Neo-Gnostic
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Gnosticism in modern times (or Neo-Gnosticism) includes a variety of contemporary religious movements, stemming from
Gnostic Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek: , romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century AD among early Christian sects. These diverse g ...
ideas and systems from ancient Roman society. Gnosticism is an ancient name for a variety of religious ideas and systems, originating in Jewish-Christian milieux in the first and second century CE. The
Mandaeans Mandaeans (Mandaic language, Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ) ( ), also known as Mandaean Sabians ( ) or simply as Sabians ( ), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism. They believe that John the Baptist was the final and ...
are an ancient Gnostic ethnoreligious group that have survived and are found today in Iran, Iraq and diaspora communities in North America, Western Europe and Australia. The late 19th century saw the publication of popular sympathetic studies making use of recently rediscovered source materials. In this period there was also the revival of a Gnostic religious movement in France. The emergence of the
Nag Hammadi library The Nag Hammadi library (also known as the Chenoboskion Manuscripts and the Gnostic Gospels) is a collection of early Christian and Gnostic texts discovered near the Upper Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi in 1945. Thirteen leather-bound papyrus c ...
in 1945 greatly increased the amount of source material available. Its translation into English and other modern languages in 1977 resulted in a wide dissemination, and as a result had observable influence on several modern figures, and upon modern Western culture in general. This article attempts to summarize those modern figures and movements that have been influenced by Gnosticism, both prior and subsequent to the Nag Hammadi discovery. A number of ecclesiastical bodies that identify as Gnostic have set up or re-founded since World War II as well, including the Ecclesia Gnostica, Johannite Church, Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the Ecclesia Gnostica Mysterioum, the Thomasine Church, the Alexandrian Gnostic Church, the Ecclesia Gnostica Apostolica, the Gnostic Catholic Union, Ecclesia Valentinaris Antiqua, the Cathari Church of Wales, and the North American College of Gnostic Bishops.


Late 19th century

Source materials were discovered in the 18th century. In 1769, the
Bruce Codex The Bruce Codex (Latin: ) is a codex that contains Coptic, Arabic, and Ethiopic manuscripts. It contains rare Gnostic works; the Bruce Codex is the only known surviving copy of the Books of Jeu and another work simply called Untitled Text or ...
was brought to England from Upper Egypt by the Scottish traveller
James Bruce James Bruce of Kinnaird (14 December 1730 – 27 April 1794) was a Scottish traveller and travel writer who physically confirmed the source of the Blue Nile. He spent more than a dozen years in North and East Africa and in 1770 became the fir ...
, and subsequently bequeathed to the care of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Sometime prior to 1785, The Askew Codex (a.k.a. ''Pistis Sophia'') was bought by the British Museum from the heirs of Dr. Askew. The ''Pistis Sophia'' text and Latin translation of the Askew Codex by M. G. Schwartze were published in 1851. Although discovered in 1896, the Coptic Berlin Codex (a.k.a. the Akhmim Codex) was not 'rediscovered' until the 20th century.


Charles William King

Charles William King was a British writer and collector of ancient
gemstone A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewellery, jewelry or other adornments. Certain Rock (geology), rocks (such ...
s with magical inscriptions. His collection was sold because of his failing eyesight, and was presented in 1881 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. King was recognized as one of the greatest authorities on gems at the time. In ''The Gnostics and their Remains'' (1864, 1887 2nd ed.) King sets out to show that rather than being a Western heresy, the origins of Gnosticism are to be found in the East, specifically in
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
. This theory was embraced by Blavatsky, who argued that it was ''plausible'', but rejected by G. R. S. Mead. According to Mead, King's work "lacks the thoroughness of the specialist."


Madame Blavatsky

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, co-founder of the Theosophical Society, wrote extensively on Gnostic ideas. A compilation of her writings on Gnosticism is over 270 pages long. The first edition of King's ''The Gnostics and Their Remains'' was repeatedly cited as a source and quoted in ''
Isis Unveiled ''Isis Unveiled: A Master-Key to the Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science and Theology'', published in 1877, is a book of esoteric philosophy and Helena Petrovna Blavatsky's first major self-published major work text and a key doctrine in he ...
''.


