Gnosticism

Master of Gnosticism Final Essay

By Michael Barth

            This course was the toughest course that I have taken through the seminary.  Bishop Pat includes a lot of information in this class.  There is a lot of information that I did not know beforehand.  There is still information that I am still processing from this class.

            One thing that I did not know was that Gnosticism had different schools of thought like the Persian School.  I did not know that there were so many schools that were considered Gnostic.  Even the term Gnosticism is new and was not used until recently.  This course also taught me that some of the early Christians were probably Gnostic as well like the Apostle Paul.

            Before taking this class, I had heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi Library but that was it.  I did not know that these two important discoveries shed light on what Gnosticism was and is.  The reason I found out that these documents were hidden was because the early Christian Church had persecuted Gnostics and tried to destroy all their documents and Holy Scripture.

            This course also taught me that in Gnosticism, there are 7 different heavens that are guarded by Archons.  With each Archon, you had to give the right password to enter into that heaven.  Also, I did not know before that this planet was created by an evil Demiurge and that all things were evil.  This was totally new to me.  The author said that this evil Demiurge is sometimes considered Yahweh from the Old Testament.

            This course also presented parallels between Gnosticism and Christianity.  The fact that there is the Gospel of Thomas and other books that portray Jesus in a different light was new to me.  Also, what is new to me is that Jesus might have studied Gnosticism before going on his 3 year ministry in Israel.  This I did not know but would explain where Jesus was for the first 30 years of his life.

            This class was very well written.  There is so much information contained in this class.  The Master of Gnosticism class was well written for the most part.  There were a couple of lessons I did not like because the author took what appeared to me as an anti-Gnosticism view.  This class will require an investment in time due to the amount of information presented and the amount of new terminology that I came across.  As I said earlier, I am still processing a lot of the information and will have to go over some lessons again.  This course did spark an interest in wanting to read the books that were discovered at Nag Hammadi Library and the Dead Sea Scrolls.  This class is not for the light-hearted.  I would recommend this course to people who are ready for a lot of information, new terminology, and have extra time to study this material.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

