A Pocket Essential Short History of The Gnostics

A Pocket Essential Short History of The Gnostics by Sean Martin


ISBN
9781842433393
Published
Binding
Paperback
Pages
176
Dimensions
129 x 198mm

Gnosticism - derived from the Greek word gnosis, to know - is the name given to various religious schools that proliferated in the first centuries after Christ and, at one time, almost became the dominant form of Christianity. Yet some Gnostic beliefs derive from the older Mystery traditions of Greece and Rome, and the various Gnostic schools came to be branded as heretical by the emerging Christian church. Indeed, although some Gnostic beliefs are close to mainstream Christianity, Gnosticism also held that the world is imperfect as it was created by an evil god who was constantly at war with the true, good God; that Christ and Satan were brothers; that reincarnation exists; and that women were the equals of men As a result, the Gnostics held the Feminine Aspect of God - whom they addressed as Sophia, or Wisdom - in very high regard. They also stressed that we each have a spark of the Divine inside us which, when recognised and developed, will ultimately liberate us from the prison of the material world.
Although largely stamped out by the Church by the sixth century, Gnosticism survived underground through groups such as the Bogomils and the Cathars, and influenced the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, the psychologist Carl Jung, the Existentialists, the New Age movement and writers as diverse as William Blake, W.B. Yeats, Albert Camus and Philip K. Dick. In this book, Sean Martin recounts the long and diverse history of Gnosticism, and argues for its continued relevance today.
EOFY 2025 Book Frenzy
28.04
RRP: $32.99
15% off RRP


This product is unable to be ordered online. Please check in-store availability.
Instore Price: $32.99
Enter your Postcode or Suburb to view availability and delivery times.

Other Titles by Sean Martin

Easy Japanese
16.99
14.44
15% Off
A Short History Of Disease
29.99
25.49
15% Off
Andrei Tarkovsky
39.99
33.99
15% Off
The Knights Templar
39.99
33.99
15% Off
The Cathars
17.99
15.29
15% Off

You might also like


RRP refers to the Recommended Retail Price as set out by the original publisher at time of release.
The RRP set by overseas publishers may vary to those set by local publishers due to exchange rates and shipping costs.
Due to our competitive pricing, we may have not sold all products at their original RRP.