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On the study of the Human in Gnosticism

유승종 1

1대진대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

The Gnostic’s view of Christianity was in many ways the mirror image of that of the Literalist Christians who eventually become the Roman Catholic Church. Literalists were rigidly authoritarian. Gnostics were mystic individualists. Literalists wanted to enforce a common creed on all Christians. Gnostics tolorated various different beliefs and practics. Literalists selected four gospels as holy scripture and had the rest consigned to the flames as heretical works of the Devil. The Gnostic’s view of man was different with the Roman Catholic. The Gnostics maintained a completely mystical and transcendent understanding of the man. This was not the picture of man held by Literalist Christians. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus writes, "Human opinions are toys for children. " The sage of the Pagan Mysteries were disparaging about mere beliefs or opinions; they were interested in knowledge. Gnostics argued that belief is connected only with the appearances of things, while knowledge penetrates to the underlying reality and the nature of man. The highest level of understanding, Gnostics proclaimed, is that knowledge through which the mind becomes unified with the object of knowledge.

Citation status

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