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Gnosticism

Master of Gnosticism Final Essay Dennis W. Zerull I would once again thank the ULC Seminary for offering this most informative course and Bishop Pat Schwab for his obviously long study and research to author this the Master of Gnosticism discourses. Bishop Schwab no doubt has spent many hours which equates to months and even years of study and devotion to the the history and linage of Gnostic works. He has brought to us a most enlightening and somewhat difficult study which at times can tire the mind with the unlimited possibilities of the Gnostic writings of past history and what the present Gnostics are practicing in order to find the ultimate truth. I believe there is no doubt that there is some Gnosis or gnostic believe in most of today's modern religions. There also cannot be a question that most religions have some form mysticism in their respective doctrines  for which as the course describes began with designation for certain dualistic religious and philosophical perspectives that existed prior to Christianity and for the specific systems of belief characterized by these ideas, which emerged in the second century and later. Although the radical conclusions of some scholars regarding a highly developed pre-Christian Gnosticism have been discounted, I believe it does seem clear that there were many ideas, assumptions and perceptions about deity, reality and relationships of person to gods and the world that were incorporated into the gnostic sects from outside Hellenistic sources. The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi library are of course the most famous literary discoveries that have supported these ideas. The classic view as this course points out, is of the heretical gnostic sects as distortions of Christianity by Hellenistic thought has much strength because it easily demonstrated how the gnostics could use the New Testament texts, bending them to their purposes as is demonstrated in 1 Cor. 3:1-4 where Paul chides the Corinthian Christians for being "people of the flesh" or carnal when they should be spiritual. This text could with ease be used as the foundation for supporting the Hellenistic idea of the superiority of certain persons in the Christian community. This classic explanation does have and leaves some problems unsolved. Little doubt exists that there are ideas, attitudes and practices incorporated into many so called "gnostic heresies "that are found outside of the Greek thought and much earlier than the second century of the Christian era. In particular, the ultimate goal of the gnostics to return to the absolute deity beyond matter and to be in some sense absorbed into the deity belongs to near eastern mystical thought and not primarily to the Hellenistic world which dates pre-christian mystical thought. Gnosticism however is important because of its emergence in schools of thought within the church in the early second century and soon established itself as a way of understanding Christianity in all of the church's principle centers. Of course the church was torn by what I must assume, heated debates over the issues which eventually led to alternative churches and belief systems to be viewed by the church as heretical and a threat not only to it's doctrine but also it's leaders. As many as opposed it there were such leaders as Irenaeus, Tertullian and Hippolytus who wrote volumes of text against it as is also pointed out in this course many times. Gnosticism is also important for interpreting certain features of the New Testament as they divided Christians into groups, usually the spiritual and the carnal. the spiritual Christians were in a special class or higher class than the ordinary Christians because they had received, as the elect of the good deity that allowed them to be redeemed and belonged to the heavenly world that was the true one. No wonder this resulted in some gnostics seeking to withdraw from the word in asceticism. Other gnostic systems took this as an opportunity to practice antinomianism or the belief that moral law does not apply and is not valid for a person or group. the claim of course was that spiritual Christians are not responsible for what they did and could not really sin because their fleshy existence was not part of God's plan. Thus they could act in any way they pleased. I conclude that the gnostics thought faith was inferior to knowledge. The true sons of the absolute deity were saved through knowledge rather than faith. This was the feature of the various systems that gave the movements its designation. They were the gnostics, the knowers. Yet what this precise knowledge was it quite vague. It is more perception of one's own existence that solves life's mysteries for the gnostic than it was a body of doctrine. Ultimately it was self discovery each gnostic had and still has to experience. I have mentioned this statement and lesson that I have learned before in other essay's that I have written but must emphasize it again. Among all the living creatures studied by modern scientists, only human beings can be said with absolute certainty to have been endowed with the ability to make deliberate choices about the directions of our lives and also to decide whether those choices will lead us to transitory happiness or into the realm of a lasting peace and well-being. It seems that we are wired for temporary happiness genetically but are also gifted with the ability to recognize within ourselves a more profound and lasting sense of confidence, peace and well-being. We also appear to stand alone in our ability to recognize the necessity to forge a bond between emotion and reason and an instinct to survive. And so we create a universe not only for ourselves but also for all creatures who feel pain, fear and suffering in which we are all somehow able to coexist with contentment and peace. The universe already exists, even if we don't know it at the present time or even realize it. My belief is that only through resting mind can we recognize it and also realize that we are not our thoughts not our feelings and not our perceptions. Everything I have learned as a Buddhist and everything I have learned about modern science and studies in this seminary tells me that humans beings are more than just their bodies. Thoughts, feelings and perceptions are functions of the body and thus will at some point will pass as do all things. Ultimately happiness comes down to choosing between the discomfort of becoming aware of your mental afflictions and the discomfort of being ruled by them. When you see your own desire to be happy, you can't avoid seeing the same desire in others, and when you look clearly at your own fear, anger, or aversion you can't help but see that everyone around you feels the same fear, anger and aversion.  Sometime before Buddha, Jesus and all of the great prophets dated before the Christian first century, someone had this gnosis. That person looked at his or hers mind and realized that all the imaginary differences between themselves and others automatically dissolved when they recognized the similarities to those around them. I believe this to be true. And if this statement is true than we all have some gnosis in us. Ultimately we return to the source from which we came. This source may be different in perception for each of us but all paths teach us compassion, love and tolerance. This may be the lesson that the Gnostics were trying to teach us and not one of collective ego to serve a selfish purpose. ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church.

