Information and Remarks about the Gnostics
In the Gospel of Mary (Magdalene), Mary asks Jesus how does one see the vision, through the soul or spirit? The Gospel then says, "The Savior answered and said, He does not see through the soul or spirit, but the mind which is between the two." In other words, if we are to know the truth of ourselves, the world and God, we must use our God given brains, and in the religious quest use our minds in matters of faith. In religion, similar to the process of today's science, Gnostics kept the door of truth "ajar." The Gnostics were seekers of truth and God!
"Rebirth" (c) Scott Angus
A. THE NAG HAMMADI LIBRARY could have been called, The Gnostic Scriptures. They were probably not named so because it might imply they were an alternative to the New Testament books. The Gnostic Gospels can be read in the Nag Hammadi Library in English, edited by James M. Robinson. Not only are there five gospels, but other gnostic writings. They do not negate the N.T. books, but certainly these books should be use to expand our knowledge of Christ and the early Christians. Having been authenticated as written during the same time frame as the books of the N.T., all the texts should be taken seriously and not easily dismissed simply because they are not part of the "official" Canon.
B. The Jewish Canon was set; so it made sense to set the Christian Canon as well. This canonization process gave authority and power for certain books over other books. In the case of the N.T., it is clear Jesus did not suggest that such a Canon be established. Those with theological power did! Studies into how the N.T. Canon evolved suggest books like Revelation, Hebrews, and even the Gospel of John were fortunate to make the Canon. So why not the Gospel of Thomas?
C. Elaine Pagels in her book Beyond Belief has a profound chapter on how, The Gospel of John's emphasis on "Jesus alone," or Jesus as the only way to God, helped to exclude The Gospel of Thomas. Thomas' theology taught that God's Spirit was not just in Jesus, but available as Jesus promised, to all of us. The Gospel of John, interestingly, being rather philosophical, was considered "Gnostic" by some. But Elaine argues that though written near the same time, the Orthodox who chose the Canon preferred the theology of "Jesus alone." It made Jesus exclusive, meaning believing in him was the only way to know God. Then, the Pre-Orthodox took it another step further by saying only their church knew precisely what, and also how, one was to believe in Jesus. In essence, they argued that the only way to be a true Christian was their way.
Isn't it sad, that throughout history, so many churches, groups, etc. have declared they alone have the "real" truth, causing countless divisions, conflicts and wars! The Gnostics were inclusive, not believing everyone had to believe the same. The Gospel of Thomas did not support the exclusive theology and teaches God's spirit is innate in all of us, as children of God. Belief in Jesus allows us to "bring forth this Spirit." In spite of this gospel containing many verses found in the N. T. Gospels, it was excluded from the Orthodox Canon because it did not support the exclusive theology promoted by the church.
D. Yet, the early Orthodox, interestingly, who claimed the corner on all religious truth, charged that it was the Gnostics who were exclusive. By their "gnosis," the Orthodox explained the Gnostics believed they had "secret" and "special" knowledge about God. In other words, it was a different teaching than the Orthodox and that made their gnosis "erroneous." Yes, the Gnostics used the term gnosis, but they understood gnosis as not simply doctrines or theological beliefs, but understood it in two basic different ways. First, gnosis meant knowing Christ as in a relationship. The second was to use gnosis or knowledge, as The Gospel of Philip shares, meaning "to grow one's faith." Gnosis was not exclusive knowledge of God, but it was a term to encourage a deeper understanding of Christ. For the Gnostics, the "gnosis" was something for which one strived much like the Buddhist "nirvana." It didn't make one better than others! It was something that Christ taught that opened one to experience moments of oneness with God. "Gnosis" gave them deeper insight, not an easy answer. The gnostic style supports those who have a more Eastern approach to understanding the depth of Christianity as not so much belief in an event but as a faith flowing with Christ.
E. Gnosis is a Greek word meaning " knowledge." Lets face it, there are many kinds of knowledge: fact, intuition, logic, myth, reality, imagination, insight, and so on. For the Gnostics, using all these forms of knowledge was part of gnosis. One beautiful teaching, as stated above, was that the road to gnosis was opened with the mind which led to the spirit and the soul. Thus the gnostic style says it is important to use ones mind (whole brain) as well as ones heart (emotion). In other words, gnosis isn't an answer but an element that should be used in our search for God. As the Gnostics speak for themselves, gnosis did not mean the "inside knowledge of God," as claimed by those said they alone knew the correct truth of God and Jesus. Clearly, their belief in Jesus, whom they call Lord and Savior many times, encouraged a Christianity that was more than a battle for beliefs.
F. The Gnostics were often charged as not believing there was a physical world and that Jesus was only a mythical idea. However, the new gospels reveal the greater truth was that they believed the spiritual world to be more important than the temporary physical world. But that did not mean they did not believe the physical or material word wasn't real. Their vision was that the material world was not the only world in which we live, and Jesus was one who boldly gave witness that the spiritual world was also real and present for us. The Gnostics heavily stress the spiritual, but when they report Jesus kissed Mary Magdalene on the lips "many times," it is clear, for them, Jesus was a real person and not just a figment of the imagination. As to Jesus being both human and divine, The Treatise on the Resurrection, asks, in the Gnostic Gospels, "How did the Lord proclaim things while he existed in flesh and after he revealed himself as the Son of God? The answers is, "He embraced them both, possessing the humanity and the divinity." In other words, as with Jesus, the material world and the spiritual were not either/or, but both/and. As persons, the choice isn't to believe or not believe, but to "awaken" to both realities in order for life to be whole.
