The Gnostics: History-Tradition-Scriptures-Influence The Gnostics: History-Tradition-Scriptures-Influence Hot

The Gnostics: History-Tradition-Scriptures-Influence
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Format
Number Of Pages, Discs, Etc.
256
Publisher
Date Published
October 07, 2008
ISBN-10
1905857780
ISBN-13
978-1905857784

According to the ancient Gnostics—the early Christians who wrote such controversial texts as the recently discovered Gospel of Judas—we are all capable of gnosis, or direct knowledge of the true reality that lies behind the material world. Andrew Phillip Smith, author of respected works on the lost sayings of Jesus, the Gospel of Philip, and other Gnostic subjects, now offers a highly accessible layman’s introduction to this long-suppressed philosophy that offers an intriguing alternative to accepted Christian beliefs. With references to The Da Vinci Code, The Matrix, and other fictions inspired by the Gnostic worldview, this is an eye-opening, and possibly life-changing book meant to revive forgotten traditions, and perhaps even allow readers to experience gnosis themselves.

Editor reviews

 
The Gnostics: History-Tradition-Scriptures-Influence 2009-01-27 00:57:06 Miriam Knight
Overall rating 
 
4.0
Style 
 
3.0
Content 
 
5.0
Consciousness 
 
4.0
Miriam Knight Reviewed by Miriam Knight    January 27, 2009
Top 10 Reviewer  -   View all my reviews

This review of the history and literature of the Gnostics is both scholarly and exhaustive, so I was surprised at how amazingly compelling a read it was. Smith leads us through the historical origins and often bizarre evolution of Gnosticism up to today's popular culture, where its central tenets still ring true: "that we humans are somehow asleep to our lives and to the true meaning of reality, and yet can awaken; that there is a higher form of personal religion in comparison with which organized religion is a travesty; that reality is not what it seems to be."

The Welsh-born author is the editor of "The Gnostic" magazine and author of several books on Gnosticism and ealy Christianity: Gnostic Writings of the Soul; the lost Saying of Jesus; and The Gospel of Philip.

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