Christian Gnosticism_ A Departure from Orthodox Christianity
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Sophia DiBella
“Christian” Gnosticism: A Departure from Orthodox Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, with a rich history of theological development and interpretation. Throughout its history, various sects and movements have emerged, often challenging and reinterpreting the core tenets of orthodox Christian belief. One such movement is Christian Gnosticism. While some argue that Gnostic beliefs are an authentic expression of Christian spirituality, it is essential
to assert that Christian Gnosticism fundamentally departs from orthodox Christianity due to its heretical beliefs and the Gnostic Gospels that espouse them. One such gospel, The Gospel of Thomas, serves as a primary source that highlights the heretical nature of Gnostic teachings.
Christian Gnosticism emerged in the early centuries of the Common Era as a syncretic movement that blended elements of Christianity with Gnostic philosophy. Gnosticism itself is a mystical and esoteric belief system characterized by the pursuit of secret knowledge, gnosis
, that grants salvation to the initiated.
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Christian Gnosticism incorporated Christian terminology and figures into this framework, creating a distinct but heretical interpretation of Christian doctrine. The Gnostic Gospels, a collection of texts discovered in the 20th century, offer a glimpse into the
beliefs and teachings of Christian Gnosticism. These texts, including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and the Gospel of Judas, often present alternative narratives and sayings of Jesus that diverge significantly from the canonical Gospels. The Gospel of Thomas is perhaps the most prominent text among the Gnostic Gospels, discovered in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945.
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It is a collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus, devoid of the narrative, historical context, and theological depth found in the New Testament gospels. While some Gnostic sects 1
Karen King. What is Gnosticism?
, Harvard University Press, 2003, 5.
2
Pheme Perkins, Gnosticism and the New Testament
, Fortress Press, 1993, 1.
2
consider the Gospel of Thomas as a foundational text, it is essential to emphasize that its content is inherently divergent from orthodox Christian teachings. Many of these enigmatic sayings claim different truths about who Jesus Christ really was, reinforces the Gnostic emphasis on gnosis
over faith as it relates to one’s salvation, and pushes a dualistic view of earth and the divine.
Perhaps the most significant departure from orthodox Christianity within Gnostic thought
is its distorted Christology. While orthodox Christians believe in the divinity and historical reality of Jesus Christ’s physical presence on earth, Gnostic interpretations often present Jesus as
a mere spiritual teacher or revealer of secret knowledge, rather than the divine Son of God and Savior of humanity as affirmed by traditional Christian doctrine. In some Gnostic Gospels, Jesus is depicted as a purely spiritual being who never truly suffered on the cross, denying the central Christian belief in the crucifixion and resurrection as the means of redemption.
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The Gospel of Thomas distinctly portrays Jesus as a teacher of secret wisdom and knowledge: "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained."
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Such statements diminish the historical and salvific significance of Jesus in favor of emphasizing obscure knowledge. In this saying, Jesus identifies himself as a pervasive, all-encompassing presence rather than the divine Son of God. It presents a more abstract, mystical view of Jesus, emphasizing his ubiquity and connection to all things rather than his divine nature. This contrasts
with orthodox Christian beliefs, where Jesus is considered the Second Person of the Holy Trinity and the Son of God, fully divine and fully human.
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While this saying does not explicitly deny 3
1 Corinthians 15:17 (English Standard Version)
4
John 3:16 (English Standard Version)
5
Gospel of Thomas 77
6
John 1:14 (ESV)
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Jesus' divinity, it underscores the distinct nature of the Gospel of Thomas and its portrayal of Jesus as a spiritual and cosmic figure rather than the central figure of Christian orthodoxy.
A second significant heretical departure in Christian Gnosticism from orthodox Christianity is the rejection of salvation through faith in Christ. Orthodox Christianity teaches that salvation is achieved through faith in Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, Savior of humanity, and the means of reconciliation with God.
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Christian Gnosticism, on the other hand, rejects this orthodox view and presents an alternative path to salvation. Gnostics believe that salvation is attained through gnosis
and a mystical awakening to one's divine nature, rather than through faith in Christ. The Gospel of Thomas supports this Gnostic perspective: "If your leaders
say to you, 'Look, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you."
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This saying suggests that the kingdom of God is not to be found in external religious authorities or doctrines but within oneself, aligning with Gnostic principles of self-discovery and esoteric knowledge.
A final fundamental heresy of Christian Gnosticism is its dualistic view of the world and the divine. Gnostics believed in the existence of two opposing cosmic forces: the material world, which they saw as inherently evil and corrupt; a creation of a flawed or malevolent deity known as the Demiurge, and the spiritual realm which is a distant and transcendent divine realm, beyond
the reach of the physical world.
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This dualism stands in stark contrast to orthodox Christian belief, which teaches that God created the world and affirmed its goodness,
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leading Gnostics to reject the idea of a benevolent creator, God, which is a core tenet of orthodox Christian theology.
In addition, Christian Gnosticism's rejection of the material world as inherently evil contradicts 7
John 14:6 (ESV)
8
Gospel of Thomas 3
9
King, What is Gnosticism?
, 123-124
10
Genesis 1:31 (ESV)
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the foundational Christian doctrine of the Incarnation, where God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Thomas reflects this dualistic perspective in various sayings. For instance, Saying 29 states, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders."
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This statement illustrates the Gnostic belief that the spiritual is superior to the material, in stark contrast to the Christian view that God created the material world and found it to be "very good".
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Christian Gnosticism, as exemplified by the Gospel of Thomas, is fundamentally distinct from orthodox Christianity. Its dualistic worldview, rejection of salvation through faith in Christ,
and distorted Christology are at odds with the core tenets of traditional Christian faith. The Gnostic Gospels, while providing valuable insights into the beliefs of this movement, further underscore the divergence from Christianity through their promotion of secret knowledge as the path to salvation and their reinterpretation of Jesus' identity and mission. While the Gnostic Gospels offer unique insights into early Christian diversity, it is essential to recognize these distinctions while acknowledging that its theological and doctrinal teachings force it to stand apart from mainstream Christianity due to its heretical deviations.
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Gospel of Thomas 39
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Genesis 1:31 (ESV)
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Bibliography
Primary Sources
Gospel of Thomas. Lambdin Translation
, Nag Hammadi Library, www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gthlamb.html
.
Holy Bible.
English Standard Version, Crossway, 2001.
Secondary Sources
King, Karen L. What is Gnosticism?
. Harvard University Press, 2003.
Perkins, Pheme. Gnosticism and the New Testament
. Fortress Press, 1993.