G. R. S. Mead

G. R. S. Mead became a member of Blavatsky's Theosophical Society in 1884. He left the teaching profession in 1889 to become Blavatsky's private secretary, which he was until her death in 1891. Mead's interest in Gnosticism was likely awakened by Blavatsky who discussed it at length in ''Isis Unveiled''. In 1890–1891 Mead published a serial article on Pistis Sophia in ''Lucifer'' magazine, the first English translation of that work. In an article in 1891, Mead argues for the recovery of the literature and thought of the West at a time when Theosophy was largely directed to the East, saying that this recovery of Western antique traditions is a work of interpretation and "the rendering of tardy justice to pagans and heretics, the reviled and rejected pioneers of progress..." This was the direction his own work was to take. The first edition of his translation of ''Pistis Sophia'' appeared in 1896. From 1896 to 1898 Mead published another serial article in the same periodical, "Among the Gnostics of the First Two Centuries", that laid the foundation for his monumental compendium ''Fragments of a Faith Forgotten'' in 1900. Mead serially published translations from the ''Corpus Hermeticum'' from 1900 to 1905. The next year he published ''Thrice-Greatest Hermes'', a massive, comprehensive three volume treatise. His series ''Echoes of the Gnosis'' was published in 12 booklets in 1908. By the time he left the Theosophical Society in 1909, he had published many influential translations, commentaries, and studies of ancient Gnostic texts. "Mead made Gnosticism accessible to the intelligent public outside of academia". Mead's work has had and continues to have widespread influence.


Gnostic Church revival in France

After a series of visions and archival finds of
Cathar Catharism ( ; from the , "the pure ones") was a Christian quasi- dualist and pseudo-Gnostic movement which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France, between the 12th and 14th centuries. Denounced as a he ...
-related documents, a librarian named Jules-Benoît Stanislas Doinel du Val-Michel (a.k.a. Jules Doinel) established the '' Église Gnostique'' (French: ''Gnostic Church''). Founded on extant Cathar documents with the Gospel of John and strong influence of Simonian and Valentinian cosmology, the church was officially established in the autumn of 1890 in Paris. Doinel declared it "the era of Gnosis restored." Liturgical services were based on Cathar rituals. Clergy was both male and female, having male bishops and female "sophias." Doinel resigned and converted to Roman Catholicism in 1895, one of many duped by Léo Taxil's anti-masonic hoax. Taxil unveiled the hoax in 1897. Doinel was readmitted to the Gnostic church as a bishop in 1900.


Early to mid-20th century


Carl Jung

Carl Gustav Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and psychologist who founded the school of analytical psychology. A prolific author of over 20 books, illustrator, and correspondent, Jung was a ...
evinced a special interest in Gnosticism from at least 1912, when he wrote enthusiastically about the topic in a letter to Freud. After what he called his own 'encounter with the unconscious,' Jung sought for external evidence of this kind of experience. He found such evidence in Gnosticism, and also in
alchemy Alchemy (from the Arabic word , ) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. In its Western form, alchemy is first ...
, which he saw as a continuation of Gnostic thought, and of which more source material was available. In his study of the Gnostics, Jung made extensive use of the work of GRS Mead. Jung visited Mead in London to thank him for the ''Pistis Sophia'', the two corresponded, and Mead visited Jung in Zürich. Jung saw the Gnostics not as
syncretic Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus ...
schools of mixed theological doctrines, but as genuine visionaries, and saw their imagery not as myths but as records of inner experience. He wrote that "The explanation of Gnostic ideas 'in terms of themselves,' i.e., in terms of their historical foundations, is futile, for in that way they are reduced only to their less developed forestages but not understood in their actual significance." Instead, he worked to understand and explain Gnosticism from a psychological standpoint. While providing something of an ancient mirror of his work, Jung saw "his psychology not as a contemporary ''version'' of Gnosticism, but as a contemporary ''counterpart'' to it." Jung reported a series of experiences in the winter of 1916-17 that inspired him to write '' Septem Sermones ad Mortuos'' (Latin: Seven Sermons to the Dead).


