Gnostics. The First Christian Heretics | Sean Martin

Gnosticism is a common name for various religious schools that emerged in the first centuries after Christ and practically became the dominant form of Christianity, but were eventually recognized as heretical among the developing Christian church. This text tells about the multifaceted history of Gnosticism and explains why it remains relevant in our time.

Gnosticism includes a variety of beliefs. Some of them are close to the main Christian teachings, but others described in the text have differences, such as the idea that the world is imperfect because of an evil god who fights with a good God; Christ and Satan are considered brothers; belief in reincarnation; equality of women and men.

The text also highlights the influence of Gnostic teachings on different historical periods and historical figures. Gnostics influenced the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the psychologist Carl Jung, the existentialists, the New Age movement, as well as various writers, including William Blake, W.B.. Yeats, Albert Camus and Philip K.. Dick.