The Gnostic Religion The term “Gnosticism” comes from the Greek word “gnosis,” which means knowledge or a knowing. As an alternative messiah-religion, Gnosticism traces its root back to the beginning of the Christian Church. Some researchers even suggest that it existed before Christianity, in the pre-Christian Judaism. The teachings of Gnosticism had been so influential to the culture of the time, that it threatened the early church, and possibly earned a mention in the Christian Bible. Gnosticism and Christianity share many similar features; just like what Christians do, Gnostics pray and study the Bible. However, they interpret the scriptures in a different perspective. For instance, Gnosticism believes Jesus “was pure spirit and only had …show more content…
Gnosticism has its own set of beliefs, practices, and symbols, which allows it to be recognized as an independent religion, rather than just a heresy of Christianity. Just like many other religions, Gnosticism is diverse and has been divided into several religious sects. Therefore, not all Gnostics believe in the exact same thing, but the general outline of their beliefs is fairly clear. Dualism is one of the main themes that are taught in every Gnostic groups. According to their theologies, there are two worlds that exist at the same time - a spiritual one, which is good, and a material one, which is bad. The human spirit is “of divine origin and good,” while everything in the world of matter, including the body, is “inherently earthly and evil.” (Religious Tolerance) This leads to the concept of two creator gods: the Supreme Father of Truth, who is responsible for the spiritual world, and the Demiurge, who created the earth and its life forms to trap the spiritual elements. The latter, the lower God, is viewed by Gnostics as “fundamentally evil, jealous, rigid, lacking in compassion, and prone to genocide.” (EAEC) Knowledge is another Gnostic core belief. Gnosticism sees it as a key factor to break free