The Jung Codex

Through the efforts of
Gilles Quispel Gilles Quispel (30 May 1916 – 2 March 2006) was a Dutch theologian and historian of Christianity and Gnosticism. He was professor of early Christian history at Utrecht University. Early life and education Born in Rotterdam, he was the son of ...
, the '' Jung Codex'' was the first codex brought to light from the Nag Hammadi Library. It was purchased by the Jung Institute and ceremonially presented to Jung in 1953 because of his great interest in the ancient Gnostics. The first publication of translations of Nag Hammadi texts occurred in 1955 with ''the Jung Codex'' by H. Puech, Gilles Quispel, and W. Van Unnik.


French Gnostic Church split, reintegration, and continuation

Jean Bricaud had been involved with the Eliate Church of Carmel of Eugène Vintras, the remnants of Fabré-Palaprat's ''Église Johannite des Chrétiens Primitifs'' (Johannite Church of Primitive Christians), and the Martinist Order before being consecrated a bishop of the '' Église Gnostique'' in 1901. In 1907 Bricaud established a church body that combined all of these, becoming patriarch under the name Tau Jean II. The impetus for this was to use the Western Rite. Briefly called the ''Église Catholique Gnostique'' (Gnostic Catholic Church), it was renamed the ''Église Gnostique Universelle'' (Universal Gnostic Church, EGU) in 1908. The close ties between the church and Martinism were formalized in 1911. Bricaud received consecration in the Villate line of
apostolic succession Apostolic succession is the method whereby the Christian ministry, ministry of the Christian Church is considered by some Christian denominations to be derived from the Twelve Apostles, apostles by a continuous succession, which has usually been ...
in 1919. The original church body founded by Doinel continued under the name ''Église Gnostique de France'' (Gnostic Church of France) until it was disbanded in favor of the EGU in 1926. The EGU continued until 1960 when it was disbanded by Robert Amberlain (Tau Jean III) in favor of the ''Église Gnostique Apostolique'' that he had founded in 1958. It is active in France (including
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),
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
, and the
Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
.


Modern sex magic associated with Gnosticism

The association of the term ''gnostic'' with sexual magic is a modern phenomenon, emerging primarily in the context of 19th- and 20th-century esoteric revival movements. As religious studies scholar Hugh Urban observes, "despite the very common use of sexual symbolism throughout Gnostic texts, there is little evidence (apart from the accusations of the early church) that the Gnostics engaged in any actual performance of sexual rituals, and certainly not anything resembling modern sexual magic." Modern sexual magic as a practice is largely traced to Paschal Beverly Randolph (1825–1875), an American occultist who synthesized spiritualism, mesmerism, and erotic mysticism into a system of ritual sex magic that emphasized love, will, and transcendence. The connection to Gnosticism came later, primarily through the Gnostic Church of France (''Église Gnostique de France''), which was deeply embedded in the esoteric networks of late 19th-century France. These networks also produced or influenced other occult organizations, including Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), the most prominent sexual magic order of the 20th century.
Theodor Reuss Albert Karl Theodor Reuss (; June 28, 1855 – October 28, 1923), also known by his neo-Gnostic bishop title of Carolus Albertus Theodorus Peregrinus, was a German tantra, tantric occultist, freemason, journalist, singer and head of Ordo Templ ...
, the founder of O.T.O., envisioned it as an umbrella organization for esoteric and initiatory societies, with sexual magic at its core. After encountering leaders of the Gnostic Church of France at a Masonic and Spiritualist conference in 1908, Reuss founded ''Die Gnostische Katholische Kirche'' (the Gnostic Catholic Church) as an ecclesiastical body under the auspices of O.T.O. Reuss would later dedicate O.T.O. to the dissemination of Aleister Crowley's philosophy of
Thelema Thelema () is a Western esotericism, Western esoteric and occult social or spiritual philosophy and a new religious movement founded in the early 1900s by Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), an English writer, mystic, occultist, and ceremonial ma ...
, making Crowley its most prominent figurehead. For this purpose, Crowley composed the ''Ecclesiæ Gnosticæ Catholicæ Canon Missæ''—commonly known as the Gnostic Mass—which became the central public ritual of Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (EGC), the liturgical wing of O.T.O. Although Crowley borrowed terminology and symbolic structure from Gnostic and Christian liturgy, the ritual is fundamentally Thelemic in theology and intent, emphasizing the union of opposites, the sanctity of the body, and the realization of the divine self.


