History in the Bible 3.20 Gnowing Me, Gnowing You II: The Crusade of Valentinus
Sep 4, 2022
Explore the intriguing world of the Valentinian Gnostics, who flourished alongside early Christianity and welcomed female leadership. Discover how their literature, including the Gospels of Mary and Phillip, contrasts with orthodox texts. Delve into Valentinus’ unique views on duality in Christ and his reinterpretation of Pauline theology. The podcast navigates their eventual suppression and the recovery of lost Gnostic works, enriching our understanding of early religious diversity.
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Valentinus Merged Gnosticism With Christianity
- Valentinus adapted Gnostic ideas into a Christian framework that toned down Sethian baroque myth-making.
- His Gospel of Truth reads like a sermon celebrating joy at finding divine knowledge.
A Softer Gnostic Cosmology
- Valentinus rejected Sethian cosmological excess, avoiding eons and extreme denigration of matter.
- He still held a demiurge idea but saw the material world as less utterly contemptible.
Threefold Human Types
- Valentinus divided humanity into material, psychic, and spiritual classes echoing typical Gnostic tripartitions.
- Only the spiritual elite could grasp the deeper truths necessary for salvation.