Course Overview

Gnosticism, one of the most fascinating and perplexing phenomena in Western religious history, sparked religious ideologies that competed with many other religions of the time, including the theological thinking that came to define Christianity. Though the emerging Orthodox Church eventually condemned Gnosticism as heretical, it formed many of its central doctrines (such as original sin and the Immaculate Conception) in response to Gnostic ideas. This 24-lecture course serves as a richly detailed guide to the theology, sacred writings, rituals, and notable figures of the Gnostic movement.

Course Outline

• Rediscovering Gnosis

Explore the key tenets of ancient Gnosticism and the 1945 discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices. (33 min)

• Who Were the Gnostics?

Investigate the early writings of Irenaeus and the beliefs of the Gnostics. (31 min)

• God in Gnostic Myth

Examine the Gnostic conception of God as detailed in The Secret Book According to John. (32 min)

• Gnosticism on Creation, Sin, and Salvation

Study the Secret Book’s retelling of Genesis and the role of the false God Ialdaboath. (31 min)

5. Judas as a Gnostic Tragic Hero

Discover the alternative portrayal of Judas in the Gnostic Gospel of Judas. (31 min)

• Gnostic Bible Stories

Analyze how Gnostic texts rewrite early biblical narratives. (31 min)

• Gnosticism’s Ritual Pathway to God

Explore Gnostic rituals and conceptions of direct knowledge of God. (33 min)

• The Feminine in Gnostic Myth

Assess the role of female divinities in Gnostic texts. (31 min)

• The Gospel of Thomas’s Cryptic Sayings

Learn the teachings of Jesus as presented in The Gospel According to Thomas. (33 min)

• The Gospel of Thomas on Reunifying the Self

Investigate the Thomas gospel's view of salvation and unity. (30 min)

11. Valentinus, Great Preacher of Gnosis

Understand how Valentinus' teachings appealed to early Christians. (33 min)

• God and Creation in Valentinian Myth

Study how Valentinus's movement interacted with contemporary Christianity. (34 min)

• “Becoming Male” through Valentinian Ritual

Explore the significance of Valentinian sacraments. (32 min)

• Valentinian Views on Christian Theology

Delve into the Valentinian beliefs within the context of diverse Christian thought. (33 min)

• Mary Magdalene as an Apostle of Gnosis

Contrast Mary Magdalene's portrayal in canonical and non-canonical gospels. (32 min)

• Competing Revelations from Christ

Explore key texts from the Nag Hammadi codices that challenge orthodox views. (31 min)

• The Invention of Heresy

Learn how the concept of heresy emerged within early Christianity. (33 min)

18. Making Gnosis Orthodox

Encounter the work of Clement and Origen in understanding Gnostic teachings. (34 min)

• Gnosticism and Judaism

Investigate the relationship between Gnosticism and the early Jewish movement. (32 min)

20. Gnosis without Christ

Study non-Christian philosophical movements in response to Gnostic ideas. (34 min)

• The Mythology of Manichaeism

Investigate the complex mythology and structure of Manichaeism as a culmination of Gnosticism. (32 min)

22. Augustine on Manichaeism and Original Sin

Observe St. Augustine's opposition to Manichaean views and his teachings on original sin. (33 min)

23. Gnostic Traces in Western Religions

Learn about the persistence of Gnostic ideas in later spiritual movements. (35 min)

• “Gnosticism” in the Modern Imagination

Uncover Gnostic themes in contemporary literature and films. (34 min)