The search for religious truths, lies and illusions can be a complicated and confusing journey, and in the case of Gnosticism, it is no different. Scholars have debated the definition of Gnosticism for many years, and its role as a religion has been a source of mystery, suspense and intrigue.
However, Gnosticism can be defined as a religion of light or knowledge, mainly concerned with creation, cosmology, myth, moral principles, salvation, and mystery. This religion of light is based on the idea that the substance of the world is evil and the result of a malicious and perverse architect god.
The Gnostic belief is that there is a transcendent, unknowable being called the “True Father” or “Living Father,” from which all beings came into existence. From this “True Father,” other beings were created, such as the mother, the autogenes, and male and female pairs. One of the themes in Gnostic understanding is that a disaster occurs when the female half acts without the male self, and this is true of the creation myth as a whole.
The creation myth is an essential part of Gnosticism and defines the religion, as it intensifies beyond the configuration of the natural world and expands into the very nature of reality. The Gnostic worldview is that the material world is evil and temporary; thus, it must be rejected, and the individual must do all in their power to escape it.
The Gnostic texts and beliefs have been the subject of much debate, given their mysterious and elusive nature. Scholars believe that the creation mythology originates from many sources, including Christianity, Judaism, and pagan faiths. Some scholars believe that Gnosticism was a Jewish spiritual and philosophical revolt, and others assert that Jewish Gnosticism came later.
According to Gnostic belief, the biblical Yahweh, also called Yaldabaoth, was an entity created without a male parent, making him imperfect, or incomplete. While he trapped some of the light from the “True Father,” he was flawed in his creation and believed that he was the most powerful being in the universe. His dwelling place is in the highest “heaven,” where he believes that nothing is higher, but Gnostics know otherwise.
Gnostics vary on the number of heavens, including 7, 8, 9, 12, 24, and 360. However, seven is the most common number, and all these heavens are guarded by beings called Archons, whose office is to extract a password from the human soul attempting to return to the “True Father.” For the Gnostics, heaven, or “fullness of being” is the realm all individuals strive to reach.
Salvation in Gnosticism comes through gnosis or knowledge, not through faith or good deeds. The Gnostic strives to return to the light and must seek to become like it by distancing themselves from evil. The religious experience is critical to the understanding of Gnosticism, as the universe is ordered to prevent the soul from returning home. Therefore, the attainment of gnosis is the key to understanding the structure of the universe and the quest of the soul to return back to the light.
In conclusion, Gnosticism is a complex and intriguing religion of thought that has been a subject of fascination for scholars and enthusiasts for years. The Gnostic texts and beliefs center on creation, cosmology, myth, moral principles, and salvation. Gnosticism emphasizes that there is a transcendent, unknowable being called the “True Father” or “Living Father,” and from this force, all beings came into existence. Salvation in Gnosticism is based on the attainment of gnosis, or knowledge, and the religious experience is critical to understanding the structure of the universe and the quest of the soul to return back to the light.