Gnosticism

Final Essay for Gnostic Study For Rev. Linda Francis                  Fifteen years ago my late husband and I began to read about the Gnostic religion.  We read a dozen or more books before his death, and  discussed them by the fireplace or on the back porch each night.  Missing our studies together I enrolled in a couple of local classes and several discussion groups.   Like myself and my late husband, I found that the others that also had an interest in this religion had one major thing in common.  We all were highly formally educated and were seeking to keep our minds informed long past our formal education years to achieve a career goal.  The second factor that we shared was a thirst for truth, or at least information from all sides of an issue to make the best choice possible, and this not only had to do with religion, but political and ethical issues, as well. Needing one more class to complete my sixty hours I decided to take one more class in Gnosticism. After some of the early classes I was disappointed and almost dropped the study.  It at first seemed as if the teacher was finding the faults within Gnostic teachings to show how wrong they were. The lesson on Hitler as a Gnostic was the one lesson that actually made me sign up for another class to complete my study. It was a class in the Gospel of Thomas  For some reason I did not drop it right away and in a few weeks I decided perhaps the teacher was like myself and was only trying to show both sides. By the time I reached this last lesson I had no doubts that the teacher liked as many things as I found that I liked about the Gnostics. I especially, enjoyed the idea the teacher tossed out about many scholars believing that Buddhism was a forerunner of many of the Gnostic/Christian ideas.  I too had wondered about the two.  I studied Buddhist meditation for many years and read much that I liked about that faith, as well, even taking some formal classes in this field. I have a little Buddhist sculpture where he is bent over weeping in his lap. One day after finishing my class I picked the Buddha up and said to myself. "I wish I had one of Jesus weeping, too. For surely both weep at what mankind kind and his egoic dogma has done to both of their teachings."  For these reason I find it harder and harder to call myself Christian anymore than I could claim I am a Buddhist.   And when I read one of the last lessons that stated that Gnostics felt they were the only ones with the real truth about God, I thought to myself, well there are the Jews, the Muslims, Baptist and Catholics, etc each believing they are the only right ones and that is why mankind has been killing each other with one war after the other all their lives.                 However, I will agree that a major part of enlightenment is seeking knowledge which was highly promoted by the Gnostics  and part of the narrow vision from other faiths is they refuse to study and open themselves up to the ideas of others, accepting only what their parents, community and the faith they were born into teaches.  The less formally educated the faith as a whole is (both women and children as well as men), the more dogma seems to appear in their rules and the more fearful and violent they are at defending these rules, even at taking the life of those different from them, to speak nothing of the shunning and refusing to show love to those different from themselves.   The study states that today, "If one desires to become a Gnosis you must seek your path to find your truth and understanding. In order to do this one must clear their mind of all barriers, to include their own ego. Finding the truth for one's self can be obtained numerous ways, meditation, dreams, and yoga among other practices."  I think of myself as on a spiritual path (a personal one) rather than a religious one (founded by an egoic group seeking control and claiming they know God's mind.)                 Our minister was away last Sunday and the sermon was delivered by a local writer and college professor.  Dr. John Nash, from East Tennessee State University.   He spoke of Sofia, wisdom and the Gnostic faith. He ended with a pondering thought. He stated, that at one time in the early foundation of the Christian faith that there was a Gnostic called Valentenus that was suggested  as a good idea as the next Pope.  He lost by just a vote or two. His name  was Valentinus.  Church father Tertullion reported that he narrowly lost the election.  Valentenus was educated in Alexandria, but moved to Rome in 136 AD.  He lived there for nearly 25 years.  The informaiton is in Dr. Nash's textbook,  called Christianity: the One, the Many," vol 1, p 258. The thought he left us to ponder was how might the world have been a different place to live in today, if Vllentinus had been elected … where ego was put aside and power, guilt and fear were not used a tools of control for not just the government, fathers ruling their families and  the Christians. ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception. The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Gnosticism

