The Discovery Of The Traditional Orthodox Form Of...

Gnosticism can be defined as the mystical perception of knowledge and was considered to be a heresy that was condemned by those who followed the traditional Orthodox form of Christianity. In the second century the movement of Gnostic Christianity occurred; it is also referred to as a Christian sect (Carus). Though people viewed Gnostic Christianity as a sect, it has never been denied that Gnosticism is older than Christianity and the relation and importance between the two groups have never been acknowledged (Gnostic Discoveries). Since the discovery of texts found at Nag Hammadi which presents Jesus as a Gnostic teacher, the connection between the two groups has grown exponentially, and Paul Carus the author of The Monist even believes that Christianity is a branch of Gnosticism. Marvin Meyer a professor of Bible and Christian studies, has found that the discovery of the Gnostic texts allows scholars to get a deeper understanding of Christian teachings and relate the findings to bib lical texts (Gnostic Discoveries). It is said that Gnosticism formed when early Christians did not agree with the Old Testament and that Gnosticism was another way for them to understand Jesus’ teachings, which is why there are differences between Orthodox beliefs and Gnostic beliefs (Mansager). In Gnosticism, Jesus, instead of being looked at as a human, is only looked at as a divine being and the divine being presents the key to reaching salvation. In line 39 of the Gospel of Thomas it isShow MoreRelated Christianity Essay1635 Words   |  7 Pages Christianity religion was founded in Palestine by the followers of Jesus. 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