Valentinianism

Background: This thesis aims to show that the narratives of the Nag Hammadi Apocalypse of Paul and First Apocalypse of James are written for a Valentinian audience. The purpose is to broaden the field of research on Valentinianism by showing how the authors and their implied readers composed and perceived the texts in question.

Method: Comparing the mythological language of the two narratives and their description of a hero’s journey in a transcendent reality it is possible to disentangle the Valentinian material from the imaginative world of the reader, a world consisted of ancient Egyptian and Greek mythology as well as Jewish apocalypticism and early Christian legends and traditions. The texts are also compared with new research in the field, other related Valentinian scriptures, the New Testament, and Christian Apocrypha.

Results: The texts are pseudepigraphic and written within a Jewish apocalyptic genre sometime during the late second or early third century. The symbolism and the diverse metaphors of the narratives indicate that the texts incorporate a specific soteriological message through embedded Valentinian mythology. The implied reader is to understand that the material world is an illusion and that the purpose of the initiate is to awaken the mind and acquire knowledge about the truth. By doing so the redemption of the believer’s spirit from its human body and soul leads to the reunion of the spirit with God.

Conclusion: The analysis of the texts points toward the fact that the narratives could very well have been used for catechetical or other educational purposes within a Valentinian community. The language and form of the two narratives fit to serve this purpose. In many ways, the reader has to be initiated within a Valentinian context in order to grasp the intended message.

The aim of the article is to reconstruct the Valentinians’ views on Paul of Tarsus, based mainly on gnostic exegesis of his letters, which extensively used hellenistic loanwords, thus making them widely interpreted by these religious currents. The analysis of this interpretative tradition of the Corpus Paulinum is based mainly on
the remaining heresiological sources (written in 3rd century CE), which in indirect way present the valentinian doctrine. Author argues that in that system the figure of Paul is the primary source of the knowledge about salvation, but also that he is a person of dual status – both of a psychic and pneumatic, which gives him a strong christological characteristic. That way of understanding the Apostle leads to conclusion that an exceptional role was attributed to him, making him to some extent a Christ-like figure.

Salvation is often thought to be an all-or-nothing matter: you are either saved or damned.  Paul the Apostle, John of Patmos, Hermas, the Sethians, and the Valentinians did not think this way.  For them, there were multiple levels of salvation.  By examining the reasons and implications for why these important thinkers believed that salvation comes in degrees, this book offers a fresh perspective on ancient thinking about responsibility, especially as it intersects with concerns such as genealogy and determinism.  It shows why Jews and Christians of various kinds – some eventually declared orthodox, others heretical – correlated ethics and soteriology, and argued over how this should be done.

"Clement of Alexandria (c.150–215 CE) is one of the most significant theologians of the second-century, and his work is still the subject of intense academic debate. This book provides a new perspective on Clement’s thought, through a critical examination of the work of one of his critics, Photios (c.820–893 CE). Photios, the Patriarch of Constantinople, based his critique on Clement’s (now lost) treatise ‘Hypotyposeis’, claiming the work contained eight ‘heresies’. The book examines each ‘error’ listed in the 109th codex of Photios’ ‘Bibliotheca’ in depth, using evidence from Clement’s existing work to consider the likely accuracy of Photios’ critique. Focusing on these eight ‘heresies’ offers a unique opportunity to illuminate what in terms of post-Nicene orthodoxy are Clement’s most problematic opinions, setting them in the context of their original philosophical and theological frame
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The Marcosian ‘redemption’ afterlife practice, described by Irenaeus (Haer. 1.21.5; see also, 1.13.6), exhibits striking similarities with the Bacchic Gold Tablets. This article exploits this largely neglected comparative opportunity to interrogate how the Marcosian redemption would have been recognisable to people in the Greco-Roman Mediterranean, thus bypassing the common focus in our field on ‘origins’ or ‘influences’. The Christians who participated in the Marcosian redemption emerge as people engaged in a broader genre of Greco-Roman religiosity that is associated with independent experts who adapted known mythic resources and offered access to afterlife benefits. This article thus pursues a level of social analysis we often take for granted in Early Christian Studies by attending to the constituent practices of the Marcosian redemption as well as to the social conditions within which it could have been intelligible or compelling. It furthermore leverages this analysis to suggest the fruitfulness of similarly redescribing other, more familiar early Christian materials in terms of practices.

In this work, J. D. Atkins employs a combination of reception-history analysis and redaction criticism to challenge modern theories that Luke 24 and John 20 are apologetic responses to incipient docetism. He subjects second-century parallels used to support these theories to the same redaction-critical scrutiny as the Gospels and finds that the editorial and apologetic concerns of the evangelists differ fundamentally from those of antidocetic writers: neither Luke nor John aims to prove the physicality of the resurrection. Both instead draw attention to the fulfillment of prophecy. The author also argues that the apostles' doubt was not an apologetic device and that the bodily demonstrations of touching and eating predate docetism. Early docetists appeal to the Gospels as apostolic testimony but insist on a non-literal hermeneutic in which Christ performs physical actions "in appearance only."

