Gnosticism: An Introduction

Original Gnostic documents were first discovered by Mohammed Ali and a group of field hands, and these then became a part of the Nag Hammadi Library, though it took a while for scholars to examine these documents as the discovering party wanted to profit from the find. Gnosticism is based in the Jewish creation story, but requires additional explanation to have all the pieces fit together. Sophia, was a diety who created an offspring “son” who in turn stole her power and created the material world that we know. This “son,” Yaldabaoth who existed in a lower realm and believed himself to be the only God, and declared himself as such. The unknown, higher God saw his ignorance and evil and then tricked him into spreading Sophia’s spirit into the material world. The higher God forgave Sophia and sent Christ to spread the knowledge of Sophia and the reality of the world so that Sophia’s spirit could be returned to the divine realm.

 

Hannah and Gloria