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Luminary (Gnosticism)
In Sethian Gnosticism, a luminary is an angel-like being (or heavenly dwelling place in the ''Apocryphon of John''). Four luminaries are typically listed in Sethian Gnostic texts, such as the '' Secret Book of John'', the '' Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit'', and '' Zostrianos''. The luminaries are considered to be emanations of the supreme divine triad consisting of the Father (Invisible Spirit), the Mother (Barbelo), and the Child ( Autogenes). Listed from highest to lowest hierarchical order, they are: #Harmozel (or Armozel) #Oroiael #Daveithe (or Daveithai) #Eleleth Eleleth Eleleth is a luminary in Gnostic cosmology and one of the four Sethian luminaries. Eleleth appears in ''Hypostasis of the Archons'', ''Apocryphon of John'', and '' The Three Forms of the First Thought'' found in the Nag Hammadi library in 1945 and is probably mentioned in the Gospel of Judas as ''El''. In ''The Hypostasis of the Archons'', Eleleth comes down from the pleroma to save Norea af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sethianism
The Sethians (Greek language, Greek: Σηθιανοί) were one of the main currents of Gnosticism during the 2nd and 3rd century AD, along with Valentinianism and Basilideans, Basilideanism. According to John D. Turner, it originated in the 2nd century AD as a fusion of two distinct Hellenistic Judaism, Hellenistic Judaic philosophies and was influenced by Christianity and Middle Platonism. However, the exact origin of Sethianism is not properly understood. History Mentions The Sethians (Latin ''Sethoitae'') are first mentioned, alongside the Ophites, in the 2nd century, by Irenaeus (who was antagonistic towards Gnosticism) and in Pseudo-Tertullian (Ch. 30). According to Frederik Wisse, all subsequent accounts appear to be largely dependent on Irenaeus. Hippolytus repeats information from Irenaeus. According to Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 375), Sethians were in his time found only in Egypt and Palestine, but fifty years earlier, they had been found as far away as Kingdom of Arme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gospel Of Judas
The Gospel of Judas is a non-canonical religious text. Its content consists of conversations between Jesus and his disciples, especially Judas Iscariot. The only copy of it known to exist is a Coptic language text that is part of the Codex Tchacos, which has been radiocarbon dated to 280 AD, plus or minus 60 years. Like the Gnostic texts of the Nag Hammadi library, this version is believed by most biblical scholars to be a translation of an original which was composed in the Greek language by Gnostic Christians in the 2nd century. Rejected as heresy by the early Christian church and lost for 1700 years, the document was rediscovered in Egypt in the 1970s. After undergoing extensive restoration and preservation, an English translation was first published in early 2006 by the National Geographic Society. History Authorship Like the four canonical gospels, the Gospel of Judas is anonymous. Date In early January 2005, researchers at the Arizona Accelerator Mass Spectrometr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gnostic Cosmology
Religious cosmology is an explanation of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe from a religious perspective. This may include beliefs on origin in the form of a creation myth, subsequent evolution, current organizational form and nature, and eventual fate or destiny. There are various traditions in religion or religious mythology asserting how and why everything is the way it is and the significance of it all. Religious cosmologies describe the spatial lay-out of the universe in terms of the world in which people typically dwell as well as other dimensions, such as the seven dimensions of religion; these are ritual, experiential and emotional, narrative and mythical, doctrinal, ethical, social, and material. Religious mythologies may include descriptions of an act or process of creation by a creator deity or a larger pantheon of deities, explanations of the transformation of chaos into order, or the assertion that existence is a matter of endless cyclical tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shekhinah
Shekhinah () is the English transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning "dwelling" or "settling" and denotes the presence of God in a place. This concept is found in Judaism from Talmudic literature. The word "Shekhinah" is found in the Bible only as a "Shechaniah", a masculine proper name. The Hebrew root “shakan” appears in numerous conjugations, it can be found 128 times. (See Strong’s Hebrew dictionary 7931.) It also appears in the Mishnah, the Talmud, and Midrash. Etymology The word ''shekhinah'' is first encountered in the rabbinic literature. S. G. F. Brandon, ed., ''Dictionary of Comparative Religion'' (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1970), p. 573: "Shekhinah". The Semitic root from which ''shekhinah'' is derived, ''š-k-n'', means "to settle, inhabit, or dwell". In the verb form, it is often used to refer to the dwelling of a person or animal in a place, or to the dwelling of God. Nouns derived from the root included ''shachen'' ("neighbor") and ''mishkan'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shkinta
In Mandaeism, a shkinta () or shkina (''škina'') is a celestial dwelling inhabited by uthras in the World of Light that is analogous to the shekhinah in Jewish mysticism. In Tibil (the physical earth), it refers to a reed or mud hut that is used during Mandaean priest initiation ceremonies, since Mandaean priests represent uthras on earth. Drower, E. S. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Leiden: Brill (1962 reprint). Ceremonial usage During the priest initiation ceremony, the shkinta is constructed to the north of the andiruna. It symbolizes the World of Light and it covered by a white cloth roof. In contrast, the andiruna has a blue cloth roof to symbolize the color of Ruha. Together, the two adjacent huts symbolize complementary masculine and feminine elements. Symbolism The ''škinta'' (cognate with the Hebrew word ''shekhinah''; from the Semitic root ''š-k-n'', associated with dwellings) symbolizes the "male" side, and is associated with the World of Light, pri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uthra
