Anti-Gnosticism

Previously, I submitted a working definition for gnosticism, an infamously vague category which typically serves to mark various doctrines as heterodox. These still have in my view a family resemblance, despite the exonymic nature of the term itself. There’s no minimum viable criteria to which all doctrines called gnostic can be reduced without shaving off the edges and possibly mischaracterizing many (or all ) of them. However, there are tendencies manifest in doctrines called gnostic, which distinguish them from others called orthodox, and we should think of these tendencies not as specific beliefs but as relations between a believer, their dogma, and their praxis. My earlier go was : that physical creation is a corrupt prison in which our souls are trapped, and that the goal of religion is to release our souls into a perfect immaterial realm where we’re free of material trappings and temptations But even my attempt to cast a wide net is too specific and thus fails to accomplish ...

There’s a funny chapter in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, which I’m going to share at length because I don’t believe in slicing ‘verses’ out of a text: Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts and especially that you may prophesy. For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to Gxd, for no one understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit. But those who prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church. Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you in some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? It is the same way with lifeless instr...

This is not a long post; just a reflection. There’s a passage in Romans that always struck me as strange: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from Gxd, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by Gxd. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what Gxd has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval, for it is Gxd’s agent for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the agent of Gxd to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are Gxd’s agents, busy with this very thing. Pay to all what is due them: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to ...

I feel like I glossed over Romans 1:18–25 (NRSVUE) in my previous post : For the wrath of Gxd is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those who by their injustice suppress the truth. For what can be known about Gxd is plain to them, because Gxd has made it plain to them. Ever since the creation of the world Gxd’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things Gxd has made. So they are without excuse, or though they knew Gxd, they did not honor him as Gxd or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the immortal Gxd for images resembling a mortal human or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore Gxd gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth about Gxd for a lie an...