Pros And Cons Of Gnosticism

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Gnosticism was one of the more early versions of Christianity (Smith). Gnosticism was a loosely organized religious and philosophical movement (Moore). The problem with Gnosticism was that it disagreed with many agreements or ideas (Smith). Gnostics believed that the world was evil. It also claimed that salvation could only be gained through secret knowledge (Zavada). They also believed that God was not fully man or God (Robinson). Both these ideas that are false were created by leaders of Gnosticism (Smith). The thing is that the catholic church new things were false and needed to defend what they knew. The church went on to sharing the truth. They stated that the material world was good. The church was able to do this because they know …show more content…

Unlike the Gnostics who said salvation could only be gained through secret knowledge. As catholics we know we can receive salvation easily through reconciliation. Going to Reconciliation is simple and anyone who wants forgiveness from god can receive that salvation (Zavada).
Gnostics also believed that God was not fully man or God. As catholics we know that this is not true and that God can fully assume human form. He is full in both presences of human and God or spiritual way. God can be seen in both ways this proves what the Gnostics said is false (Robinson).
For all these beliefs of Gnostics there had to be roots of Gnosticism. These roots came from some time in the second centuries CE. Although the exact origins cannot be traced it is possible to locate sources back the second and first centuries BCE. Some of these are early treatises of the Corpus Hermeticum, the Jewish Apocalyptic writings, and especially Platonic philosophy and the Hebrew Scriptures themselves. Gnostic ideas were not informed by a philosophical procedure. The Gnostic vision of the world was based upon the intuition of a radical and seemingly irreparable rupture between the realm of experience and the realm of true Being---that is, existence in its positive, creative, or authentic aspect

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