G. Some of the Gnostic views of cosmology were different than both Jewish and Christian traditional interpretations. Like the modern theologican, Paul Tillich, they asked the question as he put it, "Is there a "God beyond God?" So in their attempt to define or explain evil, they said there was a more perfect God than the God who some believed created us and the world in seven days and now observes and judges all the evil on earth. In other words, they believed that intrepretation of God to be too small? As God was incomprehensible, The Gospel of Philip asks if not some concepts of God are not man made in order to match special interests? Or as as Tillich asked, maybe there is a God beyond the God-- we create! (Certainly, most have now gotten beyond "the old man upstairs" --well lets hope!)
And so it can be said that the Gnostics comological views were not limited to one intrepretation. They had various myths about creation, God, even other gods--whom, much like angels-- emanated from the one true God, but even their own myths did not agree with each other. Without question, today's science indicates that their myths were at best imaginative and not ultimate truth. But, they never claimed any of their myths were final answers.
Even today's science admits it doesn't have all the answers about creation and the vast universe. Certainly, the old Christian view that the world was a three story universe, of heaven above, earth in the middle, and hell below, was not correct. Nor were the Gnostics' myths. Their myths, to repeat, were not answers but were part of their quest in understanding the divine world. Unfortunately, with their myths being seen as alternative truths opposed to the Orthodox's true cosmic views, their deep faith in Christ has often been overlooked. The result is still often today that many define the beliefs of the gnostics by their myths alone, and not by their different way to believe and be Christian.
H. An interesting perspective on the problem of evil is presented in The Gospel of Philip. Of course, the antagonist wrote that the Gnostics were all bad, evil, and immoral--a tradition that continues for describing many people's "enemies" today. Or, we are right; all others are wrong. Significantly, instead of the Western view of there being a cosmic battle between good and evil, Philip's Gospel declares there is good and evil in all of us. So it is extremely important we know ourselves--a theme also present in The Gospel of Thomas. No one is all good or all bad; no one is beyond good or evil. Therefore, we need to know what causes grief for ourselves and others, and to know what promotes love and wholeness. Instead of the good guys versus the bad guys, the challenge and key for ethics becomes focusing on what one loves. What we love may become who we are! Wow! For those of us who don't believe in a personal devil and that evil is either/or, or that morality is based on what one is told, this is a refreshingly modern and helpful view.
I. A popular charge against the Gnostics is that they believed human beings and the material world were all evil. Yet, just as not all today believe in Augustine's theory of original sin, which says all children are born evil and are born in total depravity, full of sin, (well, not my kid), some Gnostics believed the material world was evil-- but not all! In The Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says, "That which you have will save you, if you bring it forth from yourselves." So the question has to be asked, if one place we find God is within ourselves, how can all be evil? Further, some Gnostics believed God could be found outside oneself and even in the wonder of the creation. Again, in Thomas, Jesus says, "Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone and you will find me there." At least, that hints that God's spirit can be found in nature, and once again suggests that differing worlds are not just either/or. Although critics have said that Gnostics just believed everything was evil, such a generalization wasn't the simple truth. Even with the Gnostics input, the why, but not the existence of evil, in both nature and humans, remains mysterious and unsolved.
J. Gnostic Christians did not see God as male or female, but as androgynous, and even beyond, as Spirit. God is portrayed beyond our limited knowledge. In a very paradoxical hymn "The Thunder:Perfect Mind," a feminine voice from God declares, "I am the silence that is incomprehensible." The Gnostics were very supportive of women and saw them as equals. The Gospel of Mary (Magdalene) makes it very clear that women were on an equal footing with the male apostles and supports their role as clergy.
K. They did not see things as simply being black or white, --or as-- either/or. In the Gospel of Philip an interesting teaching says, "Light and darkness, life and death, right and left, are brothers of one another. They are inseparable. Because of this neither are the good, good, nor the evil, evil, nor is life, life, death, death." The complexity of this verse is apparent, but it is a good example of the theme presented above that from the gnostic perspective, all is not simple! Life is a mystery, and so even more so by its complexity, arises the need, not for all its answers, but for faith.
L. Science doesn't have all the answers either. But science must be allowed to inform and deepen our Christian knowledge of ourselves, others, the world, and God.
M. The Gnostic scriptures do not negate the books of the Bible but extend the story and our knowledge of early responses to the Christ.
N. Certainly the charge will be made that gnostic or seeking Christians just believe "anything." Gnostic Christians don't believe several of the traditional beliefs, but they do believe even that which they believe, should be questioned. Gnostic beliefs and myths should not be set in stone and made absolute. So, importantly, Christ's intention was a more spiritual path or quest. There are different paths to "the way" of Christ, not just "one." Gnostic Christians believe deeply in Christ and believe God will judge by our love, not our beliefs. Belonging to a church may be helpful, and encouraged, but not essential for God's grace--acceptance of us! Indeed, having faith is essential with all the unanswerable questions of life, but faith must be questioned as well!
O. The Gospel of Thomas declares, "Jesus said, the kingdom of God is inside of you, and it is outside of you." And then immediately, "When you come to know yourself, then you will be known." Finding God was not limited to a book or words but was a search for truth for oneself and the world. Faith was a personal responsibility, a trust and experience with God, not simply a belief in God or not.
P. On a personal note, it is exciting that I can be a Christian, think differently, but still know God accepts and loves me. The gnostic style of Christianity allows me to admit I don't have all the answers. Yet, there is something within me that allows me to search for and love God, honestly and deeply. It is great to be inspired by the imagination and the free spirit of the Gnostics, these early Christians, who heard Jesus say and preach, to be followers of me, be-- "Seekers of Truth and God."
("seekersof God.com." is an introductory one page web site for a quick reference to this site) Please note the other files above.