The Gnostic Society

The Gnostic Society, was founded for the study of Gnosticism in 1928 and incorporated in 1939 by Theosophists James Morgan Pryse and his brother John Pryse in Los Angeles. Since 1963 it has been under the direction of Stephan Hoeller and operates in association with the Ecclesia Gnostica. Initially begun as an archive for a
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newsgroup A Usenet newsgroup is a repository usually within the Usenet system for messages posted from users in different locations using the Internet. They are not only discussion groups or conversations, but also a repository to publish articles, start ...
in 1993, the Gnosis Archive became the first web site to offer historic and source materials on Gnosticism.


Mid-20th century


''Ecclesia Gnostica''

Established in 1953 by Richard Duc de Palatine in England under the name 'the Pre-nicene Gnostic Catholic Church', the Ecclesia Gnostica (Latin: "Church of Gnosis" or "Gnostic Church") is said to represent 'the English Gnostic tradition', although it has ties to, and has been influenced by, the French Gnostic church tradition. It is affiliated with the Gnostic Society, an organization dedicated to the study of Gnosticism. The presiding bishop is the Rt. Rev. Stephan A. Hoeller, who has written extensively on Gnosticism. Centered in Los Angeles, the Ecclesia Gnostica has parishes and educational programs of the Gnostic Society spanning the Western US and also in the Kingdom of Norway. The lectionary and liturgical calendar of the Ecclesia Gnostica have been widely adopted by subsequent Gnostic churches, as have the liturgical services in use by the church, though in somewhat modified forms.


''Ecclesia Gnostica Mysteriorum''

The Ecclesia Gnostica Mysteriorum (EGM), commonly known as "the Church of Gnosis" or "the Gnostic Sanctuary," was initially established in Palo Alto by bishop Rosamonde Miller as a parish of the Ecclesia Gnostica, but soon became an independent body with emphasis on the experience of gnosis and the balance of the divine masculine and feminine principles. The Gnostic Sanctuary is now located in Redwood City, California. The EGM also claims a distinct lineage of Mary Magdalene from a surviving tradition in France.


Samael Aun Weor

Samael Aun Weor (1917 – 1977) was a teacher and author of over sixty books of esoteric spirituality. He formed a
new religious movement A new religious movement (NRM), also known as a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin, or they can be part ...
under the banner of "Universal Gnosticism", or simply
gnosis Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge ( γνῶσις, ''gnōsis'', f.). The term was used among various Hellenistic religions and philosophies in the Greco-Roman world. It is best known for its implication within Gnosticism, where ...
, and taught the practical and esoteric principles to awaken and fundamentally change the psychological condition. He first made a name in the
Gnosticism Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek language, Ancient Greek: , Romanization of Ancient Greek, romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: Help:IPA/Greek, nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced ...
of his native country of
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, before moving to
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
in 1956, where he founded the Movimiento Gnostico Cristiano Universal (MGCU) (Universal Gnostic Christian Movement), then subsequently founded the Iglesia Gnostica Cristiana Universal (Universal Gnostic Christian Church) and the Associacion Gnostica de Estudios Antropologicos Culturales y Cientificos (AGEAC) (Gnostic Association of Scientific, Cultural and Anthropological Studies) to spread his teachings. His works became popular among practitioners of
occultism The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mystic ...
and
Western esotericism Western esotericism, also known as the Western mystery tradition, is a wide range of loosely related ideas and movements that developed within Western society. These ideas and currents are united since they are largely distinct both from orthod ...
, and were translated into other languages. The MGCU became defunct by the time of Samael Aun Weor's death in December 1977. His disciples formed new organizations to spread his teachings, under the umbrella term 'the International Gnostic Movement'. These organizations are currently very active via the Internet and have centers established in Latin America, the US, Australia, Canada and Europe.


