Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
INNER CIRCLE: What About Those Who Remain In Ignorance?

INNER CIRCLE: What About Those Who Remain In Ignorance?

Last updated on: July 26, 2024 at 5:10 pm by Keith Giles

0 Comments

INNER CIRCLE: What About Those Who Remain In Ignorance? 2024-07-26T17:10:08+00:00 Keith Giles

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.

IMAGE: Keith Giles [MidJourney]

A Few Thoughts About Oneness

Reading through the Gospel of Truth, one may discern a mixed message of Oneness and Connection with the Divine on the one hand, and Separation from the Father on the other. This bears further study and reflection before we move on to the rest of the text.

In Chapters 7 and 8 we begin to read statements that suggest the notion that some of “those who will learn [of the Father] are the living who are written in the book of the living” [7:3], and that, “those who are ignorant until the end are creatures of forgetfulness [who] will dissolve with it” [8:4].

What are we to make of these statements? Is Valentinus arguing that some are separated from the Father and will experience a form of annihilation or dissolution in the end? If so, what does that suggest about the original notions of all humanity existing in the Father and sharing the Father’s image?

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why that argument is logically inconsistent with what we read in the rest of the Gospel of Truth.

In Chapter 7, where the idea that “those who will learn [of the Father] are the living who are written in the book of the living” is first introduced, we also read this:

“Since the fullness of all things is in the Father, all things must go up to him….for they who are ignorant are in need, and their need is great, since they need what will fill them. Since the fullness of all things dwells in the Father, all things must go up to him and each one receives what is hers. He already inscribed these things, having prepared to give them to those who came from him.” [v. 5-9, emphasis mine]

It’s difficult to believe that the same person who wrote these verses above could think that there are some people will not come to know the Father and remain in ignorance to suffer the fate of dissolution. Why? Because those verses above affirm the notion that “…the fullness of all things is in the Father [and that] all things must go up to him.” If this is so, then where is there room for anyone to remain separated from the Father? Especially if that separation is merely an illusion that defies the reality of absolute Oneness and fullness in the Father?

It’s also logically inconsistent to argue that “those who are ignorant until the end…will dissolve…” when just a few verses prior to this the same author says that “all things must go up to him [the Father]…for they who are ignorant are in need…[of] what will fill them.” Are “they who are ignorant” not among those referred to in the phrase “all things”? Of course, they are. Those who are ignorant of the Father are the very ones whose ignorance and need draw them to the Father. Their ignorance of the Father does not separate them from God, it attracts them like the invisible waves drawing iron to a magnet. So, the idea that those who are ignorant of the Father can somehow remain ignorant and separated from God [in their minds] is ludicrous and entirely nonsensical if we follow the train of thought found right here in the Gospel of Truth.

What, then, are we to do with this verse that suggests otherwise? It’s a conundrum that one must grapple with philosophically, but the answers we gravitate toward may reveal more about us than we would like to admit. Certainly, one could take these verses at face value and conclude that Valentinus teaches that “in the end” those who remain in ignorance will “dissolve” along with it. Or, one could wrestle with these competing notions that I’ve highlighted above and conclude that those who are ignorant are the very ones being drawn to the Father by their ravenous need for what will fill them: the Father Himself, and that “since the fullness of all things dwells in the Father, all things must go up to him.”

So, we have a choice here. We can lean into the notion that we are among those who can see; who are not ignorant, and that those “other people” who refuse to agree with us are doomed to annihilation. Or, we can fully embrace the notion that everyone – regardless of their spiritual enlightenment or the lack thereof – are One with the Father and nothing can ever separate us from this reality. Not even our ignorance.

The real difficulty with finding a definitive answer is that I cannot dive into a lexicon to examine the original Coptic or Greek of this text to look for any potential nuance the translators may have missed in the verse that speaks of this dissolution of those who remain in ignorance. Perhaps the original language offers some possible re-translation that loosens the knot for us. If so, I am not sure how to determine that.

Looking at the verse in the English translation, it is possible to see how one might adjust the meaning to accommodate the more Universalist reading:

“…those who are ignorant until the end are creatures of forgetfulness [who] will dissolve with it” [8:4].

Perhaps it might be better translated as: “those who are ignorant until the end are creatures [whose] forgetfulness will dissolve with [forgetfulness].”

But, I cannot prove that. I can only point out that the verse, as translated for us in the English text we currently have available, is logically inconsistent with everything else affirmed in the Gospel of Truth. So, I must conclude that, either Valentinus hadn’t thought this idea out logically prior to writing that verse, or that verse isn’t correctly translated for us in the texts we have available.

Wherever you land on this issue, the determining factor at this point seems to leave us clinging to our preconceived biases. If we lean toward Universalism or Annihilation, our attention will be focused on one set of verses or the other; whichever confirms what we already believe.

What do you think?

The newest book from Keith Giles, “The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas” is available now on Amazon. Order HERE>

Keith Giles is the best-selling author of the Jesus Un series. He has appeared on CNN, USA Today, BuzzFeed, and John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything.”

He co-hosts The God Squad podcast, and the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast.

Cosmic Christ

Gnostics

God's Love

Gospel of the Kingdom

Previous Post

July 22, 2024

The Unrealized Promises of America and Christianity

Next Post

July 31, 2024 Beware Mr. Bubbles and the Lake of Suds

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Googled: “In psychology and everyday language, intelligence is the capacity to learn, understand, reason, think ..."

Herm

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"It's so weird to me how anyone thinks that getting basic income is in any ..."

Scott Santens

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"Sounds very much like what Pope Leo wrote in Magnifica Humanitas - a lot of ..."

ffeineandsugar

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"As it is written in the canonical Gospels:But as many as received Him, to them ..."

Herm

INNER CIRCLE: God’s Transcending Love

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Biblicism Christian Politics Cosmic Christ Deconstruction Discipleship Dispensationalism Divine Unity Ekklesia End Time Stuff Eschatology Evergreen Following Jesus Gender General Christian Topics Gnostics God's Love Gospel of Judas Gospel of Mary Gospel of Philip Gospel of the Kingdom Gospel of Thomas Gospel of Truth Hell Historical Jesus Inner Circle Investigative Reporting Islam LGBTQ Issues Marriage Mental/Emotional Health Mystery Non-Duality Philosophy Podcast Poetry Politics Poverty Preemptive Love Prophecy Psychology Quantum Theology Racism Reconstruction Satire Sex Technology Theology Uncategorized Universalism

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

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the name of the disciple who doubted Jesus' resurrection?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter Thomas John James

Books by This Author Books by Keith Giles

See All Titles »