This article contains an investigation of the Sethian and Valentinian gnostic movements of the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE based on documents produced by these movements rather than the writings of Christian apologists. Specifically, this is an analysis of the role played of the character of Eve in their versions of the Sethian and Valentinian interpretation of the story of creation, comparing these with the orthodox Roman Christian view.

La recherche des sources judéo-chrétiennes qui ont influencé le système théologique et philosophique de Martinès de Pasqually, mystique franco-espagnol du XVIII ème siècle, aboutit au Valentinisme, mouvement chrétien hétérodoxe qui s'est développé à partir d'Alexandrie au II ème siècle. L'étude du Traité de la Réintégration, oeuvre maîtresse de Martinès, puis celle de l'Exposé valentinien, issu des « écoles » se réclamant de Valentin, dénotent de nombreux points de convergence et permettent de conclure à un parallélisme raisonnable entre les deux systèmes.

The article discusses an inscription from the suburbs of Rome, known as NCE 156. Fifty years ago, Margherita Guarducci argued on paleographic grounds that it dates to the second century, making it among the very earliest Christian inscriptions known, earlier than than the Abercius stone, often considered to be the earliest Christian inscription in existence. Her arguments are reconsidered and strengthened in light of later publications and discoveries. The core of the article, however, is devoted to demonstrating the presence of a deep and complicated relationship with the language of Greek funeral poetry, a connection that has completely escaped scholarly notice. As a result, it is clear that the inscription is a funeral epitaph, not a "baptismal inscription" as has been claimed in some studies. Moreover, the writer of the text deliberately subverted many of the conventions of Greek funeral poetry and expected the audience for the poem to appreciate this. The poem and the people who wrote, commissioned, and displayed it may thus be situated fairly highly on the spectrum of literary and cultural sophistication. While the circumstances of discovery do not allow us to place the inscription in a precise archaeological context, it is possible  that it derives from the grounds of a villa, around the Third Mile of the Via Latina, where a community of Valentinian Christians may have been located.

Originally submitted: December, 2017. Last edited: July, 2024. By looking at the similarities between various philosophies which influenced Augustine's life - e.g. Platonism, Valentinianism and Manichaeism - and Augustine's developing theology, we will develop a preliminary hypothesis as to how Augustine came to his views on time and predestination. In this essay we argue that Augustine had been influenced by extra-biblical sources, rather than by biblical sources to form his blueprint theology.

The article was written at the University of Oslo, Faculty of Theology, under the aegis of project NEWCONT (New Contexts for Old Texts: Unorthodox Texts and Monastic Manuscript Culture in 4th- and 5th-Cent. Egypt), funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) / ERC Grant agreement no 283741.

The paper examines Clement of Alexandria’s “Excerpta ex Theodoto”  with three aims. In the first section, it reconstructs theory of salvation reflected in this document: the origin of the current visible/invisible worlds and the crucial connection between genesis and eschaton. In the second part I it focuses on the anthropology proposed by the Excerpts: are human beings divided into three predetermined categories which predestine their salvation? Finally, it contributes some thoughts on the place of Excerpts in Clement's oeuvre: what is new, unknown and surprising about Clement of Alexandria in the light of his work?

The article was written at the University of Oslo, Faculty of Theology, under the aegis of project NEWCONT (New Contexts for Old Texts: Unorthodox Texts and Monastic Manuscript Culture in 4th- and 5th-Cent. Egypt), funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) / ERC Grant agreement no 283741.

