Gnosticism is the name given to various religious schools that proliferated in the first centuries after Christ, nearly becoming the dominant form of Christianity, but was eventually branded as heretical by the emerging Christian church. The long and diverse history of Gnosticism is recounted here, as well as reasons for its continued relevance today. Although some Gnostic beliefs are close to mainstream Christianity, others examined here include that the world is imperfect because it was created by an evil god who was constantly at war with the true, good God; that Christ and Satan were brothers; that reincarnation exists; and that women are the equal of men. Also covered is the influence Gnostics had on the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, psychologist Carl Jung, the Existentialists, the New Age movement, and writers as diverse as William Blake, W. B. Yeats, Albert Camus, and Philip K. Dick.

- 160 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
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Information
Topic
Theology & ReligionSubtopic
World HistoryTable of contents
- Cover
- About the Book
- About the Author
- Title
- By the Same Author
- Dedication
- Contents
- Prologue: Egypt, December 1945
- Gnosticism and Christianity
- Beliefs and Myths
- Teachers and Traditions
- Gnostic Religions
- Texts and Gospels
- Influence and Legacy
- Appendix I: Glossary
- Appendix II: Gnosticism and Buddhism
- Appendix III: Gnosticism in the Canonical Gospels
- Endnotes
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Index
- Sneak Peek: A Short History of Europe
- Sneak Peek: The Cathars
- Sneak Peek: The Knights Templar
- Copyright
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Yes, you can access The Gnostics by Sean Martin in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & World History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.