Gnosticism (Noun)
Meaning
A religious orientation advocating gnosis as the way to release a person's spiritual element; considered heresy by Christian churches.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- Gnosticism often emphasizes the attainment of spiritual knowledge through personal experience and introspection rather than through scripture or dogma.
- The early Christian church viewed gnosticism as a threat to its authority and teachings, and therefore deemed it heretical.
- Gnosticism posits the existence of a dichotomy between the material and spiritual realms, with salvation obtainable only through liberation from the material world.
- The discovery of the Nag Hammadi library shed significant light on the mysteries of gnosticism, which had long been considered a lost and obscure knowledge.
- Some scholars believe that elements of gnosticism can be seen in certain mystical traditions and esoteric philosophies that have survived to the present day.