Hans Jonas

The philosopher Hans Jonas (1903 – 1993) wrote extensively on Gnosticism, interpreting it from an
existentialist Existentialism is a family of philosophical views and inquiry that explore the human individual's struggle to lead an authentic life despite the apparent absurdity or incomprehensibility of existence. In examining meaning, purpose, and value ...
viewpoint. For some time, his study ''The Gnostic Religion: The Message of the Alien God and the Beginnings of Christianity'' published in 1958, was widely held to be a pivotal work, and it is as a result of his efforts that the Syrian-Egyptian/Persian division of Gnosticism came to be widely used within the field. The second edition, published in 1963, included the essay "Gnosticism, Existentialism, and Nihilism," where Jonas claimed that attitude previously manifest as ancient
Gnosticism Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek language, Ancient Greek: , Romanization of Ancient Greek, romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: Help:IPA/Greek, nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced ...
was transformed into
Nihilism Nihilism () encompasses various views that reject certain aspects of existence. There have been different nihilist positions, including the views that Existential nihilism, life is meaningless, that Moral nihilism, moral values are baseless, and ...
(largely identified as
Nazism Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was fre ...
) by the secular-atheist approach typical of Sartre and
Heidegger Martin Heidegger (; 26 September 1889 – 26 May 1976) was a German philosopher known for contributions to phenomenology, hermeneutics, and existentialism. His work covers a range of topics including metaphysics, art, and language. In April ...
.


Eric Voegelin's gnosticism thesis

In the 1950s,
Eric Voegelin Eric Voegelin (born Erich Hermann Wilhelm Vögelin, ; January 3, 1901 – January 19, 1985) was a German-American political philosopher. He was born in Cologne, and educated in political science at the University of Vienna, where he became an ass ...
(1901 – 1985) brought a German academic debate concerning the classification of
modernity Modernity, a topic in the humanities and social sciences, is both a historical period (the modern era) and the ensemble of particular Society, socio-Culture, cultural Norm (social), norms, attitudes and practices that arose in the wake of the ...
to the attention of English-language readers. He responded to Jacob Taubes's 1947 ''Occidental Eschatology'' and Karl Löwith's 1949 ''Meaning in History: the Theological Implications of the Philosophy of History'' in his 1959 book, ''Wissenschaft, Politik und Gnosis''. Voegelin advanced what has become known as the ''gnosticism thesis'', critiquing modernity by identifying immanentist eschatology—the belief in the realization of ultimate salvation within history—as the gnostic character of modern political ideologies. Unlike Karl Löwith, Voegelin did not reject eschatology itself but instead focused on the immanentization of eschatological hope, which he described as a pneumopathological deformation of spiritual experience. Voegelin's interpretation of gnosticism gained significant traction in American neoconservative and Cold War political thought. The concept has since been adopted by other scholars to analyze various revolutionary movements, including Bolshevism, Nazism, Puritanism, radical Anabaptism, Jacobinism,] and, more recently, Salafi-Jihadism. Because Voegelin applied the concept of gnosis to a wide array of ideologies and movements, critics have proposed that Voegelin's concept of Gnosis lacks theoretical precision. Therefore, Voegelin's ''gnosis'' can, according to the critics, hardly serve as a scientific basis for an analysis of political movements. Rather, they say, the term "Gnosticism" as used by Voegelin is more of an invective just as "when on the lowest level of propaganda those who do not conform with one's own opinion are smeared as communists."


