Gnosticism - Beginning the Search into early forms of Christianity
I am reading two books by Elaine Pagels at the moment: one is "The Gnostic Gospels" (first edition came out in 1979) and the other is entitled "Beyond Belief" (2003). Both books are well written and scholarly at the same time. I've studied the religion of my family, Catholicism, but never in a "mythological" or imaginal way. The view that I am getting from Pagels' books is that Christianity from the first to the fourth century was just as diverse as it is today, if not more, and completely disorganized. In fact, when we study the gnostic texts, Christianity resembles mystical traditions of the East. Pagels quotes another scholar who compares the gnostic sayings of Jesus with Buddhist koans:
Jesus said, ‘If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you” (Gnostic Gospels xv).
When I read this quote it reminded me of C.G. Jung's view of working with the shadow. He mentioned that whatever is hiding in the unconscious will be projected on the world as fate. [I believe his exact quote is, "That which we do not bring to consciousness appears in our lives as fate."]
Another aspect of the gnostic gospels that I found interesting was the notion of God as mother and father:
This is a poem spoken in the voice of a feminine divine power in another text mysteriously entitled "Thunder, Perfect Mind"--
For I am the first and the last.
I am the honored one and the scorned one.
I am the whore and the holy one.
I am the wife and the virgin...
I am the barren one,
and many are her sones...
I am the silence that is incomprehensible...
I am the utterance of my name. (Gnostic Gospels xvii)
The idea of a feminine deity equal with God is not something we find in Orthodox Christianty in modern times. The Virgin Mary is glorified but not given equal billing with God or her son Jesus, the Christ. I have also begun to read about Mary Magdelene, who I find really intriguing. Since the publishing of Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Codes," the not-so-virgin Mary has come back into the spotlight. However, many of Brown's assertions of historical fact surrounding Mary Magdalene are truly mythic. Not that I mind the mythic, being a myth scholar, but I don't think it is ethical to say something is factual when it is not.
As I'm still taking notes on both books and thinking them through, I will have to record more reflections in January.
Please feel free to post any additional thoughts about these books, the author Elaine Pagels or the subject of gnosticism. I would enjoy reading other perspectives and responses to this subject.
Jesus said, ‘If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you” (Gnostic Gospels xv).
When I read this quote it reminded me of C.G. Jung's view of working with the shadow. He mentioned that whatever is hiding in the unconscious will be projected on the world as fate. [I believe his exact quote is, "That which we do not bring to consciousness appears in our lives as fate."]
Another aspect of the gnostic gospels that I found interesting was the notion of God as mother and father:
This is a poem spoken in the voice of a feminine divine power in another text mysteriously entitled "Thunder, Perfect Mind"--
For I am the first and the last.
I am the honored one and the scorned one.
I am the whore and the holy one.
I am the wife and the virgin...
I am the barren one,
and many are her sones...
I am the silence that is incomprehensible...
I am the utterance of my name. (Gnostic Gospels xvii)
The idea of a feminine deity equal with God is not something we find in Orthodox Christianty in modern times. The Virgin Mary is glorified but not given equal billing with God or her son Jesus, the Christ. I have also begun to read about Mary Magdelene, who I find really intriguing. Since the publishing of Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Codes," the not-so-virgin Mary has come back into the spotlight. However, many of Brown's assertions of historical fact surrounding Mary Magdalene are truly mythic. Not that I mind the mythic, being a myth scholar, but I don't think it is ethical to say something is factual when it is not.
As I'm still taking notes on both books and thinking them through, I will have to record more reflections in January.
Please feel free to post any additional thoughts about these books, the author Elaine Pagels or the subject of gnosticism. I would enjoy reading other perspectives and responses to this subject.
4 Comments:
Its a funny thing how certain things pop all over the place at once. I have been reading "Beyond Belief" also. And I have spotted it several times in the NYC subways lately. Something is up.
Great site!
Thank you for your compliment! Yes, it seems to me as well that there are "waves" of interest in certain topics, at certain times as if there is a collective consciousness working unconsciously. So far, I think the Christian myth is acting on very powerful archetypes, one of which is the hidden feminine.
Mary Magdalen carries this archetype strongly. But also I've come to discover that within Jesus himself, who figures as a man in touch with his internal feminine-side as well as a divine feminine. The most important parts of the Christian demonstrate that there is an archetype of birthing and love and forgiveness and nurturing, associations usually made with feminine archetypes.
However, gnosticism for the most part places God and Jesus as "pnuema," spirit in the genderless aspect that the Greeks favored. But, some branches of gnosticism also show Mary Magdalen as the one disciple who really understands Jesus' teachings. She is the "intellegence" of the Divine and can become like a man [as if men are able to think things through and women are not]. So, in effect, her being inside a woman's body is not important as long as her spirit comprehends "like a man":
From the Gospel of Thomas:
Simon Peter said to them [the disciples]: “Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of Life.” Jesus said, "I myself shall lead her, in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit, resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Pagels, Gnostic 49)
I'm working on a short story based on the research I've done and will post it in January. Please check back!
Happy post-Christmas,
Kris
I really enjoy your site. The Da Vinci code got me interested in looking at the roots of my religion and I'm reading The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels and I love it. Another book I've picked up is "Jesus and the Lost Goddess" which is great. It's interesting to look at an equal God and Goddess. The name the give her is Sophia. Interesting, no? I've read several of the "Lost Gospels" and I've begun changing my faith radically. Some things that were religiously taboo before aren't so forbidden anymore. One of which is my passion, Magic. but thats another story
Thank you for your compliment! I'm glad you find the site interesting.
If you come back to the site, please leave your name and email address if you are so inclined.
I enjoy corresponding with all of the different people who visit the site.
Warm regards,
Kris
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