
- 208 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
This ancient Gnostic text can be a companion for your own spiritual quest
The Secret Book of John is the most significant and influential text of the ancient Gnostic religion. Part of the library of books found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945, this central myth of Gnosticism tells the story of how God fell from perfect Oneness to imprisonment in the material world, and how by knowing our divine nature and our divine origins—that we are one with God—we reverse God's descent and find our salvation.
The Secret Book of John: The Gnostic Gospel—Annotated & Explained decodes the principal themes, historical foundation, and spiritual contexts of this challenging yet fundamental Gnostic teaching. Drawing connections to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, kabbalistic Judaism, and Sufism, Davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the Gnostic religious quest. He illuminates the Gnostics' ardent call for self-awareness and introspection, and the empowering message that divine wholeness will be restored not by worshiping false gods in an illusory material world but by our recognition of the inherent divinity within ourselves.
Now you can experience and understand this foundational teaching even if you have no previous knowledge of Gnosticism. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents the most important and valued book in Gnostic religion with insightful yet unobtrusive commentary. It provides deeper insight into the understanding that in Gnosticism the distinction between savior and saved ceases to exist—you must save yourself and in doing so save God.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- Timeline
- The Secret Book of John: The Gnostic Gospel
- Title
- Prologue
- 1. The Inexpressible One
- 2. The Origin of Reality
- 3. Primary Structures of the Divine Mind
- 4. Secondary Structures of the Divine Mind
- 5. Tertiary Structures of the Divine Mind
- 6. A Crisis That Became the World
- 7. The Fashioning of This World
- 8. Sophia Repents
- 9. Humanity Begins
- 10. The Construction of the Human Body
- 11. Yaldabaoth Deceived
- 12. The Beginning of Salvation
- 13. Adam in Yaldabaoth’s Paradise
- 14. Woman Comes into Being
- 15. The Children of Seth Populate the World
- 16. Six Questions about the Soul
- 17. Three Plots against Humanity
- 18. The Providence Hymn
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Suggested Readings
- About SkyLight Paths
- Copyright