Gershom Scholem's Kabbalah as Jewish Gnosticism

Gershom Scholem (1897 – 1982), was an Israeli philosopher and historian. Widely regarded as the founder of modern academic study of the
Kabbalah Kabbalah or Qabalah ( ; , ; ) is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought in Jewish mysticism. It forms the foundation of Mysticism, mystical religious interpretations within Judaism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ...
, Scholem proposed that elements of 13th-century Kabbalah—particularly in texts such as the ''
Zohar The ''Zohar'' (, ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work of Kabbalistic literature. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material o ...
''—were rooted in an earlier form of Jewish gnosticism that predated and perhaps influenced Christian gnostic movements. In works like ''Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism, and the Talmudic Tradition'' (1965) and ''Origins of the Kabbalah'' (1987), he traced thematic parallels between Gnostic and Kabbalistic cosmology, including notions of divine emanation, spiritual exile, and the soul's ascent through hostile realms. His thesis contributed to a broader reappraisal of Gnosticism in modern intellectual history, positioning it as a subversive and creative force within both Jewish and Western esoteric traditions. However, Scholem's thesis has not gone unchallenged. Later scholars such as Moshe Idel critiqued Scholem for overemphasizing external influences—particularly from Gnostic and
Neoplatonic Neoplatonism is a version of Platonic philosophy that emerged in the 3rd century AD against the background of Hellenistic philosophy and religion. The term does not encapsulate a set of ideas as much as a series of thinkers. Among the common id ...
systems—at the expense of internal Jewish developments. In ''Kabbalah: New Perspectives'' (1988), Idel argued for a more nuanced view of Kabbalah's evolution, grounded in rabbinic, liturgical, and experiential traditions rather than speculative parallels with Gnosticism. While Scholem's thesis remains a landmark in the academic study of mysticism, it is no longer a dominant view, and the relationship between Gnosticism and Kabbalah is now approached with greater methodological caution.


Late-20th century and 21st century


Neo-Gnostic movement in Finland

Pekka Siitoin founded the Turku Society for the Spiritual Sciences (Turun Hengentieteen Seura) on September 1, 1971. Siitoin believed in neo-Gnosticism and
Theosophy Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neop ...
and combined these with antisemitism and satanism. To him, Lucifer, Satan and Jesus were subordinate to the Monad, and could be worshiped together. Lucifer was a Promethean figure who created the original humanity and granted them
wisdom Wisdom, also known as sapience, is the ability to apply knowledge, experience, and good judgment to navigate life’s complexities. It is often associated with insight, discernment, and ethics in decision-making. Throughout history, wisdom ha ...
so that they would evolve to be equal to Gods in time, while Jehova-Demiurge created the Jewish race to usurp Lucifer's power and lord over humanity. Siitoin was also influenced by Christian apocrypha, like
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 ...
and to him Jesus was an agent of the Monad and Lucifer against the Demiurge.


Dilexit nos

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
suggests that a modern form of
Jansenist Jansenism was a 17th- and 18th-century theological movement within Roman Catholicism, primarily active in France, which arose as an attempt to reconcile the theological concepts of free will and divine grace in response to certain development ...
rigour which he has criticised in his encyclical letter '' Dilexit nos'' can be seen as "a recrudescence of that Gnosticism which proved so great a spiritual threat in the early centuries of Christianity because it refused to acknowledge the reality of 'the salvation of the flesh'." The aim of his letter, which focuses on " the heart of Jesus Christ", is to avoid the danger of withdrawal to a "disambodied spirituality" which treats matter as evil.


