The Wheatland Mission

Gnip Gnop Gnosticism: II . . . AKA Gnip Gnostic

gnosticism - is a religious and philosophical system loosely based upon Christianity and Greek philosophy. - Darrell Bock

The Da Vinci Code is certainly not the first, nor will it be the last book to promote or suggest that Christianity, in its earliest forms, was a form of gnosticism. This is a "trendy" point of view held by some modern religous scholars but it doesn't have sufficient basis in fact. Frequently, such scholars will ignore the most reliable and most early sources for an understanding of Christianity which are the documents of the New Testament. It is almost universally held, by both conservative and irreligious scholars, that the Apostle Paul wrote Romans, Galatians, I Thessalonians, and many of the other letters traditional Christians believe he wrote. Some of these non-traditional scholars even suggest that Paul was the real "founder" of Christianity, not Jesus.

That being established, there is no hint of gnosticism in Paul's writings. Paul clearly and forcefully endorses Christ's literal ressurection. For him, Christ did not simply "appear" to arise nor did he first appear as a ghostly being that couldn't die. According to Paul's testimony, one which he received on the road to Damascus and that was confirmed by other early believers, is that Christ had died (according to the Scriptures), that he was put in a tomb ("buried" - according to the Scriptures), and that he rose again on the third day (according to ... you got it, the Scriptures). [I Corinthians 15:1-8] Gnosticism was a dualistic religion that held a strict separation between the physical and the spiritual. A bodily resurrection would not only be unnecessary but it would be distasteful to their supposedly "enlightened" senses.

He is anxious to communicate the Gospel story wherever he goes and does so with equal openness. For Paul, there is no "hidden" knowledge. He eagerly seeks to share it all. In Acts 17 Paul seeks to reveal the knowledge of Christ that appears to be hidden to those on Mars Hill. He doesn't reveal this to initiates only. He shares it even with those who boldly reject it.

Jesus is too Jewish to be a good gnostic. He follows the rules of Judaism and participates in Jewish culture to such an extent that there would undoubtedly be some hint of gnostic thinking or tendencies in his teaching and in his actions recorded in the Gospels. Any such record of anything like this does not appear until well into the 3rd and 4th centuries. There is no sign of it in the Gospels nor in the early records of Jesus life and ministry as expressed in the rest of the New Testament.

I John and I and II Timothy seem to combat what might be a form of gnosticism that existed within the early church. However, these letters were written well into the second half of the first century and the false beliefs they were attacking seem, according to most scholars, to be a newly developing heresy rather than one that had been around for very long.

Why are gnostic leanings so prevalent in modern religious thought? It appears to me that a religious or philosophical system that, 1) appears to be very ancient and traditional; and 2) requires little sacrifice or faith commitment; and 3) considers the difficulties of our present world something only to be "put up with" not redeemed, has a certain appeal. One can mix and match a number of religious and philosphical points of view to create your own spiritual composite with no need for support and no for accountability.

Instead, Christianity offers a religion that is 1)in fact ancient and traditional; and 2) requires a great deal of faith and sacrifice; and 3) considers all of the problems in the world potential subjects for God's healing and redemption (including but not limited to: personal and corporate lust and greed, physical and psychological disease, economic and enviromental degradation, personal and national alienation). It is a religion that not only makes more sense but one which couldn't be invented or dreamed up by the minds of men.

Lastly, Gnosticism is a religion for escapists. If one doesn't want to face the hard truth about one's spiritual condition then gnosticism is an appealing option. If one doesn't want to deal with human suffering and misery at home and around the world then gnosticism, with its emphasis on the spiritual over the physical is a good option. But, ultimately, this type of psuedo-faith falls woefully short.

Let's cautiously and graciously confront "escapist" Christianity when we see it our lives and in the life of our Church.

posted by The Wheatland Mission @ 5:36 PM