An uthra or ʿutra (, Neo-Mandaic ''oṯrɔ'', traditionally transliterated ''eutra''; plural: ʿuthrē, traditionally transliterated ''eutria'') is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'utras (sing.: 'utra 'wealth', but meaning 'angel' or 'guardian')." p8 Aldihisi (2008) compares them to the '' yazata'' of Zoroastrianism. According to E. S. Drower, "an 'uthra is an ethereal being, a spirit of light and Life." Uthras are benevolent beings that live in '' škinas'' (, "celestial dwellings") in the World of Light (''alma ḏ-nhūra'') and communicate with each other via telepathy. Uthras are also occasionally mentioned as being in '' anana'' ("cloud"; e.g., in '' Right Ginza'' Book 17, Chapter 1), which can also be interpreted as female consorts. Many uthras also serve as guardians (''naṭra''); for instance, Shilmai and Nidbai a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Angels In Theology
This is a list of angels in religion, theology, astrology and magic, including both specific angels (e.g., Gabriel) and types of angels (e.g., seraphim A seraph ( ; pl.: ) is a Angelic being, celestial or heavenly being originating in Ancient Judaism. The term plays a role in subsequent Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Tradition places seraphim in the highest rank in Christian angelology and ...). List Groups Individual angels See also Notes References {{Angels in Abrahamic religions * Angels ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hierarchy Of Angels
In the angelology of different religions, a hierarchy of angels is a ranking system of angels. The higher ranking angels have greater power and authority than lower ones, and different ranks have differences in appearance, such as varying numbers of wings or faces. Abrahamic religions Judaism The Jewish angelic hierarchy is established in the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Rabbinic literature, and traditional Jewish liturgy. They are categorized in different hierarchies proposed by various theologians. For example, Maimonides, in his '' Mishneh Torah'' or '' Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah'', counts ten ranks of angels. The '' Zohar'', in ''Exodus 43a'', also lists ten ranks of angels. Jacob Nazir, in his '' Maseket Atzilut'', also listed ten ranks of angels. Abraham ben Isaac of Granada, in his '' Berit Menuchah'', also listed ten ranks of angels. All of them are ranked with 1 being the highest, and all subsequent numbers being lower ranks. Christianity The most influen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angels In Judaism
In Judaism, angels (, plural: ''mal’āḵīm'') are supernatural beings that appear throughout the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Rabbinic literature, Jewish apocrypha, Christian pseudepigrapha, Jewish philosophy, Jewish mysticism, and traditional Jewish liturgy as agents of the God of Israel. They are categorized in different hierarchies. Their essence is often associated with fire. The Talmud describes their very essence as fire. Etymology Hebrew ''mal’ākh'' is the standard word for "messenger", both human and divine, in the Hebrew Bible; it is also related to the words for "angel" in Arabic (''malāk'' ), Aramaic and Ethiopic. It is rarely used for human messengers in Modern Hebrew as the latter is usually denoted by the term ''shaliyakh'' (). The noun derives from the verbal consonantal root ''l-’-k'' (), meaning specifically "to send with a message" and with time was substituted with more applicable ''sh-l-h''. In Biblical Hebrew this root is attested only in this noun a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archon (Gnosticism)
Archons (, plural: ἄρχοντες, ''árchontes''), in Gnosticism and religions closely related to it, are the builders of the physical universe. Among the Archontics, Ophites, Sethians and in the writings of Nag Hammadi library, the archons are rulers, each related to one of seven planets; they prevent souls from leaving the material realm. The political connotation of their name reflects rejection of the governmental system, as flawed without chance of true salvation. In Manichaeism, the archons are the rulers of a realm within the "Kingdom of Darkness", who together make up the Prince of Darkness. In '' The Hypostasis of the Archons'', the physical appearance of Archons is described as hermaphroditic, with their faces being those of beasts. Hebdomad A characteristic feature of the Gnostic concept of the universe is the role played in almost all Gnostic systems by the seven world-creating archons, known as the (). These Seven are, in most systems, semi-hostile powers and a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monad (Gnosticism)
In some Gnostic systems, the supreme being is known as the Monad, the One, the Absolute, Aiōn Teleos (the Perfect Aeon, ), Bythos (Depth or Profundity, ), Proarchē (Before the Beginning, ), Hē Archē (The Beginning, ), the Ineffable Parent, and/or the primal Father. The Monad is an adaptation of concepts of the monad in Greek philosophy to Christian belief systems. The ''Apocryphon of John'', written , gives the following description: {{blockquote, The Monad is a monarchy with nothing above it. It is he who exists as God and Father of everything, the invisible One who is above everything, who exists as incorruption, which is in the pure light into which no eye can look. "He is the invisible Spirit, of whom it is not right to think of him as a god, or something similar. For he is more than a god, since there is nothing above him, for no one lords it over him. For he does not exist in something inferior to him, since everything exists in him. For it is he who establishes hims ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norea
Norea is a figure in Gnostic cosmology. She plays a prominent role in two surviving texts from the Nag Hammadi library. In ''Hypostasis of the Archons'', she is the daughter of Adam and Eve and sister of Seth. She sets fire to Noah's Ark and receives a divine revelation from the Luminary Eleleth. In '' Thought of Norea'', she "extends into prehistory" as "she assumes the features here of the fallen Sophia." In Mandean literature, she is instead identified as the wife of either Noah or Shem. Birger A. Pearson identifies her as "a feminine counterpart to Seth, just as Eve is the 'female counterpart' to Adam," and Roel van den Broek refers to her as "on the one hand ..a saviour figure and on the other the prototype of the saved gnostic." Names and associations According to Epiphanius of Salamis, the Borborites identified Norea with Pyrrha, the wife of Deucalion (a Greek figure similar to Noah). He suggested that the name ''Norea'' was a mistranslation of ''Pyrrha'' based on a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