In popular culture

Gnosticism has seen something of a resurgence in popular culture in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, following the emergence of the Nag Hammadi library. Catholic priest Alfonso Aguilar has described ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' (1977), ''
Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven Fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...
'' (1997), and ''
The Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction film, science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the The Matrix (franchise), ''Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ca ...
'' (1999) as embodying Gnostic views, as "two signs of the power of the real enemy: Gnosticism" and stressing the need to "examine their philosophical background and reject what is incompatible with our Christian faith." * Philip K. Dick explored gnosticism in many of his later works, particularly the ''VALIS'' trilogy (1978–1982). * '' The Flight to Lucifer: A Gnostic Fantasy'' (1980), a novel by
Harold Bloom Harold Bloom (July 11, 1930 – October 14, 2019) was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world". Af ...
, explicitly aimed to introduce readers to Gnosticism. * '' Blood Meridian'' (1985) by American writer
Cormac McCarthy Cormac McCarthy (born Charles Joseph McCarthy Jr.; July 20, 1933 – June 13, 2023) was an American author who wrote twelve novels, two plays, five screenplays, and three short stories, spanning the Western, post-apocalyptic, and Southern Got ...
features several Gnostic elements. *Polish Nobel laureate
Olga Tokarczuk Olga Nawoja Tokarczuk (; born 29 January 1962) is a Polish writer, activist, and public intellectual. She is one of the most critically acclaimed and successful authors of her generation in Poland. In 2019, she was awarded the 2018 Nobel Pri ...
depicts worlds that strongly resemble one known from the Gnostic cosmogony. Notable examples are '' Primeval and Other Times'' (1996) and '' House of Day, House of Night'' (1998). * In ''
The Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction film, science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the The Matrix (franchise), ''Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ca ...
'' (1999), Morpheus offering Neo the truth and asking him to choose between a blue or red pill symbolizing materialistic
relativism Relativism is a family of philosophical views which deny claims to absolute objectivity within a particular domain and assert that valuations in that domain are relative to the perspective of an observer or the context in which they are assess ...
and secret
knowledge Knowledge is an Declarative knowledge, awareness of facts, a Knowledge by acquaintance, familiarity with individuals and situations, or a Procedural knowledge, practical skill. Knowledge of facts, also called propositional knowledge, is oft ...
respectively, which has been compared to Gnosticism in scholarly criticism.Flannery-Dailey, Frances, and Rachel Wagner. "Wake up! Gnosticism and Buddhism in the Matrix." Journal of Religion and Film 5.2 (2001).


See also

*Gnostic churches: **
Bosnian Church The Bosnian Church ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=/, Crkva bosanska, Црква босанска) was an autonomous Christian church in medieval Bosnia and Herzegovina. Historians traditionally connected the church with the Bogomils, although this ...
(disputed) ** Ecclesia Gnostica ** Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica ** Ecclesia Pistis Sophia ** Gnostic Church of France ** Johannite Church ** Neo-Luciferian Church * Jungian interpretation of religion


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * Jonas, Hans (1966). “Gnosticism, Existentialism, and Nihilism.” In ''The Phenomenon of Life: Toward a Philosophical Biology,'' University of Chicago Press. * Lasch, Christopher. "Gnosticism, Ancient and Modern: The Religion of the Future?," ''Salmagundi,'' No. 96, Fall 1992. * * O'Reagan, Cyril (2001). ''Gnostic Return in Modernity,'' SUNY Press. * Rossbach, Stefan (2000). ''Gnostic Wars,'' Edinburgh University Press. * * Versluis, Arthur (2006). "Eric Voegelin, Anti-Gnosticism, and the Totalitarian Emphasis on Order." In ''The New Inquisitions: Heretic-Hunting and the Intellectual Origins of Modern Totalitarianism,'' Oxford University Press. * Voegelin, Eric (1956). ''Order and History,'' Louisiana State University Press. * Voegelin, Eric (1968). ''Science, Politics, and Gnosticism: Two Essays,'' Regnery Gateway. * Voegelin, Eric (1987). '' The New Science of Politics,'' University Of Chicago Press. *


External links


"The Gnostics and their Remains"
- online text of the book

* ttp://www.gnosis.org/library.html The Gnostic Society Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Gnosticism In Modern Times *