes man feel worthy of himself and his Diety.

from The Mystica
Pagels, Elaine, The Gnostic Gospels, New York: Vintage Books, 1979.
Nigg, Walter, The Heretics, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962
Meyer, Melvin W., translator, The Secret Teachings of Jesus: The Four Gnostic Gospels, New York: Random House, 1984

A Gnostic Point of View

According to the Gnostics, most people are asleep and do not realize that there exists a higher spiritual reality; it is as though they see the lower illustration, take it at face value, and assume that there is nothing more. Through the faculty of gnosis (intuition), however, it is possible for the higher Mind (logos) to discern the existence of a more inclusive reality. Jesus, the Ogdoad, the Sun behind the sun, is both a symbol and an expression of this higher knowledge.

from www.plotinus.com/ gnostic_jesus.htm

According to the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria, God is the "Intelligible the "Sun behind the sun." The early Christian symbolism of Jesus as the ogdoad, the Spiritual Sun, is both in keeping with this notion and with the geometrical shown above. Likewise, there is evidence to suggest that similar views were held concerning the solar divinity Mithra. As the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate points out, Mithra is not to be identified with the physical sun and in his fifth discourse refers to Mithra as "the seven-rayed god." 

from Jesus Christ Sun of God