Gnostic Religion

Hidden for nearly two millennia, the Gnostic Gospels offer a radically different vision of Christ’s message—one centered not on blind faith, but on awakening, inner knowledge, and divine self-realization. This expanded edition brings together five of the most powerful non-canonical scriptures ever uncovered, offering sacred insight for seekers, scholars, and anyone drawn to the forgotten paths of early Christianity.

The Gnostic Gospels provides engaging listening for those seeking a broader perspective on the early development of Christianity. Author and noted scholar Elaine Pagels suggests that Christianity could have developed quite differently if Gnostic texts had become part of the Christian canon.

Based on Christianity's Gnostic foundations and the lost secret teachings of Jesus, this book is a thought-provoking conjecture on ways to manifest the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth -- an inspirational reminder of what Christianity was intended to be.

The selections made in this volume shed light on these esoteric doctrines, revealing intimate conversations between Jesus and his disciples. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene throws new light on his relationship with this favorite disciple. The Gospel of Thomas contains concentrated mini-parables, containing deep inward and symbolic meaning, many of which are not found in the New Testament. The texts chosen are relevant to many of the perplexities of contemporary life and deal with the questions of good and evil, sin and suffering, and the path to salvation.

The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity - truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries AD, but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages.

Unlock the secrets of ancient wisdom with "The Pistis Sophia: A Beginner's Guide: Unveiling the Mysteries of Gnostic Wisdom." This book is your gateway to understanding the profound and esoteric teachings of one of the most revered texts in Gnosticism. Whether you're a novice seeking spiritual enlightenment or a seasoned explorer of mystical traditions, this guide will captivate your mind and spirit. Dive into the rich tapestry of Gnostic thought as you: Discover the hidden teachings that have been preserved for centuries. The Pistis Sophia offers a cosmology filled with divine beings, ...

From the uniquely preserved writings of the Ethiopian Church to the mystical revelations of the Nag Hammadi Scriptures, this volume opens a portal into forgotten realms of divine wisdom, spiritual power, and early Christian thought—now beautifully translated for the modern listener.

Gnosticism was a wide-ranging religious movement of the first millennium CE—with earlier antecedents and later flourishings—whose adherents sought salvation through knowledge and personal religious experience.

Why is religion still around in the 21st century? Why do so many still believe? And how do various traditions still shape the way people experience everything from sexuality to politics, whether they are religious or not? In Why Religion? Elaine Pagels looks to her own life to help address these questions. Drawing upon the perspectives of neurologists, anthropologists, and historians, as well as her own research, Pagels opens unexpected ways of understanding persistent religious aspects of our culture.

Gnosticism was a contemporary of early Christianity, and its demise can be traced to Christianity's efforts to silence its teachings. The Gnostic message, however, was not destroyed but simply went underground. Starting with the first emergence of Gnosticism, the author shows how its influence extended from the teachings of neo-Platonists and the magical traditions of the Middle Ages to the beliefs and ideas of the Sufis, Jacob Böhme, Carl Jung, Rudolf Steiner, and the Rosicrucians and Freemasons.

What if the wisdom of ancient prophets, mystics, and early Christian thinkers could guide your spiritual journey today? This remarkable collection, The Complete 70-Book Apocrypha with Writings of the Apostolic Fathers, brings together sacred scriptures once lost, debated, or hidden—now presented in a modern translation for today's seeker.

From the dawn of history, a universal wisdom tradition has existed that explains humanity’s purpose in the cosmos and our relationship to the Master Source Consciousness. This mystical philosophy was harnessed by the ancient seers known as Gnostics, who were in direct contact with Source Consciousness. As Peter Canova reveals, not only do the ancient teachings of Gnosticism contain important spiritual truths, but they profoundly align with the modern sciences of quantum physics and psychology.

In this new translation of the Gospel of Thomas, Leloup shows that the Jesus recorded by the "infinitely skeptical and infinitely believing" Thomas has much in common with gnostics of non-dualistic schools. Like them, Jesus preaches the coming of a new man, the genesis of the man of knowledge. In this gospel, Jesus describes a journey from limited to unlimited consciousness. The Jesus of Thomas invites us to drink deeply from the well of knowledge within, not so that we may become good Christians but so we may attain the self-knowledge that will make each of us, too, a Christ.

Pistis Sophia is a Gnostic text discovered in 1773, possibly written between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. The existing manuscript, which some scholars place in the late 4th century, relates one Gnostic group's teachings of the transfigured Jesus to the assembled disciples (including his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Martha). In this text, the risen Jesus had spent eleven years speaking with his disciples, teaching them only the lower mysteries. After eleven years, he receives his true garment and is able to reveal the higher mysteries revered by this group.

The evolution of the Sacred Worship of Sophia, Mary Magdalene, and Mother Mary are traced through the Gnostic Scriptures. Sophia would come to be considered a force or conduit of the Holy Spirit, in part due to the fact that the Holy Spirit was also considered a feminine and creative force from the Supreme God. As the emerging orthodox church became more and more oppressive to women, later even labeling them "occasions of sin", the Gnostics countered by raising women to equal status.

Unlock the Mysteries of Gnosticism with Carl Spartacus! Dive into the profound wisdom of Gnosticism and embark on a journey of enlightenment with "Gnosticism: A Useful Overview for Dilettantes, New-Agers, Witches, and Magicians" by the renowned author, Carl Spartacus. Here's a glimpse of what's waiting for you within the pages: **Discover the Gnostic Origins:** Journey back in time to uncover who the Gnostics were and when and where their spiritual movement first emerged. **The Nag Hammadi Library:** Delve into the treasures of the Nag Hammadi Library, where ancient Gnostic texts were ...

Gnosis is not a bundle of hidden secrets that must be studied and understood to gain redemption. Simply put, gnosis is the realization that we come from above, and that our Father is in Heaven, and to Heaven we shall return. That’s all. Gnosis involves stepping down from the throne of ego to better reveal the Light of God. You cannot be taught gnosis; you must discover it for yourself. So, even though gnosis cannot be taught, this book will explain, in pictures and the simplest possible terms, how to reach it. This is truly gnosis demystified for your edification. This book presents an ...

In this book, we will explore Gnosticism and the Divine Feminine through the lens of two great Gnostic texts. We will see the influence of Gnosticism and how their idea of the Divine Feminine effected orthodox or mainstream Christianity. The treatise of Eugnostos the Blessed (50-150 AD) and the gospel called The Sophia of Jesus Christ (50-200 AD) are presented together in a single volume, due to their close and undeniable connection.

Learn how we got the books of the Bible. There were prophets who proved they were from God by performing miracles and making localized predictions with 100 percent accuracy. Their long range predictions were then recorded in the 66 books of the Bible. We can know this for a fact because over 50 of those long range prophecies have come to pass since the nation of Israel was reborn in AD 1948. The ancient church fathers teach the Gnostic gospels were demonically inspired. They contain no prophecy, and their teachings contradict the teachings of the prophetically proven word of God.

And the companion (Consort) was Mary of Magdala (Mary Magdalene). The Lord loved Mary more than all the other disciples and he kissed her often on her mouth (the text is missing here and the word "mouth" is assumed). The others saw his love for Mary and asked him: "Why do you love her more than all of us?" The Savior replied, "Why do I not love you in the same way I love her?" (The Gospel of Philip)