Ante-Nicene Perversions: Gnosticism (100-325 AD)

GNOSTICS of the Ante-Nicene Period

1. Cerinthus (c.60-c.100)
2. Basilides, taught in Alexandria from 117-138 AD
3. Valentinus (c.100-c.160)
4. Marcion (c.85-c.160)
5. Justinus (2nd cent. AD)
6. Manichaeus (c.216-c.277)

GNOSTIC Apocryphon

1. Gospel of Truth, c.140-180
2. Apocryphon of John, c.170-180
3. Gospel of Judas, c.180-190
4. Gospel of Thomas, c.250
5. Baruch, c.2nd century
6. The Living Gospel, c.2nd century

GNOSTIC Elements of Antichrist

1. Monad, "the One" who is the supreme God
2. Pleroma, "fullness" or totality of God's powers
3. Emanation, Supreme Light or Consciousness
4. Aeons, emanated beings that interact with the Monad
5. Sophia, "wisdom" the lowest aeon
6. Demiurge, "craftsman" or creator God

GNOSTISICM Today

1. Modern Adherents

• a. freemason, Albert Pike (1809-1891)
• b. mystic, H. P. Blavatsky (1831-1891)
  --- i. influenced L. Frank Baum (1856-1919)
  --- ii. influenced Adolf Hitler (1889-1945)
• c. psychiatrist, Carl Jung (1875-1961)
• d. Satanist, Aleistair Crowley (1875-1947)
  --- i. Scientologist, L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986)
  --- ii. author, Alan Moore (1953- )
• e. author, Philip K. Dick (1928-1982)
• f. author, Neale Walsch (1943- )

2. Modern Books with Gnostic Themes

• a. Dianetics, by Hubbard
• b. Harry Potter series, by Rowling
• c. The Da Vinci Code, by Brown
• d. Minority Report, by Dick
• e. Conversations with God, by Walsch
• f. V for Vendetta, by Moore

3. Modern Movies with Gnostic Themes

• a. Logan's Run
• b. The Matrix trilogy
• c. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
• d. The Truman Show
• e. Moana
• f. The Wizard of Oz