Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site wivax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!wivax!mckeeman From: mckeeman@wivax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Gnostic Christianity Message-ID: <20318@wivax.UUCP> Date: Wed, 5-Dec-84 11:51:41 EST Article-I.D.: wivax.20318 Posted: Wed Dec 5 11:51:41 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 7-Dec-84 00:38:16 EST Sender: mckeeman@wivax.UUCP Organization: Wang Institute, Tyngsboro, Ma. 01879 Lines: 34 Gnosticism was a first and second century heresy firmly stamped out by the growing catholic church. The principal gnostic belief was that the new age had come. One group of gnostics responded by saying there were no limitations on behavior - the law was dead and all was forgiven. Another group responded by accepting the gifts of the spirit and publicly doing miracles. The church didn't much like either approach. Once it was perceived that the second coming wasn't necessarily tomorrow, the church became concerned with the processes of building an institution that would withstand a frequently hostile secular environment. There are passing references to the false teachings in Paul's writings (First Timothy for example). It is clear that the gnostics were considered disruptive and dangerous. There are two recent books on the subject: One is an English translation of the (coptic) Gnostic Gospels discovered in Egypt and the other is a discussion of them (by Elaine Pagels). About 40 years elapsed from the discovery of the manuscripts until their open publication, partly due to political and academic wrangling. >From my (lay) reading of the texts, they are pretty tough going. Many times they seem to be closer to liturgical chants than biblical writings. I found it hard to get much out of them. /s/ Bill McKeeman.Wang-Inst at CSNet-Relay ...decvax!wivax!mckeeman Wang Institute of Graduate Studies, Tyngsboro, MA 01879