İnsanoğlu var oluşundan itibaren dini bir ortam içerisinde yaşayarak kurtuluşunu arayan bir birey olagelmiştir. Dinler de bu manada ortaya çıkışları ve gelişim göstermeleri ve temel unsurları noktasında günah (Hamartioloji) ve maddi dünyadan kurtuluşun (Soterioloji) yol, yöntem ve prensiplerini ortaya koymaya çalışmışlardır. Bu çerçevede Soterioloji, Hıristiyanlık dini sistemi içerisinde var oluşundan itibaren insanda var olan asli, var oluşundan sonra ortaya çıkan bireysel günahlar ve içerisinde bulunulan maddi dünyadan kurtuluş yöntemlerini inceleyen ve belirleyen son dönemlerde varlık gösteren bir bilimdir. Çalışmamızda bu bilim çerçevesinde Hıristiyanlığın erken dönemlerinde dini-toplumsal ortamda varlık göstermiş olan Basilides, Valentinus ve Marcion gibi Gnostik öğreticilerin Gnostik öğreticilerin konu üzerindeki görüşlerini ele almaya ve
Soterioloji bilimi perspektifinden görüşleriyle birlikte çeşitli dinlerdeki Soterioloji anlayışlarını ortaya koymaya gayret ettik. Buna göre Hıristiyanlığın erken dönemindeki Gnostik kurtuluş anlayışı ruh, Gnosis ve kurtarıcı unsurları içeriğinde Soteriolojik ‘Benimseme’, ‘Gerekçelendirme, ‘Kutsama’ ve ‘Kefaret’ teorileri ekseninde tarafımızca ifadesine çalışılmıştır.
Human beings have been living in a religious environment since their existence and seeking their salvation. In this sense, religions have tried to reveal the ways, methods and principles of salvation from the material world at the point of their emergence and development and its basic elements. In this context, Soteriology is a science that has existed in human beings since its existence within the Christian religious system, which has examined the individual sins that emerged after its existence and the methods of salvation from the material world within it. In this study, we tried to discuss the views of the like Basilides, Valentinus, Marcion Gnostic teachers who were present in the religious-social context in the early periods of Christianity and to illustrate the soceristics of various religions with their views from the perspective of the soteriology Science. According to this, in the context of the spirit, Gnosis and the redeemer elements of the understanding of the Gnostic salvation in the early period, we have tried to express ourselves in the framework of the theories of "Adoption", "Justification", "Sanctification" and "Atonement".

Resum L'article ofereix una visió general sobre l'escola de Valentí el Gnòstic, que va ser un destacat grup cristià el segle II dC. Presentem un nombre de mestres que encara es coneixen pel seu nom. Els textos Valentinians també eren nombrosos en la Biblioteca de Nag Hammadi, una col·lecció de primers textos cristians trobats a Egipte l'any 1945. Els Valentinians són un dels grups cristians que intenten dibuixar un límit clar entre " Gnosticisme " i cristiandat. S'apunta a l'article que l'esco-la de Valentí Gnòstic tenia una forta orientació filosòfica. Això es fa especialment evident en el mite valentinià de la Saviesa, en el qual la teràpia d'emocions és una preocupació crucial. Els Valentinians van estar realment interessats en qüestions relacionades amb el progrés moral. També hi ha evidència que utilitzaven el mite políticament, és a dir, per explicar l'estructura de la societat.

Achievement of maturity/perfection as one of the central themes of Clement’s philosophy and theology, has two main approaches. Lilla’s (1971) position pointed to philosophical context which marked Clement’s thought, while Osborn studied adaptation of the Greek legacy into new Christian context. This study challenges Osborn’s view (1957), while modifying Lilla’s position. In addition it deals with elements of Clement’s theology not dealt with by Lilla i.e. the role of Christian community in progress towards Christian perfection. This patristic idea of ‘perfection’ still has much to offer to a modern reader or student of theology, as it promotes a positive, holistic and optimistic vision of human being and his/her relationship with God

Tatian the “Assyrian,” student of Justin Martyr and teacher in Rome in the latter half of the second century, was recognized by later Christians such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Eusebius, as one of the most educated Christian thinkers of his day. However, a survey of ancient sources and modern scholarship on this figure reveals a number of competing “Tatians” who are not easily reconcilable with one another: Tatian the Marcionite, the Valentinian, the Encratite, the proto-Monarchian, the rhetorician, the gospel editor, and the founder of a school that decisively shaped Syriac Christianity and later Antiochene theology. The present article examines each of these representations in turn in order to highlight a series of unsolved problems related to Tatian and his legacy which require further research, while also suggesting that the inconsistencies in our sources might be the result of Tatian’s own failure to formulate a coherent and compelling intellectual system that could command the allegiance of many followers.

Collection of comments to various passages of Clement of Alexandria’s Stromata V (1,1-2; 2,5-6; 3,2; 6,3; 8,6; 18,3; 23,2-24,2; 38,5; 71,2-3; 83,5; 90,2; 98,4; 133,7; 141,3). Its aim is to complement earlier research by re-examining the syntactic structure or the meaning of terms, by adducing new parallels or by proposing fresh explanations of diffi cult segments of the text.

Keywords: philosophy of faith, Basilides, being-life-thinking, angelology, exegesis of the High Priest, symbolism, negative theology, Valentinianism, soteriology

In discussing the origin of Gnosticism one has to take note of the fact that Gnosticism with a libertine practice (Simon Magus, Cainites, Carpocratians, Nicolaitans) is older than Gnosticism with an ascetical practice. The belief in a divine but fallen female principle (Simon, Valentinus) is older that the belief in a fallen primordial man. Now Gnosticism obviously has some similarity with the kind of mysticism cultivated in Hindu religion. We all know that the classical goal of Hinduism is to attain mystic vision by cutting off the flow of information and impressions from the senses. But there is also another method less known by Western students of religion: the Tantric, " left hand " path, where one hopes to attain ecstasy by breaking social taboos, drinking wine, eating flesh and (most important!) engaging in taboo-breaking sexual activities