The Gnostic World is an outstanding guide to Gnosticism, written by a distinguished international team of experts to explore Gnostic movements from the distant past until today. These themes are examined across sixty-seven chapters in a variety of contexts, from the ancient pre-Christian to the contemporary. The volume considers the intersection of Gnosticism with Jewish, Christian, Islamic and Indic practices and beliefs, and also with new religious movements, such as Theosophy, Scientology, Western Sufism, and the Nation of Islam.
This comprehensive handbook will be an invaluable resource for religious studies students, scholars, and researchers of Gnostic doctrine and history.
The Gnostic World
Description
Table of Contents
IntroductionGarry W. TrompfTheoretical1. Gnosticism, Gnostics, and GnosisDylan M. Burns2. "The Gnostic World": A History of Scholarship (until 2000)Garry W. Trompf3. Gnostics and Temporality: From Myth to MacrohistoryGarry W. TrompfAncient 4. Ancient Pre-Christian "Gnosticisms": The State of the QuestionsCarl B. Smith II5. The Jewish Background to "Gnosticism": A Guide for the PerplexedGarry W. Trompf6. Gnostic Motifs in the New TestamentPheme Perkins7. On Ancient "Gnosticism" as a Problematic CategoryMichael A. Williams8. Gender Issues and the Study of Ancient "Gnosticism"Majella Franzmann9. The Gnostics in Early Christian HeresiologyMark Edwards10. Genres of Gnostic Literature and the "Classical Gnostic" School of Thought John D. Turner11. Sethian Gnostic SpeculationJohn D. Turner12. Basilides and the BasilidiansJean-Daniel Dubois13. Valentinus and the ValentiniansEinar Thomassen14. Is the Gospel of Thomas Gnostic?David W. Kim15. The Gospel of Judas and the Tchacos CodexGarry W. Trompf and David W. Kim16. The Mandaeans: Writings, Rituals, and ArtBrikha Nasoraia17. Hermetism and GnosticismJean-Pierre Mahé18. Plotinus and the GnosticsFrancis Lacroix and Jean-Marc Narbonne19. Gnostic Elements in Ancient Magical PapyriMalcolm Choat20. Mani’s LifeIain Gardner21. The Manichaean Path to SalvationJason D. BeDuhn22. Insight and Means in Chinese Manichaean TextsGunner B. Mikkelsen
Author Description
Garry W. Trompf is Emeritus Professor in the History of Ideas, and Adjunct Professor in Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney, Australia.
Gunner B. Mikkelsen is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Jay Johnston is Associate Professor, School of Literature, Art and Media, University of Sydney, Australia.