MASTER OF GNOSTICISM BY: REVEREND KURT FONDRIEST This class enabled me once again to contemplate my own personal ideas and beliefs on spirituality.   I  feel  that if I am moved in any way about my point of life from a class then the lessons were successful. Gnosticism makes sense to me.  It is enriched in our daily lives if we allow it to do so. The idea of myself as co-creator is an empowering step and ability that I and everyone processes.  We can see the world as spiritual or material.  Can we see the world as both, with a centered balance? Reading the weekly lessons along with a great reference book" LIVING GNOSIS" A practical guide To Gnostic Christianity, by Tau Malachi demonstrated for me this state of flux that is always occurring.  I don't believe there is a carved in stone answer to living a life of gnosis, however I was able to come to a clear understanding about this once tabooed way of thinking.       The part that drew me into reflecting on my own thoughts of Gnosis was the "Sophian" gospel. This enabled me to see Yeshua as a man who was symbolic of the spiritual once he merged with the "Christo".  This enabled me to say yes to my own belief that the gospels are to be experiences in our own daily life.  These sets of books do me no good locked up or dismissed from the Contemporary Christian Counsel, who I see as the watch dogs on keeping the traditional esoteric belief in order. This is where Christianity for me has fallen off of the human path. Yesua was a man born with no more enlightenment then any other individual is, however he seeked the mission of life and found that life was not the mission rather the mission was of life. The way ones celebrates their divine mission to the life of living.      The connection of male and feminine being in balance and harmony is seen in the life of Yesua and Mary of Magdelene is a vision of dualistic nature within each of us. These natural states of consciousness are what will enable people to be  "LIGHT BEARERS''.  The Church of Universal Light uses the concept as part of their tenets.  I belong to this church as well and as a Holistic Minister I can see many more congregations coming back to this living of Gnosis.      The symbolism created in Gnosticism is expressed for the person to understand it to the level of their belief and spirituality.  The expression taught in these lessons I found to be of an eclectic verse. some of these resonated with me while others were not in sync to my level of living, however I did not dismiss their teachings since living the gospels is an experience that changes daily.  All of this is based on my mental, physical and spiritual awareness at any given time on this journey.      As with the course on Christian mysticism I found myself seeing Jesus and Mary as people who were learning about the "Christo" as they experienced it.  I have always believed Jesus was not the exception yet the example.  For me it makes natural sense that Yesua and Mary were destined to be soul mates.  Each approached their destiny from different paths that brought them together.      For me a good contemporary reference is the Rock Musical "JESUS CHRIST SUPER STAR." This demonstrates the life of Gnosis.  It takes all the rhetoric teachings and throws it out to the simple truth.  Again I found myself listening to the soundtrack of this musical as I read the lessons and the book on living Gnosis.  What also I found very enlightening was how Gnosis symbolizes The Creator and Satan .  It was using the dualistic elements that we as fractions of the creation of light have forgotten for some reason or another. Basically it is from Human understanding we will connect to the greatness of Creation .  Not through rhetorical principles and teachings.  We already know within ourselves what we hold true of the self and this is the step to be taken, I feel, to re-awaken our divine right and duty as light bearer's.   ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Gnosticism

Master of Gnosticism

By Rev. Patricia Buben

The Gnostics had a very different worldview from that of most other religions.  In their view, the natural world is temporary and evil.  For example, giving to the poor in a world that is temporary and everything is evil, would make no sense.

Their salvation would depend on gnosis (knowledge) so the affected soul wouldn't pass the Archons. It is their fault and not the fault of the Gnostic.

One of the second century church writers Irenaeus wrote:  "The Gnostic must indulge in everything. To be saved, they must sin. They must learn the role of the poorest farmer, to the wealthiest merchant."

The soul aspiring to enlightenment must first rid itself of all debts and obligations. The Gnostic seeks to be like the light and return to it. According to Irenaeus, it is impossible for the spiritual element to suffer corruption, no matter what actions they have indulged in. He goes on to explain and illustrates their logic by comparing this spiritual element to a bar of gold dipped in filth, which will preserve its worth and be unaffected by the filth. Such enlightenment is not possible from the creator, for this entity cannot recognize the power greater than itself. It is flawed and imperfect, so he couldn't hope to achieve this revelation.

The concept of salvation to the Gnostic is somewhat simple while at the same time very complex. Most religions require faith, good works or both to avoid damnation. Gnostics believe salvation comes through gnosis or knowledge. Gnosticism seems to indicate that even those who are not pursuing saving knowledge can return to the light someday.

However there are those few unfortunate souls who seem to be damned forever. Studying the universe though comes into play when discussing the Gnostic salvation. 

There are many types of Gnosticism that spread throughout the world, but most can be defined as:  "a religious movement consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge, who is frequently identified with the Abrahamic God.

Gnosticism is very interesting to study, but I did have difficulty relating to some of the underlying philosophies (especially in the beginning).  I'm glad I took the course, though.  Bishop Pat took something that was (in my opinion) very difficult to understand and broke it down thoroughly so that the concepts can be better understood.  I liked the contrast he gave between Gnostics and Christians.  It was very effectively presented.  In summary, I enjoyed the course—both the history and descriptions of the Gnostic beliefs.

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church  materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar