6 Things People Get Wrong About Gnosticism

[@danemiljoshua]

I finally understood Gnosticism! Got that "gnosis" to be saved 😂 Thank you Dr. Bird!!!!

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

You now have the Gnosis about Gnosticism!

[@jefftitterington7600]

Thank you, Dr. Byrd, you are an excellent teacher!

[@SibleySteve]

Love the term gnostic adjacent. My Episcopal church has members who speak of silent mindfulness, Richard Rohr's anneagram personality types, personal discovery, labyrinth walks, Rob Bell, silent retreats, etc., and while some of these function as old school Benedictine devotionals, other times I get a distinct new age vibe that is pretty anti-Jehovah in its presentation of the Gospel (loving Jesus synthesizes the wrathful YWHW, Leon Morris' "Apostolic Preaching of the Gospel" and his advocacy of "propitiation" for mercy seat would be a big no no). I'm not sure if they are intentional heretics or just consumers of bookstore trinkets, but they are mostly baby boomers who don't really dig the Hebrews. Maybe it's a generational thing. Thoughts?

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

I'd call most of that "esoteric" than Gnostic!

[@augustinian2018]

I like the term ‘Gnostic-adjacent.’ It really gets at some of the anthropological and eschatological issues I’ve been trying to highlight in a book study I’ve been leading at my church on Carl Trueman’s _Strange New World_ and N.T. Wright’s _Surprised by Hope_ (Trueman’s book roughly as the diagnosis, Wright’s as the more hopeful/positive antidote).

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

Yes, I think it works!

[@ChristOrChaos777]

This probably falls into the “everything I don’t like is Gnostic” category, but I’ve heard the accusation that the Gnostics were feminists. But wouldn’t they have had a very low view of women? Since man as a created being is already bad enough, but women are a step removed from men (further in the earthly direction). As always, thanks for the information Dr. Bird!

[@earlychristianhistorywithm8684]

Yes, for Gnostics, as for many ancient people thanks to -I think- Aristotle, a female is malformed male that didn't develop properly in the womb. Now read Gos. Thom. 114 to see what I mean. Salvation is about metaphorical females becoming male again.

[@davidanfinrud3438]

I still feel that Gospel as GNostic because of the time frame it was produced. I do use False Teachings more than Heresy. Gnostic from my reading which is not perfect were those who claimed they had hidden knowledge give me money I will teach you these secret teachings of the apostles.