Over the past year I have been researching the early Church phenomenon of Gnosticism. I have found it a fascinating and helpful study in coming to understand the diverse nature of early Christianity and the dynamics behind it. I’m currently engaged with a course of lectures by Professor David Brakkie of the University of Ohio, on what the Nag Hammadi scrolls reveal to us about early Christianity, especially the work of Valentinius. What has interested me is how this tradition has value in terms of understanding some of the problems of the world today, especially our reductionist scientific materialism leading to our rejection of the spiritual and transcendent. This reductionist approach has given rise to nihilism. In terms of societal values about what is meaningful and purposeful, our materialistic, consumer focused culture has given rise to addictions, gross consumption and global self-sabotage, (the latter seen in endless debt, the problem of climate change and vast social inequality). Filmmaker, Robert Bonomo has made a documentary that analyses how systems of political power, economics and consumption are our modern day ‘Archons’ and that these systems arise out of our conscious capacity for creation.
A minority of Christians in my social media friends list have been apoplectic by my finding any value in ancient Gnostic wisdom, almost accusing me of creation denial. How funny that being interested, informed and curious about something causes people to accuse you of “becoming” something.
I sense that the Gnostics were a minority of believers who wanted a level of spiritual depth that went beyond belief into substantial transpersonal experience. This was expressed in the religious language and thought forms available at that time and in places where Christianity was developing. Unfortunately the early Church Fathers engaged in apologetics rather than trying to understand the phenomenon which led to separation rather than integration.
I wonder what Valentinius and Marcion would have said about the problems of todays world?