Who Are You Calling Gnostic?

Last updated on: October 9, 2019 at 3:37 am by Henry Karlson

Who Are You Calling Gnostic? 2019-10-09T03:37:11-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Charles W. King: Trace of an image of the Abraxas Stone / Wikimedia Commons]

In many religious debates, the word Gnostic is often thrown around as a way to insult one’s opponent, with the intention of suggesting they are a heretic. The problem is that the term is often used wrongly. While it does not necessarily indicate someone is a heretic, there are various heretical groups, each which claimed special knowledge necessary for salvation, that were labelled Gnostic so that the term became associated with heresy. While the claim that particular knowledge is necessary for salvation is certainly a problem,[1]

The notion that some people could receive special insight was not in itself rejected, indeed, many of the early Christians who opposed various heretical Gnostic sects declared that the true Gnosticism was to be found in the Christian faith. This is because those who live a life of holy devotion to God might find themselves experiencing God in a transcendent fashion and are worthily called Gnostics and have been honored because of the grace God gave to them[2] It is for this reason that being a Gnostic is not in and of itself a problem: all those who have special insight either through mystical communion with God or through careful study of Scripture and holy tradition can be called Gnostics; the problem which must be avoided is false claims to such knowledge with teachings that run contrary to the truth.

Christianity must not be an anti-intellectual religion. Those who employ the term Gnostic disparagingly to theological or even political opponents because their opponents have greater insight, greater realization of the truth, do the Christian faith a great disservice. We are called to worship God with all our mind, heart, and soul; for some, but not all, that will lead to several intellectual and scholarly activities which can then be used to help the faithful. To disparage them for their accomplishments is only going to cause scandal as non-Christians will consider Christianity as being anti-erudite. Christianity has room for Gnostics as well as those who are not called to such a vocation; but what it does not have room for is the declaration of serious error.

Christianity affirms the Gnostic endeavor to pursue and know the truth. In that pursuit, some will have more opportunity, more ability to study and come to know more of it than others; there is nothing wrong when those who truly have attained some great insight should speak with authority because of that knowledge. They could be called a true Gnostic if the knowledge and wisdom which they impart is true, and following various ancient Christian writers, that would be considered the kind of honor which Christians should recognize as a great accomplishment.

This is not to say all who are called Gnostics, all who portray themselves as having insight, should be respected. There is a reason why the term Gnostic became associated with heretics and that is because in first few centuries of Christian history, many groups claimed Gnostic knowledge which had to be rejected. Not only did they falsely claim knowledge which they did not possess, they were prideful in their error, making it difficult if not impossible for them and their followers to be corrected. They were not persuaded by reason because they claimed supernatural revelation which raised them above the common crowd, indeed, above any criticism, even though what they taught was philosophically and theologically faulty. This kind of Gnostic is the kind which no Christian should desire to be.

While there were many different so-called Gnostic groups with their own cosmological myths and soteriological understanding, each riddled with errors, there were several features which they held in common. To properly impugn someone as being a heretical Gnostic, they should be shown to follow the basic principles which the so-called Gnostics had in common. If they do not, then if the term is being used to denounce someone else, it being used erroneously and should be treated as worthless.

Four particular features are important in determining if someone follows heretical Gnosticism.

The first feature, and indeed a primary one, is to hold to some form of ontological dualism. There is a good God, but also a fallen (either mistaken or evil) creator God who established material creation.

The second feature follows from the first. The good God is spirit, and from him emanates spiritual entities which are said to have been trapped in matter by the evil (or at least ignorant) God. Matter is an evil prison, and salvation is understood as the return of the good spiritual principle to the good God outside of creation. Gnostics, believing this, seek salvation by freeing themselves from the temptations and confines of materiality (there are various forms of this, some represented by sects following rigoristic asceticism, with others following the exact opposite position, becoming anti-nomian in their inclinations). Because of this, they did not believe God truly became man; he came to us in the form of a man, but it was an illusion as the body itself was illusory. God did not did not die on the cross to save material creation; he only came to us to reveal the problem of our existence and to lead us away from our materiality. Material creation will not to be saved; only good spirits who are to be led out of material bondage and return to their origin with the good God will be saved.

Third, there is a rejection of the Old Testament as well as much of the New Testament. They believed that the God who presented himself in the Old Testament is the Demiurge, the fallen creator, who is selfish, ignorant, and self-serving. His laws and commands are not to be followed. The New Testament represents the revelation of the true God through Jesus Christ. Instead of seeing the connection between the two testaments, they are made to oppose each other; those who were seen as bad in the Old Testament were often seen as heroes by the Gnostic groups.

Fourth, as a result of their superior knowledge, heretical Gnostics opposed normal ecclesial authorities. The apostles were said to have passed down secret esoteric teachings which only the Gnostics knew. At times, when it benefited them, the Gnostics would acknowledge the church as being a useful tool, aimed for the masses, while the Gnostic would then recruit from amidst the church those they believed spiritually ready for their own higher knowledge and the truth which the church could not know.

Heretical Gnosticism often infiltrated and confused various Christian communities and had to be slowly rooted out when their real teachings were made known. They denied the world and its good. As a result, contrary to Voegelin, they were not attempting to create utopia on the earth. They were not seeking to immanentize the eschaton but the reverse: to show that heaven and earth could never be united. It is therefore with great irony that many who have employed the term Gnostic to criticize their opponents are those who most resemble the heretical Gnostic sects of old.

Having superior knowledge does not make someone a heretical Gnostic. Critics who label someone Gnostic solely because they demonstrate some greater insight indicate that they have nothing but fallacious argumentation to defend their own position. They would rather use an ad hominem attack, disparaging the messenger, instead of demonstrating how and why they are in error. But, the problem is much worse, when the term is employed to attack those who stand in opposition to all heretical forms of Gnosticism. When this is done, the end result is the very Gnosticism which is supposedly being rejected.. This is exactly the problem which emerged with Voegelin and his followers. They have so warped the minds of their followers to decry social justice because they do not see any value in trying to improve—or save – the world, contrary to what the Christian tradition has always said.

[1] The Christian faith is in itself a form of Gnosticism because it does teach various doctrines and ideas which are not found in the same way outside the Christian faith. However, it does not treat such knowledge as salvific. Cooperation with grace is necessary for salvation; knowledge can help motivate us in our engagement with grace, but those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of various teachings of the Christian faith can still be saved by God’s grace (which, among other reasons, is why infants can be baptized, welcomed into the family of God, even though they do not have any particular knowledge of the Christian faith themselves).

[2] Both St. Clement of Alexandria and St. Maximos the Confessor employed the term “Gnostic” in such a fashion in their writings, showing that they did not think the term itself was unfitting Christian orthodoxy.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook

Previous Post

October 7, 2019

Joy In Stewardship

Next Post

October 10, 2019 Not Only Should We See The Return of Women Deacons, Their Function Should Be Reconsidered To Fit Modern Times

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz