Examples Of Gnosticism
Nicole Tschida
Theology of Christ
12/06/17
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a well known heresy that became popular during the first and second centuries. The Gnostics valued knowledge highly. They believed that knowledge was the most important thing a person could possess. Having the right type of knowledge, a knowledge that was hidden, would earn their salvation. They believed that, “Redemption consisted in gnosis, the knowledge of one’s true divine identity. This knowledge liberated one from the oppressive fetter of the body that kept the divine spark imprisoned” (Jesus Christ, pg. 233). The Gnostics believed that Christ possessed the hidden knowledge they desired. Christ refutes the idea of hidden knowledge in the book of John when he says, “Jesus …show more content…
One of the main implications that made Gnosticism a heresy is that Gnostics were fundamentally misguided in their understanding of the nature of God. They believed that Jesus Christ was not God and taught that Jesus was a human who had gained the hidden knowledge needed for salvation. The main problem with this ideology is that it denied the divinity of Christ, thus attempting to divide the trinity and deny the nature of God. The Gnostics believed that the human body was evil. They could not fathom that a good God created the human body (Jesus Christ, p. 233). From looking at internal evidence from scripture one can infer that God did create the human body and the physical world. Scripture says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5). This passage from scripture states that everything (including the human body) was created by God, and that not a single thing was created by another being or creature. The problem with the Gnostic belief that God did not create the human body is that Catholic Doctrine teaches that God made man, and man is made in the image and likeness of God, and the body and soul of a person are united. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Theology of Christ
12/06/17
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a well known heresy that became popular during the first and second centuries. The Gnostics valued knowledge highly. They believed that knowledge was the most important thing a person could possess. Having the right type of knowledge, a knowledge that was hidden, would earn their salvation. They believed that, “Redemption consisted in gnosis, the knowledge of one’s true divine identity. This knowledge liberated one from the oppressive fetter of the body that kept the divine spark imprisoned” (Jesus Christ, pg. 233). The Gnostics believed that Christ possessed the hidden knowledge they desired. Christ refutes the idea of hidden knowledge in the book of John when he says, “Jesus …show more content…
One of the main implications that made Gnosticism a heresy is that Gnostics were fundamentally misguided in their understanding of the nature of God. They believed that Jesus Christ was not God and taught that Jesus was a human who had gained the hidden knowledge needed for salvation. The main problem with this ideology is that it denied the divinity of Christ, thus attempting to divide the trinity and deny the nature of God. The Gnostics believed that the human body was evil. They could not fathom that a good God created the human body (Jesus Christ, p. 233). From looking at internal evidence from scripture one can infer that God did create the human body and the physical world. Scripture says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5). This passage from scripture states that everything (including the human body) was created by God, and that not a single thing was created by another being or creature. The problem with the Gnostic belief that God did not create the human body is that Catholic Doctrine teaches that God made man, and man is made in the image and likeness of God, and the body and soul of a person are united. The Catechism of the Catholic Church